Write Me Beautiful

Shameless Self Promotion

2010-07-27T18:44:00.000-07:00

As a recent graduate, I could use some serious help in finding my first "real job". I graduate with a bachelor's in journalism electronic media in May. Although I have interned and even worked to produce packages to air, I still have never held a full-time journalism gig. I am willing to relocate anywhere in the U.S.A. My resume and samples of my work are available at kategreer.tumblr.com! If you know of any job openings in your area, or know of anyone who could help me out, please leave a comment! Like most careers, networking is the best option to getting your foot in the door. In a global recession, it's about who you know, more than what you know. I am willing to admit that I need more experience, but am not afraid to work hard to earn it. I enjoy journalism and believe in its altruistic abilities to help others through the flow of information. Please help me!

Travel Log

2010-05-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

I'm finished with college and am embarking on an exciting adventure this summer. If you'd like to follow along, check out travelmebeautiful.wordpress.com.

Busy, Busy, Busy Bee

2010-04-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like a bad diary keeper. I haven't posted anything in weeks and feel a bit out of touch. I blame the crazy time of the year. I am still working on my thesis (which hopefully will be a bestselling novella and makes me my first million dollars), while eating all the food out of my pantry, packing up my apartment, cutting off cable, taking finals, booking flights, and getting ready for a crazy summer. To catch everyone up to speed: I'm spending a few days in Moscow, interning at Mongolia National Broadcaster, then a few days visiting my birth country - Vietnam - and then visiting my brother in California. I'll try and keep everyone updated with pictures of my exciting adventures! But until these next few crazy weeks go by, this is Write Me Beautiful signing off.

Meow

2010-03-28T14:55:00.001-07:00

Daisy wasn't very impressed by Ally's male-ness.

On the other hand, Ally was very impressed ny Daisy's female-ness.

Yup, still not impressed.

Pi Day

2010-03-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

March 13, 2010 also known as Pi Day, unfortunately is not a federal holiday. However, the government's mistakes have never stopped me from acknowledging the truth - that Pi Day should be embraced and enjoyed. Therefore, I googled a pie recipe which ingredients were already residing in my cabinets and pulled out the bowls and whisks. And this was what happened:

A really large cookie pie - but really it's a cookie baked in a pie pan.

It's served best with vanilla ice cream.

Busy Days, Busy Nights

2010-03-11T04:53:00.001-08:00

Spring Break has not been a break. Work, work, and work, but I keep thinking money, money, and money. I suppose it's a fair trade (sometimes). Last night I had an unusual burst of productivity and not only get a lot of things done that I had been putting off, but even accomplish some Martha Stewart chores. I baked bread, made granola, started some alphafa sprouts growing, and went grocery shopping (saving $8!!!). The home-making went hand-in-hand with homework and preparations for some of my future activities. I feel slightly like a witch brewing with all my preparations for the future. I'm very excited, but call me superstitious, I won't tell until everything is finalized!

The pictures aren't very good, but I did learn how to adjust my own white balance on the Big-Mac Camera!

Roommate's 21st Birthday

2010-03-06T08:11:00.001-08:00

My roommate turned 21 today! We will go celebrate tonight, but for today, I made her applesauce cupcakes. I originally thought this was very clever of me considering she has pancreas issues and can't digest sugar very well. After presenting them to her, of course she tells me that apples have a lot of natural sugars. Good intentions aside, they were delicious and Daisy enjoyed them too.

Meow

2010-03-02T16:11:00.001-08:00

It's been awhile since I've updated the world on my amazing kitty so here is Daisy!

She has the prettiest blue eyes, much like another cat that has stolen my heart (ie My mother's cat Smudge).

I've sucked it up and e-filed my TaxReturns which should be called TaxTakethAway. I've also refocused my new year's resolution (after all, it's still early in the year and I can still have re-do them, it's like the thirty-second-rule but the three-month rule). Instead of the usual promises to be a nicer and more compassionate person, work out more, learn a different language, or whatever people think up to resolve to do in the new year, I've decide on only one resolution. I am determined not to get a single car violation this year. I'm really a very aware and safe driver but you wouldn't know if looking at my citations. However, for the sake of my wallet and parental unit's sanity, I will not receive another traffic violation of any sorts.

That is after this next one. Then it will start. Right?

Ide of April

2010-02-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again - tax time or also known as my least favorite time of the year. I'm a student and a part-time worker. In other words, I'm usually living from paycheck to paycheck. In light of my reduced hours at my current job, I'm seeking an extra employment. All this should tell you that I don't make a lot of money. However, as I went through the step-by-step for dummies program on TurboTax.com, I found out I owe the government money this year.

Thinking that I did something wrong, because I don't have a lot of money so I shouldn't owe any money, I filled out another for-dummies program on H&R to see if it would be the same. And Behold, the results were the same. I still owe money. This means I'm not inputting the numbers wrong. The websites do actually know what they are doing. And the government does not! How can a student and a part-time worker owe the government any money. Then I stopped and thought about the recent changes from 2008 to 2009.

The United States elected their first biracial president (who is democratic and loves big government). Congress approved more than $700 billion dollars of taxpayers money to bailout Wall Street and people on Main Street couldn't find jobs and scrounged together their pennies to make it through the year.

This goes to show how a little rock (or in this case the boulder) when dropped in the ocean can ripple out to affect everyone, including a student and a part-time worker. A friend of mine that is creeping toward 65 and retirement age always jokes and thank me for working because I'm padding her wallet. I guess I am, but how can I ensure that my money goes only to her who I know deserves it versus CEOs that don't.

If I didn't follow the news, politics, and economics closely before, I am definitely taking an active interest as a taxpayer and voter from now on (and so should you).

Memories from a Long Journey

2010-02-20T16:26:00.001-08:00

I recently wrote a short biography on request of a former professor who was interested in my life story. As I said goodbye Tennessee, Hello Kentucky, Goodbye Kentucky, Hello Virginia, Goodbye Virginia, Hello Tennessee again, I was wondering why people are interested to hear my story. I'm not sure what others get from it, but if it can help others, I am more than willing to share. I guess it doesn't intrigue me since I know it like the back of my hand, but follow this link to the website hosting my story if you wish to likethedew.com.

Under Construction

2010-02-18T07:57:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I'm attempting to revamp my blog skin (to no avail). However, during this interim as I figure out how to use my amazing new Mac Book Pro laptop that my beautiful mother got me, I will be on a slight leave of absence. I am sad to say that this week, my workout schedule has been shot. I've been busy shooting video for my first package and will be dedicating a lot of time to editing it this weekend so my next blog will probably be on it. I'm also attempting to create a website, work on a thesis, figure out my summer plans, and finish school up. Therefore, my few followers, bear with me as I try and be in five different places at once.

I also feel odd commenting on my own posts, so in response to Ley who commented on the last post:

I am usually much like yourself when it comes to resolutions. I never follow them, and this week has proven my point exactly. However, exercising and staying healthy are extremely important so I will attempt to go running later today - partly because I need to be healthy and partly because broadcast journalism is a very visual business (much like Hollywood). It's always going to be easier to get a job if you are attractive. Sad but true. I hope my skills as a journalist will outshine my physical appearance, but it can't hurt to play as many cards as possible, especially when interviewing for that first job!

Realizations about Resolutions

2010-02-09T16:56:00.001-08:00

Every year we make a list of things we'd like to improve on. Idealistically, we want to; but pragmatically, we never get around to it. I've been pleasantly surprised that I've actually kept up my exercise goal. Everything else has sadly gone to the wayside like most years. One victory at a time, I suppose. I'm even considering buying a yoga DVD so I can do yoga at home, coupled with visits to the gym and I may reach my ideal body image within my lifetime. Don't get me wrong, I am not bothered by the way I look, in the least. I would go so far as to say that I'm rather fortunate in some ways. However, there is always room for improvement. Part of the exercise goal is to get my body into physical shape to run a marathon. Why would any sane person want to do this? Unfortunately, I can't answer that question, I would not categorize myself as sane.

Remembering the Days

2010-01-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

Flying is absolutely magical. A two-hour-flight can transport me to New York from my humble abode. It was slightly scary when I saw the tiny aircraft that was suppose to go up thousands of feet in the air. I had this image of a large commercial airplane, spacious with seating in the center aisle and a large bathroom. No, our airplane had twelve/thirteen rows of seats squished together into a bullet of an airplane.

Still, after initial queasiness, flying didn't terrify me, after all, I had made it through security with no racial profiling and no luggage mistakes.

Once we landed, it was magical! I am not sure how my senior professor kept the fast-pace from 6 a.m. to midnight or later. It didn't help that I got sick half-way through the week. Still, New York was awesome with a runny nose, sore throat, hacking cough, teen-degree weather, and a wind that could rival Chicago's nickname.

We toured the networks (ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC, MTVU, FoodNetwork, and so much more). In addition, the group went out several nights to see the sights and sounds of the city, including the broadway show "Wicked" and frequenting a certain Irish Pub one block from the hotel. As a girl, Greenwich Village, Chelsea Market, Soho were must shopping sites. Time Square was only a short 14 block walk from our hotel. My roommie even saw the naked cowboy out singing and strumming his guitar in what felt like subzero temperatures.

Above all else, I fell in love with the city. How could you not? If I tap my ruby slippers together, think I'll go back? One can always wish. Although, seeing the city that never sleeps, quite literally too, it makes me appreciate the quiet comfort of the South. It maybe slower down here, but it's warmer.

Here some snippets of my week in New York City.

The Central Park Hotel, where we stayed, was only 14 blocks away from Time Square.
The famous Carnegie Deli is a block away from our hotel, but their large portion size was disgustingly American. I would never eat there again.

The view from the top of the Rockefeller Center 70 stories up. You can see all the way down Central Park!

Note the beautiful Empire State building behind us. We never did go up it.

We also didn't have enough time to ice skate at the Rockefeller Ice Skating Center, but I did take a picture.

We saw a Live Regis and Kelly show, both of whom are very nice people. A lot of smoke and mirrors if you ever watch them tape it. I think its better to watch the show on TV from the comfort of your couch where you didn't have to wait forever in the long line.

Away for the week

2010-01-20T05:38:00.000-08:00

I'm currently in New York and having the time of my life. I may never leave! I say that, but I'll be back Friday night and will try to post a blog on Saturday about my trip. I've got some amazing photos, but am unable to post them as of yet. I've ducked into an Apple store to post this blog since I left my computer back in Tennessee. Having seen the Mac Book Pro, I think I'm going to buy one before my student discount doesn't work anymore! My five-year-old Sony VAIO needs to be retired soon. I look forward to catching up with my bloggies next week. Check my facebook and twitter account if you want to be jealous about all the exciting things I'm doing in New York this week!

My 2010 Skirt

2010-01-09T12:24:00.001-08:00

What does one do on a snow day? Well, if you're raised a Greer-girl, you sew a skirt. Skirts are the easiest thing to sew, which makes it the perfect clothing item to sew for a girl who enjoys instant gratification. This skirt has three panels in the front and back and sewed together to form a bell shape.

I paired the skirt with flat brown boots, a practical choice for the snow-laden streets I would have to trek at my legal runner job. The Anthropologie-esque sweater was a steal I picked up at TJMax several years ago. I love it because I'll often forget I have it until I'm scratching my head for a top to go with something, and my hand pulls it out of the mayhem called my wardrobe.

These boots were from Target, awesome deal for flat boots!

My headband with the pink rose adds a little girly touch that would put this outfit over the edge for a business setting, but since I only have to be business casual, it works. Daisy gave her approval.

Snowed-In

2010-01-08T15:10:00.001-08:00

I've lived in the South all my life. I've never experienced snow and I've never been snowed-in, but 2010 is the year for new things. My parent's were almost down a daughter this morning. I got into my car as the silly little Southern girl whose never driven in snow before to drive to work. Needless to say, I never made it. My apartment complex is weirdly placed within one of the richest neighborhoods of Knoxville, which I normally love, but it also means I drive through a regular subdivision instead of being conveniently located near the main road as most apartment complexes are usually. The salt dispensers of the city didn't make it out to my streets until later into the day, so I celebrated a snow day on my couch with my kitty and Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's".

While I played Old Maid, my neighbor's children were playing in the snow.

If you follow the white-snow road, to my house, you'll go.

Meow

2010-01-02T18:11:00.001-08:00

Despite being an inside cat, Daisy is looking forward to the warm weather of spring and everything 2010 may bring.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T13:09:00.000-08:00

I haven't put pen to paper to make my annual resolutions as I've always done in the past. This coming year will be different and help shape the rest of my life. I don't want to narrow my thoughts down the an enumerated list of things to do or not to do. My college years are almost over and May will bring my new year more so than tonight, but celebrate, I still will! Everyone be safe and enjoy the fireworks, countdown, and champagne!

Meow, Meow, Meow it's Christmas!

2009-12-24T06:48:00.000-08:00

Daisy loves lying on my laptop. She believes she is more important than getting work done.

After a long petting session wherein she doesn't agree with me that I have to continue working, and I must unceremoniously remove her from my keyboard, she takes shelter under the Christmas tree.

She doesn't believe that I can see or hear her gnawing off the fake pine needles of the Christmas tree.

She continues exacting her revenge for her unjust removal and lack of attention.

Meow

2009-12-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

My little sister, Benita bonding with Daisy in the kitchen is my first Meow post-exams.

Lady in Red

2009-12-14T17:23:00.000-08:00

I decided to dress to impress in a little red dress.

It was a bitter cold Friday so I paired the chic, red dress with black tights, undershirt, and black booties.

Everyone needs a little black dress. And in the twentieth century, every girl needs a little red dress.

Count Down

2009-12-08T08:02:00.001-08:00

2 Days = 4 Exams

Wish me luck! I'll see you on the other side.... I hope.

Final Project for my Broadcast Journalism Class

2009-12-07T19:25:00.000-08:00

Safety in Fort Sanders_Final from Katelyn Renee Ngan Greer (Kate) on Vimeo.

Here is the final video project for my broadcast journalism class. Enjoy!

On Her Way

2009-12-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

She runs out of breath,

but it doesn't matter.

Her ears are deaf,

to those around her.

She needs to go,

she needs to move.

A fight against 'No'

The struggle of her life.

But she knows no other way,

She knows no other way, than her way.

Is Fashion Hereditary?

2009-11-29T14:40:00.000-08:00

My mother has always wanted her international daughters to marry a different ethnicity for her own biological experiments of mixing genes in her grand-babies. My oldest sister was happy to comply and now has an adorable two-year-old son. In my opinion, I think he looks more like his American father than his Vietnamese mother. My sister has only two extremes in fashion - the in-house and the out-of-house style. When she's dressing for the public, she dresses to impress. For the family Thanksgiving gathering, she is wearing a black blazer over a long black and white baby doll shirt, black leggings, and black boots. I've never partook of the legging fashion, but after seeing her outfit, I'm giving it a second thought.
I think what makes the leggings work is that they are black. I've seen many variations of the color and style of leggings, but I proscribe to a more elegant style (at least I'd like to think so). And as my mother and I have observed, black clothing will almost always succeed and is the fashion secret of Paris.

I don't always agree with my sister's fashion, but this outfit gets four stars!

My Brownie Boots that were made for Walking

2009-11-22T06:48:00.001-08:00

When you have a wardrobe like mine, there are certain articles of clothing that inevitably get neglected. My brownie boots have not been worn for awhile, mostly because I have a massive shoe problem and have been wearing my more recent purchases (new shoes must be broken in after all).

However, for this blustery fall morning, the weather screamed for boots so I dusted them off and worked the rest of my outfit around them. Please excuse my morning hair. I'm growing out my hair, but it is in that middle stage that drives me crazy! I just have no patience with it these days. Therefore I'm thinking of coloring it, any comments?

Rejuvenating Weekend in Mountains

2009-11-15T12:26:00.000-08:00

As much as I love fall, it is also the most stressful time of the year. You have Christmas's lists to check off, finals to study for, last projects that will determine your final grade, holiday plans to make, and so much more. My weekend was a much needed time to relax. Sometimes the best thing to do, which you may turn out to regret when you realize you still have t

o do everything you pushed off, is leave everything behind and escape from your life for a bit.

Sunday night will be a long night of homework, but I will enjoy the rest of my beautiful weather weekend to the fullest. I went up to the mountains and enjoyed a wonderful sighting of ducks and raccoons. The animals were very humanized and weren't afraid of us at all. The ducks came like jet skis when they saw us approaching. They knew the routine, it was bread feeding time. These were some of the ugliest ducks I've ever seen. They looked like wild turkeys that grew webbed feet.

And the raccoons came right up to the porch steps to eat peanuts. They are very adorable creatures, but can be quite vicious so it is advisable not to touch them.

And for those cat-lovers following the progression of Daisy's little life. Here she is post-spay operation. She did wonderful! I couldn't be more proud! She even bit the Vet because she didn't like the metal cages. I keep her in a soft carrier (which she loves and acts as a cat bed most of the time as well).

White Skirt after Labor day

2009-11-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

I dared to be a rebel with my white skirt after Labor day. I must say, my wardrobe choice was mostly driven by the fact that my current dosage of steroids has tamed the random breakout of hives, and I rejoiced in my clear skin by showing some skin. I'm still on my second round of medicine and am still clueless as to why I broke-out in the first place. This is a conundrum of a situation, but I will enjoy my moment of clear skin with graciousness. So to celebrate, this is my first fashion post of autumn. I've blended a deep blue color with the brilliance of a white skirt to pull in the last shade of summery cheer.

Meow

2009-11-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

Daisy had her first vet visit and she hated it, but the silver lining, she loves her new carrier. Yes, I bribed my cat to go to the vet. Does this make me a weaker person? Nah, we are all slaves to our pets.

One reason for my lack of posts

2009-11-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

Hello my handful of followers! I hold you in the palms of my hand like fragile sunlight, afraid if I twitch a finger, you'll fall into the darkness. Did you know this month is write a novel month? One of my followers, Marilynne is participating in this month-novel writing iniatitive. I've been seeing signs of it even on campus, which has inspired me to join in (not like I don't have enough to do already). However, to make this more manageable for me, I'm going to just dedicate one hour to my personal writing a day instead of trying to reach a word-goal because that is too impossible with only one month and nine days left of school (not that I'm counting).

I also figure I'll give you a little sneak of my schoolwork. Here is a project I did for my broadcast journalism class.

Adoption Profile from Katelyn Renee Ngan Greer (Kate) on Vimeo.

What you see is only 1:45 seconds. What you don't see is the 8+ hours of work that went into its creation. Practice makes speed, imagine how long my first project for this class took. I'm setting a goal that my final project will be 8 hours and under (but that is probably wishful thinking).

Meow

2009-10-29T07:57:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the lack of recent posts. School is swamping me and now I'm home with hives. Luck has not been on my side lately. I'll hopefully be coming back to the blogsphere next week. For now, this is Daisy pre-spaying. Check next week for a post-spaying picture. I'm hoping it will help calm her down.

Fall Fruits

2009-10-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

As much as I love the fun of summer heat, the drop in temperatures make my bed a cozy comfort from the abrasive cold. Something about the cold makes everything warm and filling even more so. As much as I love the winter clothes, I love the winter foods too! At one of the last farmer's market of the season, I purchased a large butternut squash. My favorite way to cook this squash is roasting it. I chopped it, spread olive oil with my last freshly-cut sage, and roasted it at 375 - 425 degreed Farenheit.

And as an after thought, I drizzled some honey over the olive oil, sage rubbed butternut squash. About 15 -20 minutes later.....

It smells delicious; unfortunately, they have yet to create smell-capabilities on computers.

I tossed this with arugula (I used this type of lettuce for its bitterness to compliment the sweet roasted squash, but you can substitute with anything in the leaf family), sauteed sausage, baby yellow tomatoes in a basic vinaigrette.

And guess who came to dinner?

Fall is Here!

2009-10-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

The air gets a sharp texture when you pull it into your lungs. Its tangy and crisp, leaving your insides cooler. The green hues of Mother Nature's garment fades to lovely sunset colors, creating an ambiance of hope and sweet goodbyes. Its the smell of lingering honeysuckles before the first cold front and the taste of apple cider and hot chocolate that makes this time of the year so special. Autumn can be a hopeless romantic or a bittersweet goodbye to your year. I am looking forward to the end of of 2009. I look forward to 2010 and all of its potential.

Shoes are my personal weakness, and the boots that one can wear during the fall season are amazing! That random note aside, I also enjoy this season's festivities. If you're from the South or raised in rural parts, you'll know what I'm talking about. The smell of hay baled together for wagon rides, the sea of orange where farmers are picking pumpkins, and the tall stalks of corn brushing their husks with the sky like a paintbrush leaving strokes of white against a periwinkle sky. These are some of my favorite things. What are yours?

I went to visit Oakes Farm in Corryton Tennessee. They have a ten acre corn maze with built in crop circles and a haunted corn maze with people dressed in Halloween costumes carrying chainsaws. Families can also take a hayride to a pumpkin patch to pick up their soon-to-be Jack-O-Lantern.

Meow

2009-10-04T06:04:00.001-07:00

I play, I eat, I live such a difficult life; who am I?

Recipe Request!!!

2009-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

To my eight followers, I have a special request. I have continuously hunted for a good whole wheat, sandwich bread recipe for at least a year now. I've found some that worked well, but was never smart enough to save them. Therefore, I am requesting everyone to submit a whole wheat, sandwich bread recipe that they would like me to try. I will make every recipe that is posted and blog about is so you can see my results. There is one stipulation, I don't have a bread machine so remember to include hand-kneading directions. So chefs, put on your Pillsbury cap and let me see what you've got.

Meow

2009-09-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Daisy is getting so big, she won't be able to fit along my legs anymore.

Murphy's Law

2009-09-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

I can run, but I can't drive away from Murphy's Law. After being a stellar student and attending all of my classes Tuesday, I leave campus and am stuck in traffic. As my car idles in a line of cars playing follow the leader, I suddenly feel a jolt and hear a crunch. I've been rear-ended by a another car. I won't give the gory details, but needless to say, this is an unwanted incident among a long list. The silver lining of course is that it is not my fault.

After an event like this, what I need is a new start. Something to wipe the slate clean. It so happens to be Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, today! The timing could not be better. So here is my New Year's Resolutions:

Make time to do more of my own writing
Finish my graduate school applications
Stop sweating the small stuff
Take more time to do photography and other things I enjoy
Exercise (I feel like that this resolution is one of those mandates you must include, but never get around to doing)
Find a "real job" (maybe?)
Buy more litter (this one is easy and really must be done before today is over, but you've got to give yourself an easy one)

Post Art

2009-09-14T17:08:00.000-07:00

Some people share secrets through sending an anonymous postcard with no self address. Others express themselves through pottery, paintings, and diary entries. My medium choice is photography and writing. I love art because it is a snapshot of what you see, and maybe I hold a special meaning to a photograph, but you'll never know. Perhaps this photograph will mean something to you, and I'll never know. As a private person, I enjoy the one-sided nature of the duplicity of artwork.

The view from my front window in the post-dusk light.

Daisy sleeping while I study, so that she will be wide-awake when I'm ready for bed.

Sunday Reflections

2009-09-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

My parents are connoisseurs of wine, my co-workers are connoisseurs of whining, but where do I fall in the mix of hobby-labeling? Am I a church connoisseur? I don't believe yo u can give yourself a name, so I'll explain and let my readers decide if that title suits me.

My mother was raised Catholic and my father of the Baptist persuasion. I grew up attending church at will, from Methodists to, finally, Episcopalian. This church hopping from my youth has become a tradition in my life and I've always liked visiting new churches. Does this make me clinically ill? I couldn't label my beliefs anymore than I could stop buying shoes. No religion has ever called to me like I see some people in congregations that leap and holler at the Holy Spirit.

All the same, I like churches. The building is a sanctuary and it's always calmer. In many ways, my little hour each Sunday acts like an eye to the hurricane chaos of my life. I've tried Catholic churches, Episcopalian churches, Lutheran churches, Baptist Churches, Methodist churches, cogiac churches, and a whole array of smaller protestant branches. Today, I visited the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Although I originally decided to go here because of the 9 a.m. service time; I am grateful for my decision. The experience was interesting and enlightening (more for myself than for my religious beliefs).

My mother reads this blog so I hope she doesn't take offense as God-fearing lover of the Holy Trinity. The sermon at TVUUC was on the chaos of religious life. The sermon resonated with me in a way many sermons do not. Religion, politics, and many other things in life are methods of our creation to contain the chaos of our minds. People resist change, as a rule of thumb, but the paradox is that without stability, there can be no change, and vice versa. This semester of school and life has been more challenging than I expected. The chaos of my life has almost become overwhelming at times, but this chaos theory spoken by a Jewish-looking man, behind a lectern at a church, tucked into a curve of the road, showed me how to find a balance amongst the mess.

I've attended many churches in my short days alive, and one reason for me to keep searching is because I enjoy watching the congregation. The sermons are always intellectually stimulating and the singing is fun, but the people that go every Sunday to that same building, at that same hour, are the ones that captivate my attention. For many reasons, I always feel like I'm missing out on something they all know the secret to. Their faces upturned and their mouths open to the word of the Lord, but I could never understand what compelled them to do this. I want to understand. There is such calmness that comes with their understanding. They have an aura like a halo about them, and I can see it when they attend church. Some people carry this aura with them. Everyone is capable of this, but most people's auras are only visible on Sundays. Am comprehensible or have I gone over the deep end?

TVUUC's ideas struck me, and although I can't explain it, I can feel it. Does this mean my church-hopping days are over? No. I will continue in earnest because this experience has only given me more questions and not enough answers. Is it blasphemy to do a church review? Possibly, but I hope you don't hold it against me. Religion is one of my great fascinations.

Meow

2009-09-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to buy Daisy a catbed since she never quite took to the blanket I crocheted her; however, I think she's settled on a basket in the meantime (or at least until she outgrows it).

When it Rains, It Pours

2009-09-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

The story of my life,

One droplet at a time,

They fall, they fall.

A phone call rings,

The voices share,

A story unfolds.

He is resting in bed,

His heart resting,

"I don't remember," he says,

Wrapped in a terry-cloth robe.

Another drop,

Tip, Tap, Tip, Tap,

His heart stopped,

My heart stopped

It's raining, it's raining,

It always rains.

It's pouring.

Food Inc.

2009-09-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

There are few movies that actually stimulate and motivate the minds of people. Like anyone else, I love the blockbuster movies of summer action flicks like Transformers and romance-comedy movies like The Holiday, but a documentary has the added advantage of not making me feel like I wasted two hours of my life on frivolity.

March of the Penguins, an interesting documentary of its own right, still pales in comparison to Food Inc. I'm currently reading the book, after watching the movie and making some life changes. Sure, I am only one person and my one action will not reverberate through the world and the political climate, but it has to start somewhere. Why not me?

If you have a queasy stomach, avoid food before watching Food Inc. It is not for the faint of heart. The video footage of cruel animal treatment and the ugly truth behind the food industry will change your mind (unless your a blind doofus to stubborn to understand the need for change).

I could write a summary of what Food Inc. discusses, but its better that you watch it. I don't think I can properly show you, but I'll try.

Synopsis:

The food industry is capitalism gone awry with special interest groups and individuals with deep pockets running the entire industry. Technology has grown faster than human intelligence and the surplus of corn is being genetically modified to enter into the human diet in ways never imagined before or should be done. Farmers are feeding cows corn instead of grass and hay. This in turn rots the cow's intestines and creates gaping holes in the lining of their stomachs. Inhuman practices of chicken farming are common practices. Large corporations that own the food industry are keeping the farmers in line with threats of debilitating lawsuits. The CEOs of these companies are successfully lobbying Congress and, in some cases, are sitting in the chairs of regulations board. As consumers, we must make an active choice to only buy locally, eat organically, and in another way, support companies that are following humane practices of fair trade and etc.

This movie has spawned a new blog. Please go check it out at http://www.begforchange.blogspot.com/! This blog will track my friend and my journey through our new diet, buying habits, and life changes. If two, full-time college students, with two paying jobs, and social lives can fit this new lifestyle into our daily routine, why can't you?

Meow

2009-08-30T16:12:00.001-07:00

So I realize I have not waited a week to post another "Meow", but this picture was too cute to wait. Studying was hard work - Daisy needed a milk break.

Meow

2009-08-29T10:21:00.001-07:00

I can't believe how big Daisy is getting! Everytime I come home, she's grown an inch!

Playing Ketchup

2009-08-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

My apologies for the lack of postings for the past few weeks. My laptop got a nasty virus and has been out of commission for awhile. Unfortunately, I'm sick, with a mountain of homework to catch-up on, and a while chicken to roast so this post will have to be short.

My roommate left for the weekend and I of course took this opportunity to raid her closet. All though our body types are completely opposite, we can share some tops. I love this tank top of hers because it's colorful. The right clothes can inspire you and this one inspires me to be creative. I immediately want to write Pulitzer-winning stories, take breathe-taking photographs, and become Picasso's prodigy painter-in-training. When you shop for clothes, don't buy something because you like. Of course, that helps, but buy something because it says something to you. Let your clothes inspire you. If you follow this principle when you buy clothes, you'll love every piece in your closet.

Artsy, no?

I love open backs! Little details like this make an article of clothing unique.

Meow Post

2009-08-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

I sympathy sleep with my cat all the time, and now the catnap torch is passed onto my roommate... :)

New School + Bad Economy = More Crime?

2009-08-15T17:20:00.001-07:00

With the start of my school year just around the corner, I've already recieved an email alert about an armed robbery in the school vicinity the Friday before the first week.

Excerpt from official email by UT Police:

"The Knoxville and University of Tennessee police departments are

investigating an armed robbery that occurred at approximately 2:15 a.m.
Friday near Grand Avenue at 16th Street in the Fort Sanders
neighborhood.

The victim, a UT student, reported being approached by an unidentified
male who was armed with a handgun and demanded the victim's property.
The suspect struck the victim in the face twice and took the victim's
property. The victim was not seriously injured and declined any medical
assistance.

The suspect was described as a black male with a medium build, about
5-foot-9 and 165 pounds. He had medium length black hair and was wearing
a black baggy jacket and black baggy shirt. The weapon was described as
a semi-automatic pistol.

Federal law requires the university to notify the campus community of
criminal activity, specifically crimes against persons, on or near
campus."

It's normal for a crime spike when the economy goes bad. Traditionally, this phenomena happens everytime the unemployment rate is high and people are going hungry, unjustifiably. However, residing in a college town with a bad economy and the start of school nearing, I'm starting to wonder if the crime spike this year will be higher than ever before. Criminals believe college students to be vulnerable and an easy target. To some extent, this is true, and when there is a high population of twenty-somethings all co-existing in small town, it makes for easy picking. Not to mention the inebriation and intoxication level of college students make them the ideal candidate for exacting one's revenge on society for robbing you of your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This post is a warning for college students to be on gaurd and play it safe when walking the desert streets late at night. Many blue-collared college students live phat off their parents and the criminals kow that they are just a means to an end.

In more cheerful news! I went ice skating in the middle of August. While the rest of the country baked under 90 degrees heat, I was skimming over the ice at a cool 40 degrees. I love doing things out of season - it means less crowds on the ice and more room to fall on one's butt, ungracefully.

And if your one of my food followers and are wondering why I haven't posted a food blog in what seems forever and a day, check out www.begforchange.blogspot.com. This is my new blog about food!

Roses are Red and Violets are Blue

2009-08-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

I moved into my new place and despite the no central air, I still love it. I just sweat a lot more. One of the stipulations from our landlord was that we had to plant an impressive garden. All of our neighbors have amazing tomato plants and flowers. Since we just moved here, our garden consists of a small planter with some herbs. Therefore, we compensated with some beautiful store-bought roses.

Meow

2009-08-11T08:14:00.001-07:00

Here is the first of my weekly Kitten post. She's getting bigger and bigger (look at first kiteen post to compare size). Daisy, (yes I decided on Daisy for her name) is taking a catnap after a long day of playing with dogs.

Commencement of School

2009-07-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

I have two and half weeks left before school starts. I can't decide if I'm excited or dredding it. I must say that my feelings are mixed. I'm ready to start so I'll be that closer to finishing, but not looking forward to the piles and piles of homework. Looking over my summer, it's been more productive than previous summers, but not as much as I had hoped. My internship has been amazing and a lot of fun. I've been enjoying it and learning a lot. I didn't learn anymore Vietnamese, but I can say good morning : Chao buoi sang!

I did sew a few skirts, but I never did make any tops. I have done some photography work, but very little. My writing has even stalled, though I did make a good start a few ideas. Overall, my summer has been one of half-ass efforts (pardon my French). I've only been able to do some of the things I wanted but not finish everything satisfactory. Isn't that how all summers are like? You go into them with big hopes and big ideas and like a ballon with a hole, it leaks out all the helium by the end of August and looks like a wrinkled prune.

That's why you make another "to do list". As the Queen of "to do lists" I'm making another one. This picture is of me and my friend standing next to Su Chin Pak. She's a journalist with MTV. I've posted this picture to epitomize my goal - not that I want to work at MTV.

My goal is to transition from an intern position to an acutal job position. As an aspiring many things, I'd like some of the seeds I've sewn to sprout. I want to work both internationally and in media, similiar to Su Chin Pak.

So as the end of summer is upon me, I'm going to look the sun lined up with the horizon in the eye, because that's where I'd like to be. Hope your ready fo this adventure because I'm taking you (my readers) all along with me! My first mission is to fill out some job applications abroad for next summer. I found one that said to apply six months in advance so I'm going to take note and go ahead and figure out which ones to apply for and do it! Wish me luck!

Meet Daisy or Dandelion

2009-07-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Meet my kitten! I thought she was a he and named her Sherlock. Since I've discovered that she's a female, I've decided upon two names. I've been calling her Daisy for sometime now, but I rather enjoy the name Dandelion. What do you think? Leave a comment with which name you prefer!

Reading Thoughts and Cool Things To Check Out

2009-07-24T08:02:00.001-07:00

I still enjoy reading young adult literature. I must even preface this statement with: I still enjoying reading children's literature. One thing, they are easy to read and I enjoy them. They're light and it would seem that they are a waste of time, but if you can recapture something of your youth and who you were, then they are priceless books. Jerry Spinelli's novel Stargirl has been one of my favorite reads. I recently found out that he wrote a second novel Love, which has been a wonderful read so far. I'm really enjoying it and highly recommend people of all ages to read it. Stargirl makes you smile and want to be a better person than you are. Don't we all have those types of people in our life? They are the ones that are unflinchingly kind and always smiling. You secretly envy them and wonder how they do it. The truth is they are no different than anyone else, but they have made the hardest choice of being someone they want to be.

If you've read the title of this post, the first paragragh is dedicated to my reading thoughts. This next one is about something neat that you should check out. If you could use a laugh, which we all could, go check out this website: www.keithandthegirl.com

Keith and the Girl is a group of friends out of New Yorkers that sell podcasts of their comedic fireside chats. I was introduced to them from a co-worker. No one needs a laugh more than during work hours. My personal favorite is this song remix made from one of their chats. I'm not sure if it has a title, but if it did or does, it would be "I Shit On You". It's a must listen and you'll be surprised how often you'll use this phrase and tap your feet to this song after listening ot it.

Walking towards Stress-Freedom

2009-07-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

This was the view out of the car window this weekend. Sometimes it is good to get away. Sometimes, it is necessary. My sister and I decided to go on a hiking trip. I'm very much a city girl, but I do love my mountains.

I can always find my inner peace when I'm out there in the wilderness. When your in the wilderness, you can loose the sense of your own wilderness. It's ok, it's alright with me; sometimes its meant to be. My sister loves these flowers and made a small bouquet to decorate her new place. These white flowers lined the hiking trail we took. They were beautiful.

The hike started out easy and about halfway through, the trail became challenging. With collapsed rockfall on the path and narrow stretches dangling you hundreds of feet up on Roan Mountain, made me feel better after eating double my weight in Southern comfort food the day before.

My sister and I also used the trail to catch up on each others lives. It's really important to have someone you're able to depend on like that so if you're having a bad day, you have a venting system. I'm a big believer in the healing powers of a good rant. Also, I gave my sister a camera for her birthday present. She is older than me, and this was her first camera. I'm shocked she made it through all these years without a camera. My personal passion for photography has really taken a keen interest this year and I hope to take a few classes in the spring semester. We'll see. Here are some pictures I took of the view along the hiking trail.

We hiked up to the high waters and was sadly dissappointed. The drought in the area reduced the usual cascades a slow drip. Although there was no waterfalls, the low waters were pretty.

We found blackberries on the path! They were delicious and made the hike more bearable since we missed lunch.

Next, we found blueberries!

There is nothing like digging into a pile of pancakes after a hard hike, especially if they are Mickey Mouse-shaped and homemade by my uncle - the world reknown pancake flipper. His years of raising two boys, he has had his share of flipping pancakes after boyscout outings.

Colorful Thursday

2009-07-16T09:24:00.001-07:00

I've never been known for colorful clothing, but this year, all has changed. I'm more of a dark colored, monotone, wardrobe sort of person. This outfit is a testimony of my changing ways.
This is my fish face saying I haven't done a clothes post for my clothes people in a while so I was due on the next rainy day. It's not raining, but it certainly looks like it. Maybe my colorful clothes will scare away the Nimbus clouds.

Wait until I move in with my roommate and force her to take the pictures of my clothes. I'm really excited about my new place. It has a great courtyard for outside pictures. Taking your own pictures can be a bit tricky and I usually just settle since I don't want to keep setting them up. Having only ten seconds to run around to the front of the camera and pose takes a little practice.

Sewing, Writing, Budgeting

2009-07-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

The suffix "ing" means action. If you notice, the title of this blog is "Sewing, Writing, Budgeting", which are all words ending with i-n-g. I almost always make New Year Resolutions and almost always fail to do any of them. Periodically, I'll make a new list throughout the year. In many ways, I'm the queen of lists. I love making "to do lists" and the feeling of scratching something off that list is very fullfilling, if I ever get around to doing it. This week, I've got lots of things to do that end in i-n-g.

July marks the end of hump month - June. We are now on the last leg of the year with too much to do. I've changed jobs, career paths, and am soon moving into a new apartment. One of my things to do is sew pillows for my new place. It'll be more cost-efficient and more time-consuming than I'd like, but that is a definite i-n-g.

Another thing on my to do list is writing. I'm a writer by nature. I've always enjoyed and it relaxes me. I wish I could do it more often, like many of the things one enjoys, there is never enough time to do it. I always push it off to later, but not anymore. If my goal is to publish a novel for my senior thesis. The best idea is to actually write one. Who would of thought of that? I've actually started writing one a story idea, but have fallen out of love with it. Does that often happen to you (directed to those writers who are reading this)? I can't bring myself to finish it since I've lost the passion for the plot-line. I'm posting what I've written at the bottom of this post. Feel free to read it over and bash it. I openly admit that it's poorly done, but all the same, I would like some feedback. My new writing project will be approached more methodically and solidly. I may not love it, as I did this piece when I first started it, but I won't be able to fall out of love with it. As a writer, my habit is to just do it. I never plan or brainstorm. I get an idea and run with it until there is no more steam. I just hope that it doesn't loose steam before the ending, but normally it does. I'm going to try a different technique in hopes for an ending to my beginning.

My next project is to design a budget that I can live with. We would all like to save money, but not spending any money is not logical or possible. Therefore, I need to create a budget that allows me to spend and save. I am a girl after all and if shopping isn't built into the budget, I may not be able to follow it.

To prove to you how big of a list maker I am, my current day planner was geared to the academic year. In otherwords, I went to make my daily to-do-list today and found out that there was no page for July 13th. My eyes went wide and my heart quickened. I immediately grabbed for a notebook and put the first thing to do as buy a new day planner. I am now calm and at peace nowing that another to do list was made and another item scratched off.

The Company

Omega

It was perfectly miserable day with a relentless drizzle and an overcast that aged everything you looked at ten years. The worker had a toothy grin stretched thinly across her face as she busied herself with anything mundane. The Company had dressed her like all of its workers in the same attire and had cloned the happy disposition of a good worker and installed it in her hardwire. I do not know and I doubt she knows herself, but she is probably more mentally stable than I am. The more I observe others, the more I have realized that they think like me, just secretly whispering their doubts and desires instead of wearing their integrity on their sleeve. I have underestimated people and I may have under-evaluated her, but I doubt that too.

I could not be sure. I could only view things from my one-world perspective. I only knew that I did not want to be another company stamped logo, walking around in this overly commercialized world. The problem is how I not become one of them when I was born to be another one of them. That is my fear – that there is no escape from the inevitable.

A knock came from the other side of my door and pulled me out of my reverie. I turned away from the window and contorted my face back into its original baby innocence before I sat back down at my desk.

“Come in.”

“Sir, a new report has come in.”

“Thank you. Just leave it here”

Short, swift steps receded back down the hallway into silence. I broke the classified seal and flipped through the file. Nothing new appeared to have developed. Every mission is a success for the Company. When there are no voices of dissent willing to die for their beliefs, there will never be a rebellion. I took each classified sheet to the shredder in the corner and slowly processed all 13 sheets of paper. I took my coat off the wall, hung it limply over my shoulders, and walked out, following the same steps as those that have traveled before me.

I never invested in a car, despite my good salary that would have provided for it. No one could seem to guess where my money went. They speculated that I horde it in my bank account since I lived very frugally. My residence is a small apartment on the poor side of town with one bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen that opened into a small sitting area. There were no pictures on the walls. I had a bed in my bedroom and a lamp. There is a small table with one chair in the kitchen to eat on. I did not use the service of a robot maid, which had become common practice among the Company. Nonetheless, I kept my place spotless and sterile.

No company ever came to visit at my place; therefore, many people thought I lived wealthy in a mansion on Skye Avenue among the stars and celebrities of our era. I let them think what they will and quietly went about my business at work. I easily rose in rank through the Company with a subtle manner and an unobtrusive personality. I was the tamest of the tame while my inner heart railed against all the injustice lying around me.

Where is my God, I wondered.

My fist clenched into a tight chest pain that traveled throughout my body as I sat at my table looking at the generic mush served at 7 p.m. on every table in every dining room throughout the country.

Something had been building up inside of me for a long time, but I had noticed a change. The tightness that I carried around with me was breaking apart. The dam that it created around my soul was disintegrating and I knew that it was only a matter of time before I would break. I stared at my standardized dinner, engineered to give its consumer the maximum energy and nutrients to be a good employee. The clock slowly moved towards 8:30 p.m. and my phone began to ring. Friends were calling for the usual thirty minutes of social interaction outside of work. The cogs and wheels of the clock kept moving and when 9 p.m. came, sounds of laughter and aircrafts hummed pass my window. The night scene had officially begun.

I changed out of my work clothes and put on the best under-armor that Company money could buy. The artillery that I had stowed beneath my floorboards around the apartment were slowly revealed and discretely slipped in my under-armor. I put on my evening clothes over it and combed my hair smooth.

I started avoiding mirrors many years ago when I realized that I could no longer face myself for the things that I have done in the name of the Company. Tonight, I pulled down the towel I had hung of the mirror and looked at my face. It meant nothing to me. It was a stranger. There was no unity to who I thought I was and the person that looked back at me.

I knew I was handsome by the Company’s standard. Most if not all upper-officials had to be physically attractive, like an unspoken rule. Superficial beauty meant power in this world. Tonight, I would use this to my advantage. I walked out of my apartment, boarded my aircraft, and followed the flow of traffic into the city of lights. Neon colors flashed brightly and from twinkling stars, they grew into a supernova commercial center. I zipped through the crowded streets. I passed the loud clubs, subdued restaurants, and the city parks that lie at the edge of the country. I parked my car in a dark corner, shaded by a large elm. The entire country is gridded for the aircraft to follow the magnetic tracks inside the country but once you hit the parks, the tracks end. I could see the shadows of a few lovers using the park still at this late hour, but I quietly walked passed, not disturbing anyone or anything. The grass softly crushed under my leather boots. A few miles straight walk brought me to the edge of the park. I quickly took off my outer clothing and left them in a heap underneath an azalea bush. Everything I had on me was the best quality material and I tightened my muscles to feel the strength of the fabric, metal, and hardware. It had taken months of work to pull out all the fine fibers the Company weaves into every article of clothing. These fibers identify the person and their whereabouts. The parasites pull information from your surroundings making no conversation or action private. You are constantly at the Company’s reach.

It had taken years for me to realize that I must submit to the Company so that I could go undetected when I needed the stealth to leave. My breath came slightly quicker and my pace picked up as I walked closer and farther away. Just as I passed through the electric wall that surrounds the Company in a bio-dome, I opened the face of watch and keyed in the logarithm that I had been working on since I was fourteen. I kept my body tense and my arms close to my side as I passed through the shield. My safe passage cost me as my watch chirped one last time and died.

There was no way for me to be sure that my calculation could be correct. I had gotten on the officer track in the Company so that my education would allow me to take advanced physics and calculus to help me. I small bubble of pride at my achievement brought a smile to my stone face. The shield had been designed to keep everything outside, outside, but it also effectively kept everything inside, inside.

I looked back at the country of my birth and it glowed in an effervescent aura from the electric currents in the shield. It had never looked more beautiful to me than now. I could not stop the smile from coming to my face and I turned around and took off in a full sprint.

I had heard of stories of people disappearing before, but the Company usually silenced them and these stories never reached the public sphere. I thought I was the only one - until this past year. I received senior ranking and was privileged to certain classified information sensitive to the security of the Company. I do not think they have ever had a senior ranking member of the Company disappear. It made me smile think of what the other executives would think.

I had run far enough to be sufficiently safe for tonight. I climbed the nearest tree until the tallest creature in the forest could not easily reach me. Although my body was completely exhausted from the run and the adrenaline rush of escaping from the biggest threat to humankind, my mind would not shut down and I could not sleep. I gazed at the stars for the first time and their twinkling lights were bright. I breathed my first breathe and tasted the tartness of nature. As the pounding of my heart slowed and quieted, the sounds of the night came to my ears. Foreign sounds came to my ears of animals I had never heard of or was taught to be extinct. Nothing was normal and it was all copasetic.

In the predawn light, I clambered down from the tree and took off. It would be many more days of this same cycle before I felt I had left the Company far enough behind to be safe to stop. Years of childhood teaching that one could not escape the conformist attitude of the Company and the inevitability of our fate always lingered in my mind. The Company’s presence never left my mind completely and I lived in its shadow and in my own fear of being caught. Did they win because I never forgot nor did I win because I escaped their physical confinement?

I built a tree house from fallen timber in the area. I was always careful not to leave a trace of my presence in the forest in case animals or something else found my tracks.

The colors came brighter to me. The air tasted tangy and sweet. Settling out in the wilderness was not as difficult as I expected. My instincts carried me through most of my earliest mistakes. I quickly learned about the plants and wildlife – what was good to eat and not. Although I spent years learning forestry and botany, many varieties were still foreign to me. Everyday was a marvel. I had not put much thought into what the next step would be. I was living in the moments of my first taste of freedom.

If living with the Company for 23 years taught me nothing, I should have known the inevitability of life. As enjoyable as my one night after a bachelor’s party for a friend when each man had a parting gift of an escort for the night, nothing wonderful lasts.

No matter how far you run, you cannot escape the cycle – the routine of life. It had been almost six months to the day of my first and I woke up early – unusually early. Years of regiment in the Company have trained my body to wake with the sun, but the Company used a false sun that never changed nor wavered. This sun changed from day to day and with the months. Waking up with the sun challenged my body’s internal clock. Yet, today, I woke up to darkness. I sat up straight and silent. I was listening for something. Something had woken me up, but I could hear nothing out of the ordinary. Mother Nature’s natural sounds floated back to my ears on a hot breeze. Nothing.

…

Then it came. The sun rose and I got up to start my day. I washed myself in the river and ate some berries I had picked yesterday. I found a gathering of Birch trees not to far away and had begun using its soft bark as paper to journal my thoughts and map out the local terrain. Each day I traveled in a wider radius around m camp and made notes of the animals and plants in my surroundings.

I had begun to think of this world as my world and these trees my trees. Something about human nature required man to own – to possess. Why? The only thing that belonged to me was my body – an idea that the Company had worked hard to eliminate. They replaced our ideas of self with meaningless objects of luxury.

When I ventured out each day, the movements of my muscles gave me strength and renewed my self confidence. That night, I sat by the campfire roasting a small fox. I watched the meat cook slowly as I rotated the stick that it hung on. On a nearby rock, I laid the fox’s healthy coat to dry. I had begun collecting fur for blankets and extra protection for a while now. A sizable collection had accumulated and it would be a challenge to move it all.

Without realizing it, I had begun a routine. What I hate the most about the Company was how it dictated my every move. I left so that I would never again have to follow their orders and their commands. I refused to be trapped by my own routine. Tomorrow, I would move again. I gave an unperceptive nod to myself in the light of the campfire and solidified my conviction.

In the grey dawn of the next morning, I started gathering my humble possessions onto the make-shift wagon I built last night. I loaded up the furs I’d dried, the journal and some clay pots I’d made from the clay deposits by the banks of the river. I couldn’t run fast with my load and progress was steady. When the sun rose directly above my head, I stopped. The sweat stung my eyes as it dripped down on my face and I leaned against a nearby tree. I estimated a few miles progress, which was unacceptable. I knew I would have to leave my load behind and start over again. I kept my composure though the idea of 6 months worth of work was going to be left behind. I walked on without turning back.

I caught some game and had dinner early, the day had not been physically exhausting but mentally grueling. I had attached myself to my old campground despite the temporariness of it. I compared today to the day I left the Company and somehow it was looking at two ends of the rainbow. Their shades of color were two different for any comparison.

I slept a restless night. My mind ached and my body ached in sympathy. No position was comfortable. At some point in the night, I thought I had heard footsteps, but in the dawn of a new day, I chalked it up to dreams and my subconscious worries.

The next day’s travel was uneventful. The terrain changed from deep jungle to more mountainous lands. I stopped to climb a tree and look ahead. The land was rising to meet the sky. My breathe came steady and I relaxed against the cool bark of the tree.

I listened to the sounds around me. I heard nothing. The birds weren’t singing to one another and the small sounds of the insects and creatures living in the underbrush, another world like the underworld could not be heard. At first, I thought it was because of my presence. I held still thinking the sounds would start again, although my hairs on the back of my neck were standing tall. I had been trained to keep my presence from animal’s detection. I could not understand this sudden reversal.

A sound finally came to my ears, one that I had not heard in many months. A murmuring of voices reached my ears and I tracked its source. It came from the north east. My body tensed as alarms sounded off in my head. What do I do now? I had not encountered another human being in months, I wasn’t even sure if my voice worked properly. Do you loose basic social skills if you don’t use them? Should I run or stay? My breath came quicker and I couldn’t focus on any one topic. My head was a jumbled mess.

The voice was coming closer. The voice was melodic and belonged to the female gender. The voice sounded strained and came haltingly as if she was in pain. My pedigree training took over and I decided to meet this individual. If I could be of assistance to this person, maybe I would learn more about the wilderness. The further away from the Company I traveled, the more the landscape around me became my walls of solitude. I knew others had to be out here. I was not alone, but the six months of isolation had made me forget that there was another civilization outside of the Company. The Resistance Forces, a group of rebels that the Company greatly feared, lived out here. Maybe she is with them, or just another rogue like myself. Either way, my curiosity was piqued and I readied myself to meet her.

She had long black hair that wrapped itself to the curve of her back. Her skin matched the bark of the trees and I almost didn’t see her coming. She was pushing the underbrush aside, making a path for herself, and the noise of her actions mixed with her voice in a song. What I thought was pain was actually the tone of the tune she was singing. Her blatant disregard for whoever might hear her, bewildered me. For the past six months, I lived in silence and was always careful to remove any traces of my presence from the wilderness.

As she came upon me, she look directly in my eyes and smiled. The blackness of her iris’s enlarged in surprise, but her body gave no reaction to finding another human being out here.

“Hi.”

She paused in her path, waiting for my response that never came. The smile she gave me showed pity and she kept on walking.

“Wait,” I said. “Hi.”

She turned back around. “You must be new. I’m Kahlan. Do you wish to meet others?”

“I don’t know who I am anymore. They called me Oliver.”

“Out here, you can be anything you want to be. Do you wish to be Oliver?”

This wasn’t the conversation I had imagined, but it came easier than I imagined.

“No. I don’t think so.”

“Then you can be Max. I once had a son named Max. Do you wish to meet others?”

I nodded in answer and followed her lead. Near nightfall, I heard civilization.

This was nothing that I had seen before. It was a combination of the earthly world meeting with man in a natural way – the world as I had imagined the world had been before the Company.

The Company was a monument to man with skyscrapers as the smallest buildings. It is the fruitation of the dreams of millions of scientists, engineers, and sci-fi geeks come true. I was watching the living breathing recipe that could destroy everything that I had grown up with..

Initiation

Built between the trees lined small huts and log cabins that mirror the images fo the pictures from our history books in grade school. Everything was in shades of brown and green, blending into the woods like natural foliage. Something ached inside me. I wanted to belong to this place. I wanted to possess it in my bones. It didn’t matter if the Company found me, but it could never find this place. As long as the Resistance survived, then I could handle my fate, whatever that may be.

That night, a meeting was called, as was the custom when a new person joined. It had been over two years since a new member was presented to the Resistance. They only had one law, the Company must never find the Resistance. As a state of freedom, the citizens are allowed to come and go and do as they please. Though no one presided over the Resistance, select members of well-respected men and women are generally looked towards for leadership. The place acted like a commune with little to no restrictions upon its members. Citizens are held in good faith to be morally obligated to act humane.

The first night was a blur. I estimated roughly 500 present members and some unaccountably absent. The meeting was short. They introduced me to the Resistance and I to them. Afterwards, they all dispersed to their homes and a few curious onlookers approached me with questions of the Company.

“Are babies still taken at birth?”

“Are the people barcoded yet? They were talking about doing that before I left.”

“Is the Company …”

I stayed there for many hours because it was the only way I felt I could give back. They waited their turns to ask me, and I waited to answer all of them. Several hours later, the last question was answered and my shoulders sagged from exhaustion. Although today was not physically strenuous, my mind was worn out from all the new knowledge.

After everyone was gone, I remained standing there with no place to go. I wanted to be here, but there seemed to be no place for me. I walked around in search of a tree to sleep in for the night.

This was everything I dreamt, but something gnawed at my mind. I couldn’t place it, but not everything was as it would seem. Years of privacy and secrecy on my part had led me to trust my instinct. I just didn’t understand why my instinct told me to run.

I fell asleep with mixed emotions and thoughts that translated to unusual dreams. I was being chased by something unknown and invincible. I thought I had lost it, but every time I felt safe, it would be closer than I realized.

I woke with a start and almost fell out of the tree.

I couldn’t shake the feeling.

A family lived in a house a few meters from the base of the tree and they invited me to have breakfast. I was glad for a real meal after months of wild vegetation and slight nausea. I had accustomed my palette to raw foods and the bare minimum in case I chose the wrong berry or leaf to eat.

The man was nice, he had a wife and a young daughter.

“I’m honored you chose to come eat with us. It’s a humble feast, but I remembered how amazing my first meal here was. I had been wondering lost for almost a year in the jungle before Mallory – she’s my wife now – found me on one of her gathering missions. I’m Beam.” He extended his hand in greeting and showed me inside his log cabin home. Beam had an easy smile that brought warmth to his face and although he stood half a head taller than me, he’s giantness did not become domineering. The idea of the Jolly Green Giant they still use to advertise frozen green beans and vegetables came to my mind when I talked to Beam.

Mallory stood in the doorway, propping the door open with her fragile shoulder. Mallory was Beam’s exact opposite in stature. She was a small toy doll it\\with delicate features and long brown hair that stretched the length of her torso.

“Hi, Max.” Her smile showed all her teeth. “I look forward to hearing a lot about you.”

They let him choose a seat at the table before sitting. Gem was twelve years old and served food piled in mountain heaps on clay plates to everyone before introducing herself. Her eyes shone bright with intellect and Beam proudly said she was at the top of her class in school

“I know you’d like to hear about my story, but I’d really like to hear more about the Resistance,” I said.

“Anything you’d like to know… we are glad to help.” Beam smiled.

“You said Gem’s in school. How is this place structured?”

“Exactly like the world before the company. We are all fugitives escaping the Company’s oppression. We seeked another world; the world of our history books. When the first man came here, he started the Resistance. This is but one community of the Resistance. Scattered throughout the jungle are pockets of civilization. We created institutions for the betterment of everyone – i.e. schools for children and hospitals for the sick. Gem was born out here in the Jungle. This place could be another planet from the Company, as far as we are concern. There are no formal laws holding as to the Resistance, but no one has ever chosen to leave.”

“This place is addictive. It gives hope and meaning to our lives. The Company is so huge and no plan of attack would destroy it. By just living outside of the jurisdiction is our only way of protest. We figure that those who do not agree with the Company will find us, eventually. Take yourself, Max.” Mallory looked pointedly at him.

“It may be hard to adjust at first. I doubt you even believe this is real.” Beam opened his arm to encompass the entire community. “It’s hard to swallow at first and truly put your faith in the Resistance. I’ve been here for 13 years and they’ve been amazing. It’s almost impossible to not believe in the Resistance after you’ve been here for awhile.”

I nodded in agreement. It was hard not to believe that one could do anything because this place existed. Under 24 hours, this place has already forever changed my view of the world.

After breakfast, I graciously thanked Beam and his family. I needed to explore this place. As much as I believe that my instinct could be wrong for the first time, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was deceiving myself. Using Beam’s tip about the structural power of the Resistance, I seeked out the ones with the most influence on civil life in the community.

It was still early morning and people began coming out of their shelters to start their day. The scene resembled the animal video they showed in school of newborns taking their first step in the morning light. I stopped someone on their way to the river for directions.

“Where can I find Wollem?”

“Couldn’t say for sure, but she likes to take her grandkids harvesting in the morning before it gets too hot for them.” The man pointed over his shoulder to a small dirt path. I took his word and followed it till I heard voices.

They came rushing at me faster than I knew how to cope. They had finished their harvest early and the kids bounded forward to meet a stranger.

“Who are you?”

“He’s the new one.”

“O, the one that came in yesterday.”

“He looks nice.” The youngest one smiled at me. She was a tiny bug, no more than three feet tall, but her eyes and smile spoke of experiences beyond her small frame could hold.

“Hi.”

“Grandchildren, I don’t think your parents would want to know that you talked to a stranger.”

“But, we know who he is.”

“No, you only know who he is suppose to be. Now, run along home and turn in our gatherings. I’ll see you all tonight at supper.” The children ran ahead and soon were out of sight. An older woman with a young face and pearl white hair remained stoically posed in the center of the pathway. She did not watch her grandchildren recede out of sight, as I would think a loving grandmother would.

“These aren’t your grandchildren.”

“Yes they are.”

“Could you direct me to another individual that this community reveres.”

“Why would you not want to talk to me?”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I can’t believe you either. Therefore, we are in complete agreement and can continue this conversation.” She walked towards me and motioned for me to take her arm.

“You look old, but you are not. You do not need my help to walk down this path when you were making excellent progress with your youthful not grandchildren earlier.”

“You have not been long from the Company and long enough among regular people. I forget that many newcomers are like you. They are as rigid as the intangible walls surrounding the Company.”

“I wouldn’t agree with you. I’m here after all.” I took her arm despite my logical argument not to. We walked along the path in a slow leisure, mostly to buy us time together. I knew that the end of the pathway meant the end of a meaningful conversation. “Can I trust you?”

“No more than is necessary. I will try my best to answer your questions in the only way I know how.”

“This place? How did it come to be like it is today?”

“History is great starting point for you to learn about the Resistance. This is but one community out of many. We are not the first location of the Resistance. Ironically, the first site is the closest location to the Company any Resistance community has dared to live. It all started many years ago. I was among the second generation of followers. The first generation mobilized their forces about a century ago. A few believers trickled out of the Company and slowly stories of them would spur others to follow in their footsteps. It was always hard since the censorship of the Company was so stringent. Yet, somehow, the people who wanted to escape always found a way. Where there is a will there is a way. I believe that is from an old novel the Company forced the children to read back in my youthful days living inside the Company.”

“Then what happened?”

“Sorry for the digression. My age is catching up to me in more ways than I would like to admit. The first wave lasted about fifty years. Noel was the first member of the Resistance. Some would call him the founder of it. He started sitting and waiting for people to escape the Company. Slowly, he would approach them and talk to them. That’s how most movements start in history, even before the Company was created. The first community got full and busy and people began to move away in clumps. They started other communities and now there are dozens of small pockets of Resistance living everywhere where the Company is afraid to be. We live out here in the lands the Company had cast off and have nurtured it back into habitable land again. There are desserts in the far south that some communities have decided to move to. We are all different and have embraced our differences. We make our own choices. Not all escapees choose to live in a community. Some are rogue and live by themselves or with their immediate family that they have brought with them or have started.”

“What I expect you really want to know, though, is the inner workings of this place. It’s much like any other free society. We operate on a good-will basis. There is, the few respected elders in each community that help keep the peace, but there are few misdemeanors. We do need to come up with a tribunal to take care of bigger issues, but we have been lucky to not have any yet.”

“I can’t believe that that is all to tell.”

“We don’t have any dirty secrets. Nothing exciting. We just live our lives in a simple way and by doing that, we have succeeded in subverting the Company. The simplicity of it all makes me laugh at times. It’s ironic how hard we all fought to separate ourselves from the Company, but all we needed to do was acknowledge that difference in ourselves. There is no great secret, Max. It would be wise of you to not think about it like that. You’ll end up digging a hole for a bone that doesn’t exist, like the lame dog that digs a fruitless hole because he knows no other choice.”

“Thank you Wollem.” We had come to the end of the pathway.

“I must go this way, and you must go along on your way. Thank you Max for helping a poor, old lady walk through the woods. Take care.” Wollem turned away and started off towards a small stand of a tree where several houses stood close together. Like any herd, the buildings were clustered together in groupings as discernable as the hierarchy in the Resistance like the spots on the hide of wild beasts.

I made a mental note of those houses that Wollem walked into and headed in the other direction. A stream of people were all heading in one direction with baskets and tools in hand and I followed them. Civilization in the area had calmed the vegetation down and the stroll to the farmland was easy. The Resistance had deforested a small area to build their homes and plant their crops in the new space. They were careful to leave a certain amount of trees to still provide coverage so an areal view of the area did not show any human disturbance.

I walked behind everyone and followed a clump of young ladies who were talking fast and not paying attention to their surroundings nor pace. They fell further behind everyone else and I followed slowly behind. One of the young ladies was a Kahlan. She seemed younger today than before when we first met in the woods. Her raven hair got caught in the wind and tangled up in a low branch on a tree. The others laughed at her and continued walking without offering for help. I sped up my pace to reach her. She was pulling her locks out of the tree when I approached and pulled out a leaf that still dangled in her hair.

“Hi Max. How was your first day in the Resistance?”

“I don’t know what to think yet.”

“That’s normal. I felt much like that when I first joined. I only stumbled upon this place a few months before I found you.”

“I remembered that incident. They had just sent me a report about a new case.”

“You must have been positioned very high up in the Company to be privyed to such information. News is so tightly censored about the wilderness outside of the Company and the Resistance that no one knows about us.”

“True. I was very well-off. Most people who escape I imagine thought much like I did. I knew that the cases of run-aways were very rare and far in-between. Most of us only dreamed that something like the Resistance could or would exist. I hoped, but didn’t believe it. I don’t think I still believe it.”

Kahlan laughed and smiled. “Come Max. Here is an extra basket. Help me pick some vegetables and water some plants. I’ll make you lunch from our harvest. People gathered in pockets around different patches and slowly traveled from one patch to another patch of vegetables. I trailed Kahlan with the basket as she placed a variety of vegetables into it. After each picking, Kahlan would give a little water out of a clay pot she was carrying.

“We only pick as much as we need for today and we always water the plant after we take a vegetable. Since irrigation ditches would have changed the forest too much, we carry water here in clay pots. If we all give a little water as we pick the different vegetables, each plant will get enough water to continue to grow.” I nodded in understanding of her explanation. She worked quickly and though we passed the next hour mostly in silence, she murmured me small facts about each plant.

As we headed back to the village area, I thanked her for the botany lesson.

She smiled. “I remembered when I first came here and my eagerness to learn everything at the same time. It’ll take awhile for you to figure it all out. The way things work here is logical and you’ll pick up on it fast. Getting to know everyone and learning about society will take some time. I’m still working on that part. There are still many people I haven’t met yet. In the evenings, people are welcomed to mix and mingle in the clearing where the meeting was held last night. Mostly the younger crowd comes out and socializes, but as you make friends here, you’ll adjust.”

“Do I look like I’m not adjusting?”

“Max, that question would be considered poignant if it wasn’t for the fact that your so military regimented. I don’t what your job was in the Company, but they must have trained all the emotions out of you.”

“I don’t understand. I’ve been training myself to not reveal my plan to escape from the Company for many years. Is that what you mean?”

“Yes and no. I don’t think you even realize it. When did you decide you wanted to leave the Company?”

“I was young. I was at academy school.”

“That makes more sense. Tell me about the moment you made that choice.”

“I looked into her eyes. I felt at ease. “I was nine years old.

Midnight Rendevous with Camera

2009-07-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to go on a camera-happy rampage through the tiny city I live in, and I still haven't yet. Sorry to disappoint. My goal was to take pictures that define where I live. The Great Pryamids and the Nile River are landmarks that automatically bring certain places in the world alive. I want to take pictures that capture the spirit of Knoxville. How? I'm still trying to figure that out. In the mean time, I went on a camera- happy mini-escapade the other night and produced these, not so shabby pictures.

Taking pictures at night and with no backlighting or too much backlighting is challenging, but I rather relished the challenge. My new camera does so much beyond my capabilities, but maybe wonder day, I'll earn the privilege of owning it. These are pictures from inside, around, and on top of a building under construction on my school's campus.
It was acutally very creepy to be in a demolish zone past dusk. Jumping over chunks of walls and dodging low-hanging wires, but I think the adventure was well worth the pictures. Enjoy! Please leave comments if you have advice or suggestions or just want to say something!

Successful Sandwich Bread!

2009-07-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

Victory never tastes so good! First, I must clarify my last post. My computer is on the blitz and will probably need to be replaced, but I can post. It'll just take a really long time for a new post to appear because of the DSL speed that I'm now having to operate on.

Now, on to my very successful sandwich bread. I've never remade a bread recipe, but I've never yet found one that I liked enough to remake. Of course, the elaborate setup of two sentences leads to the obvious conclusion that I finally the bread recipe that is worth a remake.

I have to admit that the secret this time may be the ultra cheap bread pans that I picked up. I was using a regular cookie sheet and just hoping that the blob of dough would naturally shape itself into bread. I can't say that the bread pan would make the bread rise, but it definitely helps the rising process. I may have to try another bread recipe to see if it is the recipe or the bread pan, but I'm excited about this recipe. Plus, it makes three loaves so I can take an afternoon to dedicate to kneading and then freeze the extra dough. This ultimately saves me time in the long run.

Follow this link to the bread recipe: A Year In Bread.

On a completely different note, notice the difference in the two pictures I've posted. I've recently gotten a new camera and am love playing with it. Which picture do you like better?

As an update, I've not figured out how to fix my computer and have not found a new computer. Instead, I'm learning to be patient and deal with the long processing time it now takes for my computer to do anything. Will I finally succumb to getting a new computer is my personal challenge. This is in additions to other expletives in my life. I never thought I'd wish it, but I'm ready for summer to be over. Do you ever wish you could skip ahead a few months? I just want to see far enough into the future so that I have the answers to my questions right now.

Life is full of questions. That's what makes it interesting right? So when do I start enjoying the questions and not chasing the answers?

No New Posts

2009-07-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

To all my followers, all six of you!!! (Yes, six isn't a large number, but I'm quite excited to have any followers and feel the need to keep you posted) My laptop is having major problems and I won't be able to do any postings for awhile. I promise to make the next post massive to make up for it. I'm currently hijacking my best friend's laptop to send this out. I'm considering getting a new laptop and will be able to check the comments, so if you have any suggestions of certain computer companies that are better than others, please let me know!

Disclaimer: kisses and hugs and promises to update as soon as I have a working computer.

New Skirt

2009-06-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

I was super excited when I finished sewing this skirt - all the way up till I started going through my wardrobe to match it with tops. I love new clothing items, and as a general rule, I'll immediately wear them. I spent forever rifling through my treasure chest of clothes and found out that I have an insufficient amount of tops. Now that both of my jobs are grown-up jobs and require me to dress properly and business-like, I must go shopping. My clothes say that I'm a college student. I need clothes that say I'm an adult with a real job.

I digressed, the point is that the skirt is white with blue and orange stripes. I wanted to pair it with a solid blue top, but was unable to find one in my closet. I seriously thought I had one, but I could be dreaming about clothes I want and not clothes that I have. Isn't the hardest part of living life and getting dress each day is accepting and wanting what you have. I settled on a brown top since brown is my go-to color when all else fails. It usually matches with anything.

I loved the skirt pattern I used. It's a Simplicity with a simple yoke and several pleats in the front and back. It was suppose to have a drawstring waist, but that requires too much time so I changed it to elastic. It still has the same effect without the hassle, and it took ten times less time to figure out how to do it.

I love sewing to get new clothes because it gives me hours of entertainment and then a new clothing item with half the price tag. The fabric was on sell at Walmart for a dollar and the most expensive part of the skirt was the elastic which was 2.99 at Walgreen's. That's what I call a bargain.I've ran out of things to say about my outfit, but I do have other comments. First off, I find the tabloids a hypocrisy for mourning the life of Michael Jackson when they spent thousands of dollars on trashing him all his life. Why does an artist have to die before being recognized for his life's work. Do I believe he molested the child several years ago? I don't know. The courts acquitted him, but he always sent out a creepy vibe about children and pedophilia. His odd obsession over plastic surgery transformed his face into permanent Halloween mask, but that shouldn't be a prejudice against him. Tons of people opt for plastic surgery and don't get such a bad rep because their elected surgery is more widely known and accepted by society at large.

Another noteworthy event, I've reached the second chapter mark in my novel. This is good, and bad. I've written enough that I can't throw it out if I decide in the middle of the night that I hate it, which is exactly what happened. However, this will force me to finish it. Will I end up back in love with it again? I don't know. I find writing a love and hate relationship that tends to tip the scales to the latter more than the former.

On a completely different note, I recently went to the movies. I hadn't been in forever, mostly because I despise paying the inflated ticket

prices to watch a movie that I could watch for free in a year. However, sometimes, going to see a movie is more about spending time with people yo

u care about than just going to the movies. I went to see "Away We Go" and loved it. There's a little movie theatre that isn't mainstream and therefore doesn't get a lot of traffic, which is nice to watch a movie without the crying baby in the background, that was showing

this limited release movie. It's called "Tara" and it shows more indie films. I love these types of movies. They don't have the special effects of "Transformers" and other such blockbusters, but they are more charming and adorable in and of themselves. They often are great movies because they can stand alone without the need for such flashy effects.

After a good movie, what is better than some Montreal

fries? If you go see this movie, you'll understand why my

friend and I were jonsing for some Montreal fries. I love fries anyways. Potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables, along with corn. Montreal fries are your basic french fries with gravy. Although the 24-hour diner we went to didn't have good gravy, I do think this mixture of fries and gravy could be delicious with the right gravy.

This gravy was to smooth and dark. I think a lighter and chunkier gravy would have tasted better.That doesn't sound appetizing at all, but if you could possibly envision it instead of listening to my description, you would agree.

A Plethora of Vegetables

2009-06-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

The greatest gift one can receive is one of food. After all, clothes and jewelery will come and go, but food will always taste food and fulfill a animal craving. I despise grocery shopping, but I love to cook. Is that ironic? My boss has been bragging about his amazing vegetable garden and how well it has been doing all summer long. Therefore, as a parting gift from my job there with him, my boss gave me a cornucopia of vegetables from his garden.

I loved it! It is the perfect gift for me. I would have gladly accepted cash, but a basket of vittles will work just as good. Sadly, there was only one tomato. I rather enjoy tomatoes, but cooking with them is easy. The real challenge is to figure out how to use everything else he gave me. There are pole beans, green onion

s, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, red and white baby potatoes, and baby green bell peppers.

There are so many possibilities and so little time to think of them all. If you have any suggestions for ways to use these vegetables, let me know! I will have to be extra creative with my dishes. I'll keep you posted with my concoctions I create from these veggies.

Who Says You Can't Wear Leather to Church?

2009-06-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

I picked up the yellow dress at a Salvation Army and did some renovations to modernize it. It could be a lot better, but I'm happy with the results. I keep forgetting to take pics of the item before and after I alter them, but I'll try to make more of an effort to remember next time. In the meantime, you'll have to take my word that I did a good job on the alterations.
I hadn't an opportunity to wear it out yet so I wore it to church. However, my church (and I think this applies to most churches - at least the ones I've visited and I've visited a lot of them) is kept at a chilly 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The yellow dress is very prim and proper and reminds me of old vintage dresses, but I love juxtaposing such delicate items with harder items like the leather jacket. I'm not sure if its sacrilegious to wear leather to church, but I liked the way it looked together to much. Plus, I was running a little late for the service and didn't have enough time to rethink my decision.
I had to spend more time on taming my hair and putting on my face then deciding if a more subtle cardigan would pair better with the dress. Personally, I wouldn't have changed my jacket (but that is an after-thought).
You never know when you'll find something scandalously wonderful at random places like the Salvation Army and Goodwill. With my busy schedule, altering already made items helps trim down my sewing time and still get amazing results. I think I get off cheaper too, because I don't have to buy more fabric or patterns. I do need to take some time to learn more techniques to alter and detail clothing items.

Vintage Skirt Gets New Look

2009-06-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

I hate sewing buttons holes and pockets. They are way to complicated for being a little detail on a clothing item. I prefer to cheat. I took a long vintage skirt and re-hemmed it for a more modern look.

I love that it has pockets! My new thing are dresses and skirts with pockets because it makes life so convenient. I imagine that if I were a man and had a wallet, it would be a lot like a skirt with pockets.

They are also great clothing items for festivals and going to events where you don't want to carry a large purse. Just stick the few items you need in your pockets and

your ready to rock it out.

I also like how the pattern of the skirt has a hippie flair. I

paired it with a brown tank top since a patterned top with a patterned bottom would be over-kill. the brown belt could besubstituted for a white or another colored belt for more contrast, but you must work with your closet.

Kalamata Olive Bread

2009-06-10T17:25:00.000-07:00

My boiling point was reached and to release my steam from the frustration of my job at the restaurant, I've quite. I'm not sure if that is the smartest idea, but it is definitely the best idea I've had in a long time. Since my last post, I've been a busy-bee, but hopefully productive. I've finished my first chapter in my hopefully first novel. I've done lots of thinking about the direction I want to take it, and since the massive brainstorm, the writing blocks should be smaller to jump over. I've also taken my LSAT's and I

think it went well. Or I have failed miserably. I always come away from a standarized test more confused than going into it, ironically.

Since my reduction in income, grocery shopping was a painful process. To save money, but not time, I made bread to make sandwiches with for lunches. I love Panera's bread and got this recipe from their website. It turned out good, but since I dont' have a bread machine and have to knead it by hand, it didn't rise very much. Plus, I don't have a bread pan, so It was a little odd shapped, but that was my own fault. I like this recipe because you can prepare both loaves and then store the other half of the dough so that you can just defrost and bake the other loaf after you finish this one. I also didn't have shortening so I just add some olive oil to moisten the dough, but it woudl probably help the bread's consistency.

Kalamata Olive Bread

DOUGH
2/3	cup (4.75 ounces) warm water (95-105Â° F)
3	tablespoons (2 ounces) honey
4	teaspoons (0.5 ounces) fresh yeast
1/4	cup + 1 teaspoon (2 ounces) vegetable shortening
4 3/4	cups (23 ounces) all-purpose flour
1	tablespoon (0.5 ounces) salt
	Starter
1 3/4	cups (8.5 ounces) kalamata olives, pitted

TO CREATE THE STARTER, combine the water and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Cover with a cloth and ferment the starter at room temperature for 30 minutes.

FOR THE DOUGH, combine the water, honey and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the shortening, flour, salt, starter and olives. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl. Divide the dough into 2 pieces weighing about 22 ounces each. Set aside any remaining dough and freeze for future use. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm, damp cloth to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400Â° F.

Form the dough into loaves and place them on the counter or in a proofing basket. Cover the loaves with a warm, damp cloth and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the crusts are a deep golden brown and the middle of the loaves is 190-200 degrees.

Remove the bread from the oven and place it on the cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.

MAKES 2 LOAVEs

First Day

2009-06-06T07:54:00.001-07:00

I must apologize for the awful picture, but it was the best I could do as I rushed around, getting ready for my first day at my internship this summer. The white pencil skirt was sewn by yours truly. I couldn't quite figure out how to pair it so I went with the classical color scheme of black and white and pulled on a black cardigan. It was a little librarian, but I was going for the serious look. First impressions are very important - I think?

I've never understood the idea of a first impression because although we are all silent judges seating on the bench in the courts of our minds against the rest of the world. It's not just the first time that I see you will I make the final decision about your character. Like any good judge, such as Supreme Court nominee Sotomayer, I pull from all the evidence and information about you to decide.

Still, there is a power about first impressions like the first kiss. If there is anything lacking, we'll always remember. Unfortunately, my first impression was awful! I caught a cold and had a runny nose and cough for the entire eight hours while I played an impostor in the newsroom. For those of you who are just starting to follow my blog, I'm an aspiring journalist. Truth be told, I'm an aspiring many things. I'd like to study law and work with orphans. I'd love to live abroad and with international non-governmental organizations. I'd love to study photography and film. I'd love to publish a novel. There is so much that one can do, but we are only given one life to make the most of it. Just imagine what humans could achieve if we were given nine cat lives.

Since my first week at the news station has ended. I must say I am very excited about my learning experience there. I've already written scripts for real newscast and got to see how a package was put together from start to end. Although it's not paid, I love being able to dress-up like an adult and go into work. I say this as if I am not an adult making my own decisions everyday, but it always surprises me that I am. Am I?

I hope I never stop asking myself that question, because being a child is one of the great wonders of the world.

Sunday Red Dress

2009-05-31T16:14:00.001-07:00

As always, Sunday mornings inevitably rolled around to remind me that the weekend is almost over. My body has become determined that I become a morning person despite my late outings. It never fails that I wake up around 6:30/7 a.m. every morning. Why? Why? Why?

I prefer to attend the 8:00 service at the local church because usually there are little to no crying children

droning on in the background of the entire service. In addition, I'm usually surrounded by senior citizens. I find my church-going experience more calming and relaxing if senior citizens flank me on all aisles.

I don't think one should have such a criteria for a good church service, but you all have thought of it.

The trouble with attending church with senior citizens is they tend to go to the early service. After I dragged myself up and had a ten minute, internal monologue debating between the hell fires surely waiting me and heaven's gate, I got up and dressed.

I haven't worn this dress much, but I sewed it last year and must give kudos to myself for the

amazing lining and over-all sewing job. As a sewer, it is the way the clothes look on the inside that mat makes a sewing job a success because I can make most things look presentable on the exterior.

I just randomly decided to wear it on the day that we were suppose to wear red to church. I missed the part of what the red was suppose to symbolize, but my casual choice in wardrobe became another colorful addition to the sea of red in the pews at church. Many people say that in life, there are no accidents. If this is true, then luck and misfortune do not exist, so I am not entirely sure that accidents and coincidence do not occur, but today was (how should i phrase this?) a perfect collision of happen chance.

The dress is a halter and pairs two complimentary colors together, the turquoise and the red. To accessorize, I cinched it in with a red belt and an off-white sweater since the service is at 8 a.m. when the dew is still wet on the grass and a chilly wind rings the church bells.

I'm not one to wear rings often because I've always thought it made my fingers look fat. However, I really like rings and caved when I saw this one in a boutique last year. It's the first ring I've ever bought, but I love it and wear it often, even if it doesn't match the outfit. I'm surprised at the compliments I've received from it. Nowadays, I usually see girls with really large rings that are audacious and obnoxiously proclaim their existence in the world with its largeness. I tend to like more delicate jewelry, mostly because I'm petite and large jewelry would hang on my frame like an over-size sack of potatoes.

A not so calm shade of blue

2009-05-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

As a person with a restless spirit, I'm starting to get the itch to go. It happens from time to time when a young maiden of youthful age hits a point in her life that she must take flight or fall from grace. In modern times, it is a lot more difficult to scratch the ever-itchy spot - that need to live.

The conundrum is to have a life that doesn't tie you down. Taking flight is a lot easier when the bird isn't tethered to responsibilities. Realistically, there is no one who doesn't have something to keep them in one place. I'm not sure if this means much though when the itch becomes a bruise upon your conscious.

My discontent, at the moment, is mostly due the frustration of my day-to-day life. You work hard and it seems completely pointless at the end of the day. I realize that not everyday can you change someone's life and better the world. However, if not one day out of forty isn't worth it, then it might be a time for a change.

Although my main job is a student and hopefully in four years I'll graduate with some fancy paper with a gold, embossed ribbon on it stating that I have endured the obstacle course of higher education; however, my other job that supports this bad habit is a server at a local restuarant. The restuarant is corporately owned by Ruby Tuesday's and is only the second waitressing job I've ever held.

My previous restuarant gig was a family establishment and the ownership was fairly shady. The management was awful and the lack of professionality was not good for business. I thought that the current restuarant I work at would be different. Since I have only bitten into a few apples in the barrel, I could be biased, but I don't feel that this job is fullfilling me. I don't expect refilling the drinks of a few dozen strangers a day to be spiritually fullfilling, but I'd like it to fill my wallet at least.

Since the economy decided to take a nose-dive and causing everyone to become frugal, luxury industries have taken the hardest hit. Unfortunately, I am a participant of this luxury industry. To eat out is not a necessity. It is a desire to have a break from one's own obligation to cook and feed oneself. With the changes in business, a smart management system would learn not to schedule as many workers and to stop hiring new employees. The fact is, at $2 an hour, servers are not paid enough. In addition, my restuarant forces their servers to vacuum, mop, and clean the restuarant every night to save in labor cost for a nightly clean-up crew as is the custom. I find this an unethical process.

I once left a third-world country to avoid slave labor, but it comes in many forms and in all places around the world, even in our own backyards.

I apologize for the whiny-tone of this post. Sometimes, it's nice to get one's frustration out.

O, and the entire point of this post is the blue dress with elephants dancing along the bottom. I paired this with my wide black belt for contrast and detailling. I've learned that an outfit can be "made" just by the correct accessories. I definitely want to get more belts and accessories. I haven't worn the dress in forever, but sometimes if you remember that you have a closet to shop in for cute outfits instead finding outfits online that you'll never have - it helps the getting dress process.

Memorial Day Feast

2009-05-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you eat four cookies and forget to exercise? Instead of a regular burger, you cook a veggie burger.

I've never tried to make a veggie burger before, but I would say that Memorial Day gave me goodluck. In addition, I used up many of the ingredients in my pantry without going grocery shopping.

I mixed black beans with sourcream, dill, tofu, alpha sprouts, and an egg. I didn't use any measurements, just use your judgement when mixing the ingredients together. i also sauteed some mushrooms and toasted some sandwich bread. This is my LTMV burger (lettuce, tomato, mushroom, veggie burger).

I served this with homemade fries that are lightly dusted with chili powder and salt for a little kick.

Besides cooking, I also made a white pencil skirt, which I will feature in another post after I've figured out how to pair it with a professional top as my outfit for the first day at work. First impressions mean a lot when you work in the journalism industry and this will take some planning.

That aside, I want to take a moment to talk about our men and women in services since it is Memorial day. The sermon this Sunday talked about the similiarites between the words "service" and "slave". The idea is that you take your service and commitment seriously enough that you are a slave to the idea of patriotism. What we need more of is support for "universal service".

Thank you to the men and women in the military forces.

Happy Memorial Day.

The Next Generation

2009-05-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

During a time when Iran is working diligently to create an intercontinental ballistic missile with nuclear capabilities, it is heartening to see that life still flourishes in the innocence of the next generation. I went home this past weekend and got to spend time with my adorable nephew. He's part Asian (thanks to my sister) and part American (thanks to his father). I may be biased, which is true, but bi-racial children are the prettiest children!

My sister has a history of being wife to Mr. Clean Man and she's instilled in her two-year-old son these same principles. We were playing in the yard and he fell down and got grass stains on his hands. His immediate reaction? Any conscientious toddler's first reaction, of course, would be to wash their hands off at the hose.

The things children do! There is a theory out there stating that children are basically evil when they are born because they have no idea of what is right or wrong. As they grow-up, they learn what right or wrong is and learn what good and evil is.

I've always found this theory to be interesting since most people have an Aristotelian view of their children. The children's cherub faces fool so many people into believing of their sweetness, but if you take the time to talk to them, you will fascinated by the way their minds work.

Scientists who've graduated from Harvard will always be astonished by the logical skills of children. I'm a big sister in Big Brother Big Sister and I love listening to my little sister talk. We went to the park this week and played badminton and ran through the water fountains to cool off. As we were talking, she corrected my grammar saying I shouldn't use the word "broken'. She said that her teacher says it's a baby word and spicy words are better to use.

Although I laughed at this comment, I secretly stowed away this moment to remind myself that as a future journalist, I need to use more spicy words.

Youthful Indiscretions

2009-05-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

So much of life makes me feel old. Everyday of responsibilities reminds me of my ever increasing age. However, this weekend was an exception. Sometimes I forget that my youth allows me a certain amount of freedom. Now, more than ever, I have the freedom of fun, yet I don't always utilize it. It's about time I start acting my age!

Jewelery can really make an outfit. I've had the itchy Spring fever for shopping, but I have (so far) been successful in avoiding this temptation. I try to spice up each outfit to make it new again with jewelry or some type of accent.

The most frustrating part of blogging about fashion are my pictures. It is rather difficult to take your own pictures of yourself. Imagine propping up your camera on some rough surface (praying that it'll stay in place) and then having only ten seconds to run into your best fake-supermodel pose.

These are a pair of shoes that I haven't worn a lot, despite the fact that I've owned these for several years now. It was one of those purchases that you like and store away for later use, but then forget all about it. They are kitten-heel sandals with a beaded flower at the toe-separator thong.

Pretty people tend to travel in flocks and so do fashionable people. Both of them are wearing shirt dresses, although the boys taking the pictures failed to take a full body shot for better viewage.

Not only were we fashionable, but so was the band. The crowd teaser was Vertigo and their lead singer (as portrayed above) is wearing a white dress with a boat neck (one of my personal favorite neck styles and one I'll need to remember to look for in future sewing patterns). Her band members were well-dressed men in suits. I prefer a man in a suit over bare-chest any day. Not only is it more tasteful but very elegant.

To not be misleading, there were other band members not shown in these pictures.

The main performance was given by Bush's former lead singer and husband to Gwen Stefanie - Gavin Rossdale.

Half-way through Gaving Rossdale's performance, it began to downpour. Amazingly, I don't look as bad as I thought (minus the wet hair). Singing and dancing along in the rain to live music - there really isn't anything better. Then a sprint to the nearest coffee shop to dry off and get caffeinated and another sprint to my car through the rain ended the night on a rather satisfying note.

I once was a ballerina

2009-05-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Is it true that we have other lives?

Do we stab ourselves with our own knives?

I look at her,

And she looks back.

All I see is me,

And she sees me.

So we dance, and we dance.

Such tiny little ants -

Spinning around in a shoes too big.

My sister graduated from nursing school and I am quite proud of her accomplishment. Can you guess which one is her? This was two weekends ago, but remembering back to that weekend, I had the oddest sensation of spending that weekend with myself. Siblings can cause much strife, but as you get older, you see more and more of yourself in one another.

This was a very fashionable weekend for me, but since I forgot my camera, this is the only picture I have from that weekend. Soon, I will start my internship at WVLT, local channel 8, and I'll have more reason to dress up (not that a girl really ever needs any reason to dress up).

I've returned home from a weekend at the parent's. I come back bearing gifts for myself: coffee, Brita pitcher, and sewing machine. Like most summers, I have many plans. I want to start sewing again, experiment with cooking more, learn some Vietnamese, study for LSAT's, and write a novel. In other words, I am planning a very leisurely summer.

I can't seem to shake the feeling that there is so much I want to do and not enough time to accomplish it all. Therefore, I tend to want to do everything at the same time. One day, I will solve the problem of being in only in one place at a time, but until then, I'll just cram as much as possible in the little time we are given on Earth.

Vegetarian Delight

2009-05-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

I made this the day before I went grocery shopping. When you get towards the end of the week, it can be hard to throw something together with whatever is leftover. This is sort of how I do most of my meals, though. I usually just put something together from whatever I picked up at the store. I usually never make a grocery list and I never make a menu, although I may try this next week to see if it saves me any money.

My motto is to buy whatever is on sale and then try to figure something out when I get back home. Occasionally, I will impulse buy something that I'm just craving for (usually ice cream).

I made a Monte Cristo sandwich with alpha sprouts (that I grew myself) and cheddar cheese. I mixed some herbs in the egg wash that you dip the bread in to add an extra dimension. I served this with a side salad doused in a raspberry vinaigrette. It was super easy to make and quick to eat.

This is a good meal to make when your exaughsted and don't really want to think about what you have to cook to feed yourself.

Genocide in Rwanda

2009-05-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

I had one of those weekends that are jammed pack like a muffin top over 80s jeans. My sister graduated from college, my aunt and father's birthday, my granddad's release from the hospital, mother's day, mom's birthday, and of course visiting family and friends that I wish I could see more.

After one of these weekends, what is the best way to unwind, but with a movie and some much needed rest? I don't own any movies. I enjoy watching them, but the only DVD to my name is a yoga tape given to me by my mother. Therefore, in anticipation of my relaxing Sunday evening to cap off my weekend, I borrowed a movie from my sister's friend (now my friend). Her family escaped from Rwanda's genocide and this movie depicts what, thankfully, she never had to experience.

The movie follows a family whose father is a Hutu and mother a Tutsi. They have two sons and one daughter whose attending a catholic school away from home. The Hutus and Tutsis are fighting for majority rule and within the first hundred days of fighting, over 800,000 people are dead. This movie is incredibly tragic and wonderfully honest about the brutality of these events. I highly recommend watching it for the educational values and cinematic clarity that it reveals the plot.

I couldn't believe that these events were occurring in 1994. In my lifetime, how many tragedies will occur before international governmental systems understand that bureaucracy only hinders the process of humanitarian aide. As a journalist, I will see more sad moments than anyone should ever see, but the second that I no longer care and no longer take action against these atrocities is the moment I will no longer be a human. I have often wondered how journalists coped with covering the wreckage of hurricane Katrina and if they ever left their mics unplugged so they could offer a helping hand.

"The Will to Survive.

The Strength to Endure.

The Courage to Face the Truth."

My Soul Cries

2009-05-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

I don't like to cry and I normally refuse to flat out and cry. My parents used to get so angry with me when I wouldn't cry after they spanked me for my misdeeds. Crying isn't something I like to do often or publicly. However, there are moments in life that tear at my soul and make me sad. These moments don't induce tears in my eyes but it makes my soul ache. I would like to think this is a deeper expression of pain than tears on one's face.

I speak about pain because today I had to train a new server at my restaurant. Another server had already trained her a little bit, but had warned me that she disliked this woman. Most of the servers working at my restaurant are young, college students trying to pay off student loans and have beer money for the weekends. This woman was 33 years-old and has owned a restaurant. She needed the money and sold the restaurant and desperately needs this job.

I am a 20 year-old wise-crack of a college student who was training a woman with more experience than I will ever have in this industry for a job twenty miles beneath her capabilities, but this is what the current USA economy is doing to its citizens. I hear about the recession and the hardships everyday on the news, but it is this story and these moments that merges what I hear on the news with reality.

These are the moments that make my soul cry and makes me wonder why life is worth it sometimes. So tonight, to avoid the abyss of answers to these questions, I baked.

I made lemon poppy seed muffins for breakfast.

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus up to 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins , if desired
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly brush a 12-cup muffin tin with butter and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, zest, and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the poppy seeds.
Fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Take care not to overmix the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack. Serve warm.
Cook's Note: Poppy seeds can go rancid easily and should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
I also put together a lamp for the kitchen since the only light available is from the overhead light and no small light fixture by the sink. I hung some pictures and shelving and setup my printer.

If I had to classify a key trait about myself, I would say I am an avoid-ist.

I avoid unpleasant things so that they build up inside myself. It's like I have a wailing wall inside my heart that I secretly hide little scraps of painful moments in. I do this and patiently wait for moments that make my soul soar. I wait for the first bird song of the day and the first kind act of a stranger. I wait for silly moments like a maintenance man instructing his understudy that the proper way to fertilize the trees is shaking it above the soil like a pepper shaker. I wait.

My Fascination with Black

2009-05-06T06:01:00.001-07:00

No matter what the occasion or the season, black will never fail you. Yes, it is a plain color, and yes, it may seem like the easy way out. But it is always classy and always in style. Black is a timeless color. Having had to go through all my clothes since my big move into my new place, I've realized just how much black I actually own, which is a lot more than anyone should own no matter how useful black clothing can be. This outfit is a throwback to the retro style. I paired a black pleated skirt with a vintage halter top from my mother's closet. For contrast, the blue and black scarf helps to break up the look and adds interest.

The second outfit is a loose sweater dress with a cami underneath and a wide belt to cinch in the waist. I paired this with black tights to make it more conservative for a church service. These black velvet heels with a pearl buckle are one of my most favorite shoes I own. They go with everything and add a little interest of their own since their detailing is so adorable.

The World on a Plate

2009-04-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

As a young grasshopper learning how to cook, I had the biggest trouble grasping the concept of what foods complimented one another. When it came my turn to create a master piece for lunch or dinner, often I would mix together an odd assortment of delicacies. For example, I would have Mexican yellow rice with italian-style green beans and southern-home-cooked casserole on one plate. For the most part, my mother has been fairly successful at hammering into my mind what foods are more appropriate plated together than others; however, today has proved that success wasn't completely on her side.

My disclaimer to explain my odd diet is that I am in-between places and in the process of moving, which means avoiding the grocery store and learning to work with what is already in the pantry. For breakfast, I made pancakes with berries on top to finish my pancake mix. For lunch, I reheated some leftover pancakes, couscous, apple, and a bag of Sun Chips. For dinner, I roasted a butternut squash with coffee and a poached egg. My stomache has either gotten used to digesting whatever I chow down or is going to throw a coup'de etat.

Have you ever tried to poach an egg? If you have, you probably haven't tried again. My brilliant friend had shown me her poached eggs and they had turned out like the beautiful magazine pictures. Therefore, my immediate thought was to poach the remainder of the eggs I had left in the refridgerator. This turned out to be a far harder task than necessary for a 11 p.m. activity.

I won't even show you my first couple of attempts. After several failures, we googled different techniques to assist the egg in keeping its shape better. Apparently we were not creating a big

enough whirlpool. The way to make a poached egg is to boil water and then reduce heat until water stops boiling. The water should have some vinegar to help the egg hold its shape (but this could be a lie designed by the makers of Heinz vinegar). Then you swirl the water until a good size whirlpool is formed and you drop the egg into the center.

I asked my friend if she had made her pot of water and vinegar a jacuzzi to get her poached egg because my eggs were falling apart. I tried one method of putting the egg into a plastic bag and dropping the bag into the water. This failed miserably as well.

The closest I got to a poached egg was one that looked sunny-side up.

Satorialist

2009-04-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

If you are a fashionista, you will be familiar with the name Satorialist. My friend recently introduced me to his blog, where he takes pictures of interestingly dressed individuals in amazing cities - Paris, Milan, New York. These fashion capitols of the world have some unique people walking on the street in rather audacious outfits. These couple of outfits shown in this post were inspired by looks or ideas from his blog. Although they are not quite as unusual or commanding, they are my more wearable version of the high-fashion look.

You can't really tell, but the skirt is white with small black, polk-a-dots and I paired it with a white tank top and a wide black belt to add interest. I am a huge shoe person, but it turns out that cute shoes in long car drives don't really make sense, therefore the comfortable flip-flops were my first choice (do forgive me shoe gods).

I also feel I must say that there have been an inordinately large amount of clothing blogs recently. This is a result of my soon-move. I have decided not to buy anymore groceries until I can get my stuff moved out of my old place into my new place, which, unfortunately, seriously limits my cooking abilities. I may change it up next time and do a political post - just for a little variety.

My second look is my attempt at suspenders. Since I've seen this one show wear a girl is wearing suspenders with this adorable outfit (which does not look like mine - so I'm not sure how this look was inspired), I've been wanting to get my hands on some suspenders. I love the basic look and I kept this one miminalistic as well. I paired the Forever 21 white t-shirt with old blue jeans cuffed high and black suspenders.

I'm not sure how I feel about the suspenders. I really like them, but I can't decide if they work on me or not. All the same, they are an interesting acessory to any outfit. It'll be fun to see how I can wear them in the future.

Dorothy Red Slippers take me to Earth Day

2009-04-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

How do you dress for Spring weather when you get up at 7 a.m. and it's 40 degrees F and will later to warm up to 80 degrees F? That was the conundrum I faced this morning and this outfit was what I ended up with. A red, knit sweater with black shorts and my recently purchased ruby red slippers. Every girl should own a pair of red shoes and these were a steal for $8 - it helps to have tiny Asian feet.

It may look odd to have a sweater with shorts, but I blame Mother Nature's finicky attitude.

In other news, today is Earth Day and I hope everyone does something environmentally friendly today to honor our non-renewable Earth. For example, I plan to go recycle my bottles, papers, and cans.

Happy Earth Day!

School Project

2009-04-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

Evolve wins SGA from Kate Greer on Vimeo.

As one of my field reports for my broadcast writing class, I had to create a package. This is my first video package, shot, produced, and edited by yours truly. It took much longer than expected because my limited resources and my bad editing skills. There are still mistakes in it that I cringe to think about, and will utilmately flush my cheeks with embarrasment many years from now, but this is the first and hopefully not the last package I produced. It was a great project to teach me about backpack journalism since I had to write the script, interview the individual, and edit the video for it. Back-pack journalism should be called a one-man show because that is exactly what it is.

Zuchinni Muffins

2009-04-16T04:22:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you have two zuchinnis that are going bad and a yellow squash that is too tiny to really do anything with except watch it rot slowly in your refrigerator?

If you're anywhere near as creative as I am, your immediate next thought would be zuchinni muffins - sort of. I found a very simple recipe for zuchinni muffins, but I included the yellow squash and just made my measurements a little generous to accomadate the extra squash.

Again, if you're anything like me, you won't actually have a block in your day that is big enough time slot to preheat the oven and cook the muffins. Therefore, I made the batter and let it rest for a couple hours as I worked on a group project. Interviewing the nationally recognized Hard Knox Roller Derby girls was fun, and a much needed break. My roommate was kind enough to start the oven preheating so by the time I was back to the apartment, it was ready for me to pop the muffin batter in. Wait 20 minutes and wa-la! They turned out well except for the minor detail of greasing the pan. Since I didn't have any Pam, I was banking on the fact that the cookie sheet was non-stick, but it tore up the bottom of my muffins a bit. O, well. I would still label this experiment a sucess.

They taste good to me, but I warn those who want to make these that they are healthy and they taste healthy. Not all healthy foods taste, it but the whole wheat flour and the vegetable aspect of the muffins had no balancing ingredient of sugar ( just a little bit of honey) so they do taste helathy (but not in a bad way). I just hate it when I make a recipe that doesn't warn me that it'll taste healthy and I cook it with a certain mindset of what the flavors will turn out to be and then I am completely denied, which is irrating after a long day.

Besides, I have a special friend who has a special condition that requires her to eat no sugar. Therefore, I have made this recipe with her specifically in mind so that she can eat them without fear of passing out from a sugar-overdose. I can't imagine living her life, especially with my huge sweet-tooth. I tried living on her diet over Lent to see what it was like but failed miserably and in three days caved. This is not a choice but a lifestyle for her, so to honor health and vitality, here's the recipe:

ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. skim milk or apple juice
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. honey
1 c. zucchini squash, shredded or 1 c. tart apples, chopped, pared

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease muffin tins lightly with oil, or use cupcake liners.
Mix dry ingredients.
Mix remaining ingredients.
Add to dry ingredients.
Stir until dry ingredients are barely moistened.
Batter will be lumpy. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full.
Bake until lightly browned about 20 minutes.

Yield: 12 muffins. Calories: 135, total fat: 4.8 grams, saturated fat: 0.8 gram, cholesterol: trace.

Easter Dress

2009-04-12T16:49:00.001-07:00

What is it about Easter Sunday that brings swarms of females to clothing stores to purchase the infamous Easter Dress. As child, our mothers always procured another Easter Dress every year, and if you're one of two sisters, then you got the wonderful chance to dress like a triplet. And if you were specifically me, then your mother hand-made your dress.

So in some form of a new tradition, my Easter Dress this year is one I made myself. It is probably my most difficult sewing project and I will never show you my Edward Scissorhand-made interior of the dress; but I am very proud of it and how well it turned out on the outside. Like most things in life, it is a superficial dress and is all aout the external appearance and none of the minute finishing details that make clothes a masterpiece. However, considering that I was in my teens when I made this dress, I must pat myself on the back.

I don't wear this dress often. For some reason, I love the fabric with its vivacious red background and tiny white daisies, but it also reminds me of the fabric kindergarten teacher's long, hippy dresses look like. I paired the dress with a gray sweater/cardigan and some kittin-heel sandals.

Walking Tour of Washington D.C.

2009-04-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

While most college students packed bathing suits and suntan lotion for a spring break on the beach, I packed business attire and my camera for a different type of location - Washington D.C. Today, my fortune cookie read: Now is a good time to figure out the significance of your life. This has lead me to a mini-session of self-reflecting. I loved my time in D.C. The museums, the people, and the lifestyle is original. The city is beautiful with Grecian architecture monuments at every corner. The people are intelligent and the food is eclectic. Now that I have returned home, I find myself missing D.C. However, what I really miss is the time that I had to do what I wanted. It was a vacation. I believe that the twentieth century generation is over-worked. Reevaluating my life, I need more vacations. Time is short and there is so much to see. You could end up waiting for the rest of your life before "the time is right for a trip".

This was my spring break Carpe Diem:

This is some interesting graffiti from the Berlin Wall. A piece of the Berlin Wall was a part of an exhibit at the Newsmusuem. Although the entrance fee is $20 for the Newsmusuem, it is completely worth it if you have an interest in history and a wanna-be journalist. It houses some original newspaper editions from the heyday of print journalism. You can also experience a 4-D movie with moving seats that help create a realistic atmosphere.

Another must-see is the National Mall. WARNING! Be prepared to walk ... a lot. My unlucky feet was stuck in dress shoes since I had to wear business attire. However, it is completely worth the blisters. On one end is the Washington Monument, erected to honor our first president of the United States of America. It is also a towering structure in D.C. because none of the buildings can dwarf this monument.

The World War II memorial was completed in April 2004 and stands proudly between the Washington Monument and the reflection pool. Although it is not very visible in the encompassing picture, at each end of the memorial are stone structures with the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean engraving. This war that spanned from one ocean to the next holds a special place in many people's heart since this generation's grandparents are survivors of this horrific tragedy.

Unfortunately, the reflection pool was not filled with water while I visited D.C. and the pictures aren't worth sharing. The reflection pool acts like an arrow pointing to the honorary seat at the end of the dinner table - the Lincoln Memorial. This year celebrates his bicentennial birthday and his name was splashed over all of D.C.'s many museums. However, nothing compares to the Lincoln Memorial itself. Our 16th president seats in limestone on a throne - very much the size of what I always imagined the Greek gods to be if they were real.

The Vietnam Memorial was a definite stop for me, a native of Vietnam. Sometimes I feel very detached from my history and my birthplace. To an extent, this is a good thing. The opportunities I have had and my life in America is something I would not trade for anything. However, not a large part, but some part of who you are is where you are from. I am from Vietnam. I was surprised to see how short the wall was. In my mind's eye, I had envisioned a much larger wall, not something that is comparable to a backyard fence. Still, this was the only memorial that I saw had flowers and small knick-nacks to honor the fallen soldiers.

The weather was dismal and a continual drizzle created a somber mood. I'm not sure if this helped me to focus upon the significance of the memorials or just hampered my hike around the National Mall.

The small offerings at the Vietnam Memorial were encased in a Ziploc bag. This one reads: Thank You For Everything. It also has a small eagle figurine inside. Most of the small notes of appreciation leaning against the wall were scrolled in a fourth-grader's best handwriting.

For Saint Patrick's Day, the water in the fountain in front of the White House was colored green; unfortunately, I wasn't around to photograph this feat, nor am I good enough at photo-shoping pictures to pretend otherwise. I saw the Saint Patrick's parade on Constitution Avenue that runs in front of the White House.

Above is a picture of a float with waving people. The picture to the left is one of men in kilts playing the bagpipes. I never really paid much attention to Irish music, but I now have a new appreciation for its earthiness and mystical properties - at least of the traditional genre.

Another stop was the National Archives where we were taken into the vaults that holds some of the oldest documents of American history. Although this picture may seem like just a piece of paper turned yellow with age, it actually is a petition from women who are anti-feminist. During the movement to gain women the right to vote, they petitioned the government to prevent the 19th amendment. In one particular clause, as seen in the middle of this page, reads : It would be an official endorsement of nagging as a national policy.

If you thought Senators and people on Capitol Hill, in general, are treated better than the average Joe, then you are correct. In the Senate Dirksen Building, there is a fabulous cafeteria where I dined on fine sushi for lunch. After a drink of water to quench my thirst, I took a short walk to the underground rail system built in for Senators to travel under the ground from their lunch room to their office room. It was exciting to ride the Senate railway and be treated first-class.

We toured the Senate building and met with Lamar Alexander's press assistant. The meeting was informative for me as a wanna-be journalist.

We also toured the Senate building was able to see the old Senate chamber. The picture below is the view from the balcony of the former Senate room. No cameras were allowed in the real room, but for a few short moments, I was able to sit in upon the Senate. C-span was running and only one senator was in the room talking to the air as a few people sat behind desks with laptops and phones on hand. The news often makes it seem as if deliberation and conversation flows freely in Congress. One-man spouting his views to what appeared to be an empty chamber is not analytical discussion.

Other stops include the Smithsonian, National Art Gallery, National Conservatory, and the Capitol. Unfortunately, I'm getting tired of updating this post so I am cutting my pictorial short. Not to worry my 2 followers, I will use my D.C. photos in other posts and other ways.

On that note, I want to end with what an average citizen of Washington D.C. lives with. As a matter of daily life, your neighbors, people walking down the street, the car next to you in traffic could be someone of great importance. In one cab drive back to my hotel, the motorcade drove by with Obama. In this picture below, President Obama meets and greets with the Prime Minister of Ireland. (remember... this was near Saint Patrick's Day) I imagine living in D.C. would numb the average citizen from these spectacles, but for a tourist, it was definitely a highlight.

"Truth is subjective to the perspective of the individual." --- me

Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies.... to die for!

2009-04-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

WHOLE WHEAT SUGAR COOKIES
10-13 minutes
2-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp margarine or butter
3/4 cup sugar1 fresh large egg
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp lowfat milk
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Sprinkle:2 Tbsp sugar1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 F.

1. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream margarine or butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg, vanilla, and milk and mix for one minute until smooth. Scrape sides of the bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients gradually to the creamed mixture; mix on low speed for one minute until well blended. Scrape sides of the bowl.
4. Portion dough by rounded teaspoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets.
5. Combine 2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle over cookies.
6. Bake for 10-13 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Nutrients per serving: 1 cookie Calories 76; Saturated Fat 0.6 g; Iron 0.4 mg; Protein 1 g; Cholesterol 8 mg; Calcium 14 mg; Carbohydrate 12 g; Vitamin A 32 RE; Sodium 102 mg; Total Fat 2.6 g; Vitamin C 0 mg; Dietary Fiber 1 g

I made a batch of these cookies about three days ago and they are all gone. True, I did share some with friends, but the fact is that these cookies have turne me into a furry, blue cookie monster. They are delicious and since you use whole wheat flour, you can trick your mind into believing they are good for you. Disillusionment is the key to a happy life ... sometimes.

Reader Review

2009-04-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

As the ultimate procrastinator of homework, I finished my book last night over popcorn and m&m's while my stack of textbooks and papers laid untouched, accumulating dust. The book? The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn by Janis Hallowell. I'm not sure if it would be a bok that I would have initially picked up to read if I had read the back cover; however, my mother recommended it and with good reason.

The prose style is simple and flows easily. Each chapter is from a different characters' perspective and the plot drama covers a range of controversy issues. In brief synopsis, Francesca Dunn is an ordinary eighth grader who excells at the cello. One day, as most fateful things tend to occur on one day, a homeless man announced her divinty as the Virgin Mary. In a storm of chaotic confusion and people's desires clouded by their need for miracles and solutuions, reporters, rich and the poor alike flock to her.

The story is a struggle with teenage prenancy, a single parent's fears, a daughter's failure to please, the need in everyone to conform, the right for an abortion, teenage angst, masochism, controversy of religion, disillusion, and so many other themes. Hallowell weaves a good tale with complex ideas behind each event.

I found the reading extremely entertaining as Hallowell's words flirted on the edge of ideology and philosophy.

I give the book 4 stars. ****

Black or Brown?

2009-04-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

When preparing for my presentation, the most important part is looking my best. After all, this is the twenty-first century, it is all about the image you put out there. My last presentation for my speech class is persuasive and the topic is legalizing medical marijuana, although I personally feel that with the economic recession, the country would gain so much money if they could put a sin tax on marijuana and clear out some jail space. Did you know that the U.S. is second to only Russia for incarceration of its people (aka this is the reason why our prisons are overcrowded). Jails are just another form of governmental housing for many petty criminals.

Stepping down from my soap box, my dilemma is to decide if I want to dress in brown or black. Everyone knows that black and brown do not go together and so one always is forced to choose between the two colors. Ironically, the oppositional colors of black and white are very complimentary; however, the two closest colors in the color spectrum do not form a cohesive look. One option is a gray smock with my wide black belt cinching in my waist and black tights and some heels. My other option is my khaki slacks ...

I woke up today and it was snowing. Snow in April in Tennessee. None of those words should be together in one incomplete sentence. Due to weather, I necessarily chose my black outfit. The grey smock dress was sewn by my friend who generously lent it to me.

Burger King Introduces Left-Handed Whopper: more than 32 million Americans could benefit

2009-04-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Burger King Corporation today announced the launch of the new Left-Handed WHOPPER®, which will become available nationwide tomorrow. America's most preferred premium hamburger will feature the trademark build of lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup and 4-ounce flame broiled hamburger patty, but the newly designed sandwich has been re-engineered to fit more comfortably in the left hand, thereby reducing condiment "spills" for left-handed hamburger lovers. It is estimated that more than 1.4 million left-handed customers visit U.S. Burger King® restaurants each day.

The new left-handed sandwich will have all condiments rotated 180 degrees, thereby redistributing the weight of the sandwich so that the bulk of the condiments will skew to the left, thereby reducing the amount of lettuce and other toppings from spilling out the right side of the burger. The exact method of rotation is a closely held proprietary secret, and Burger King officials would not allowed it to be viewed by members of the press.

"We have always been proud of the fact that we offered 1,024 ways to order our flagship WHOPPER® sandwich. Now we are offering 1,025 ways. It's the ultimate 'HAVE IT YOUR WAY'® for our left-handed customers," said Jim Watkins, senior vice president for marketing for Burger King Corporation.

It is estimated that approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population (or 32.5 million people) is left-handed, making this consumer group one of the largest--and one of the most over-looked--minority segments in the country.

The new left handed WHOPPER® will be launched in a full-page ad in USA TODAY on Thursday. Initially, the Left-Handed WHOPPER® will only be available in the U.S., however, the company is considering plans to roll it out to other countries with large left-handed populations.

Industry analyst, Myron Katz, expressed doubt about Burger King's latest offering. "The new left-handed WHOPPER® will probably be a dismal failure like last year's left-handed straws."

Jim Watkins countered his claim by explaining that "the left-handed straw campaign failed because it was 'too successful.' It's a well know fact that lefties tend to hoard left-handed items. When word got out on the streets, we were literally swamped with lefties at all of our locations. It was impossible to re-tool the straw factories quickly enough to meet the demand for left-handed straws, so we cancelled the campaign and used the resources to fund this year's Mr. Potato Head® promotion."

Burger King Corporation and its franchisees operate more than 9500 restaurants in all 50 states and in 56 countries and international territories around the world. In fiscal year 2008, Burger King had system-wide sales of $9.8 billion. Burger King Corporation is a subsidiary of Diageo plc, one of the world's largest branded consumer products businesses.

Dressing for Success

2009-03-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

I have a group presentation in class Thursday and a dress code is strictly enforced. Our presentation is over the banking crisis and to coordinate with the topic (because I am a dork) I've decided to dress in green. The color green symbolizes many things such as money, success, and Spring - all positive associations that may increase the success of my presentation.

This could of course be all in my head, but it never hurts to put your best foot forward. My only problem is how do I dress for success within the limitations of my wardrobe? With the economic crisis, how can I maximize options and appearance with my limited resources?

Given that the day of my presentation was cloudy with a high chance of rain, I chose black slacks. I paired this with a borrowed black, drapey sweater over a green tank-top and a wide black belt to cinch in at my waist. My outfit didn't overtly scream green, but was tastely done - in my opinion. Either way, My presentation went well so maybe there is a little something in dressing for success.

Colbert Report

2009-03-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, I began watching the "Colbert Report". I don't follow comedians much, but Steven Colbert's sarcastic commentary on the state of affairs in the United States, and globally, are humorous. I've found them sometimes enlightening in the extent that they illuminate another side of the truth.

Plus, one should never undermine the power of laughter. After all, NASA's now stuck with a new room named after Steven Colbert. NASA's choice of "Serenity" would have been too mundane. The room has more character with the name of "Colbert".

Let me fill in the blank spaces, NASA had a contest for naming a new room that would allow the public to participate. Steven Colbert urged his viewers from the Comedy Central to put his name into the contest. With an overwhelming support, "Colbert" beat "Serenity" to a bloody pulp with its talking stick.

I can only hope some day I'll have the same influece as Steven Colbert.

Spring Sprouts

2009-03-24T06:50:00.000-07:00

I first must mention my clever post title that combines this amazing time of the year with the amazing burst of growth from Mother Nature. (Ok, so you might not have thought it was clever, but I do.)

I follow my mother's blog- partly out of daughterly duty and partly because she's an amazing blogger. I'm going to take a few short moments to praise my mother because:

a) she is now following my blog so maybe I'll earn brownie points and

b) maybe she'll mail me some of her scrumptious home-made foccacia bread that I could live on or

c) at the very least give her much deserved acclaimation. (which isn't technically necessary since she can do the job quite well by herself)

I have no idea how she finds time to maintain such an interesting blog with her full schedule. I have yet to acquire such good time mangement skills but am working on it. In addition, she also has such creative ideas. Where does she get them from? You know the type of people I'm talking about. They are the ones that are innovative and are always trying new things and when they tell you about them, your stupefied at the ingeniousness of it. Why did you not know about this?

In my last trip home, she was telling me about growing her own sprouts. I immediately caught onto the idea and don a pair of overalls (figurativelly of course since I don't look good in them). She sent me packing with a jar of alpha sprout seeds and instructions to grow them in a jar. Since I live in an apartment; therefore, I suffer from the tragic lack of a front or backyard like most city-dwellers.

The idea that I could grow sprouts from a jar was completely and totally brilliant. You simply get a wide-mouth jar, and put 2 tablespoons of your seeds inside. Rinse the seeds and then place a piece of mesh over the top and secure it on. Let the water drain and set the jar upside down to drain excessive liquids out over night. Store the jar in a cool dark place and rinse the seeds twice a dar for 4 to 5 days.

By the end of 3rd day, you should see sprouts. By the end of the week, you'll have sprouts. Take them out and set in the sun so they react with the sunlight and go through the process of chlorination. After a week, you can store the sprouts in your fridgerator and enjoy them on salads, sandwiches, or whatever your heart's desire and your imagination creates.

The bug that never flu away

2009-03-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

Remember a few posts back when I suffered from the abominable flu? It has come back to haunt me in a weaker version. I hate being sick. You have no control over your body, which in normal circumstances is the only thing that you can control. I, however, am not a fan of taking medicine on the principle that I may build up a tolerance. When I am really in desperate need for medicine to have a strong effect, it will since I haven't built up a tolerance. Therefore, I was in search of an herbal remedy to my ailment. Logically, I turned to my Chinese co-worker who told me to boil ginger and mix the hot water with some honey to help clear up my throat. The jury is still out if this will work, but I'll let you know. It may be stereotypical of me to put faith in the Chinese remedies, but if anyone is to know of an alternative medicinal approach, it would be a Chinese. I'm desparate for the sneezing and runny nose to stop. My kind professors thought it would be a pleasant welcome back present to have three exams the following week after spring break.

Still a floundering fish

2009-03-09T16:50:00.001-07:00

It just occurred to me how silly the title of this post sounds. It's more like a Chinese proverb than a post title. My mother use to complain that I spoke in proverbs, which is not true. I just happen to spout out wise words that she could never understand the rhyme or reason for them? In truth, this post is about a journey. A personal journey. We all go through it. Don't deny it. Some are more successful than others. Some are more happy than others. At this point in my life, if I had to reevaluate myself, I would describe myself as a "still floundering fish". I am still learning. I will always be learning. Yet, there are times that have aligned with the stars to make one appear incredibly moronic - for lack of a better word.

I am still a floundering fish. I have yet to find my water.

Back from the Dead

2009-03-06T06:17:00.000-08:00

This is what I would call an Empire Fall's moment. If you don't understand what I mean, pick up the book Empire Falls and read it. It's good; you'll like it. If you don't, at least you'll understand what I mean.

The taste of fresh air has never refreshed my thirsty lungs as much as this morning. For the past four days, I have been an unmovable blob underneath my covers. I cannot recall ever being as sick as I was. The flu has been making its rounds around campus like a ice cream truck, luring all the good little children out of their homes. I'm partly glad that I got sick now instead of over my spring break or next week when I have three exams back-to-back.

I am surprised I have not grown green fungus and glow-in-the dark creatures after my four-day hibernation. Yesterday, I was more alert, although I still sounded like the living dead. Today is another story. It's absolutely amazing how resilient the human body has evolved. To imagine, if I had the flu only a century earlier, it could have been the death of me.

I must say, the hiatus from school and work was incredibly nice and tempting to retreat back to hibernation. If only the flu wasn't part of the bargain.

In three paragraphs, that is my reason for my recent inactivity.

The picture above is one night's mischief several weeks ago. I love funnel cake. Maybe that is why I enjoy carnivals, fairs, and circus so much, since they are usually the only places you'll ever find vendors selling funnel cakes. In addition, winter is not funnel cake season. If you want it you'll have to make it yourself.

Therefore, one night my friend and I decided to make funnel cake with my leftover pancake/waffle mix. It turned out surprisingly well - after all, it was fried.

Toasted Quinoa and Avocado Salad

2009-02-26T14:13:00.001-08:00

It reached 65 degrees Fahrenheit today! The beautiful spring weather allowed me to bring out my bike and eat spring food. I made this "Toasted Quinoa and Avocado Salad" that turned out wonderful, except I forgot to get the endive lettuce cups for it, and the pictures aren't as attractive; therfore, I borrowed the website picture that I got the recipe from. However, you can take my word on the deliciousness of the salad. 5 Stars

Ingredients

¾ oz canola oil
1 Cup quinoa, rinsed
1 Cup onion, finely dice
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp Mexican oregano, crumbled
1 ¼ Cups chicken stock
½ tsp salt
pepper to taste

••Avocado Salad•••

1 Cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 Cups tomato, seeded and diced
1 Cup tepary beans, cooked (see note below)
½ Cup red onion, small dice, rinsed
1 Tbsp mint, chopped
1 Tbsp jalapeños, chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 ½ Tbsp lime juice
2 Cups avocado, 1/2" dice
24 pieces Belgium endive leaves

Instructions:

.Heat the canola oil in a saucepot. Add the quinoa and toast, stirring constantly, until golden brown.
Add the onions, garlic, and oregano, and stir until aromatic.
Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
Add salt and adjust the seasonings with pepper. Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Place on a sheet pan to cool. Once cool, place the quinoa in a bowl and fold in the cucumbers, tomatoes, cooked beans, onions, mint, jalapeños, and cilantro.
Season with lime. Gently fold in the avocado.

I left out the hot pepper and the beans, and it was still scrumptious. My guess is that the hot pepper would be a good compliment with the tartness of the lime. I don't think the beans are a necessary ingredient, but that choice is up to the chef.

Andendum post

2009-02-26T12:52:00.000-08:00

I feel obliged to make this post since I have already changed my mind since my last post. Within 24 hours, I have failed the test of lent. What does this say of me? I would like to think I can be self-disciplined and responsible, but I failed miserably. Perhaps it is an American-mannerism to be unable to sacrifice. I'm 100 percent Vietnamese, but Ifeel that perhaps my Asian-ness is only a superficial appearance. 15 years in America has permantely made me an American, with all the horrible trappings of the stereotypical American. Lent is only 48 hours old, I just need to find something else to give up. Hmmm....

Ash Wednesday brings new contemplations

2009-02-25T06:08:00.000-08:00

Fat Tuesday went by without much notice. I commemorated Mardi Gras with classes, homework, and spent an hour at the gym as I listened to the state of the union address. In other words, Mardi Gras was not a special holiday for me, but Ash Wednesday holds more note. I am by no means a devout Catholic and I never will be. However, I find the rituals of Catholicism to be soothing in its repetitive manner and I always try to participate. This year, I am planning to go to the gym everyday or perform some sort of workout. This is mostly as a safety precaution since I am very bad at remembering to keep Lent. I also plan to start eating like my friend who is Hypoglycemic. To me, her condition doesn't mean much, but if I have to follow her strict dietary requirements, maybe I'll achieve a better understanding of what it means to be sugar-free. It is good to attempt to view the world from another perspective, after all, we are only given one body and one view, which can be very limiting. I would also like to start doing a soup kitchen on Saturdays. Mother Teresa award, here I come.

Searching for Sushi

2009-02-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

"I may be rancid butter but I'm on your side of the bread," --- Inherit the Wind

The quote above really has nothing to to do with this blog, except it refers to food, but I really wanted to incorporate it in. I had to watch Inherit the Wind for a class and although I didn't catch the qoute on my own, my astute friend brought it to my attention and thus the quote has been stuck in my head, waiting and ready to be used from my arsenal of words. Unfortunately, its usability is less in reality since people no longer use such great metaphors, but I will continue to try my best to bring back the floral language of the early nineteenth century.

On another track, I have not gone grocery shopping in three weeks and counting. This is mostly due to my own laziness, and the fact that there has not been any room in my refrigerator. One of my roommate went to the grocery store three days in a row. Don't ask me why. Every single I returned from classes, there would be a fresh pile of Kroger bags stuffed into the recycling bin that doesn't recycle plastic bags.

Therefore, I have very little in way of actual food in my pantry. I do have grains and flour and such, but it is extremely difficult to create food out of such random, raw ingredients. Understandingly so, I decided to take advantage of a work-free night and go out with a friend to get some sushi. The allure of sticky rice and the neat orderly design that is sushi's trademark sent me on a wild goose-chase across town.

We begin with finding a local hotspot that has half-priced sushi on Mondays and of course the wait was 45 minutes. My stomache refused to be patient and we restuarant jumped to another sushi restaurant. I love the atmosphere of this place. It was a symphony of cliches. Every stereotypical image of the Eastern world was squeezed into a feng shui room. The soft amber lighting that compliments every skin tone to the lucky bamboo and Eastern plants that were auspiciously placed throughout the dining room was wonderful. But for some reason, I did not believe that the price of the atmosphere of this restuarant warranted their prices so we restuarant hopped again. This time we ended banging at the closed door of the Cereal Bar - a place that shouldn't require any explanation. From there we found an oyster bar that completely thrilled us with excitement since its almost equilvance to sushi. However, the new Tennessee regulations on smoking in restuarants swiftly sent us out the door.

At this point, it is 8:30 p.m. and my stomache acid has begun to eat away at my innards. We became desperate and walked down to a coffee shop. As our friendly counter-assistant informed us, the place was out of everything. When I tried to order a chai, she secretly told me to go to Krogers since it's the exact same brand that they use. Although a helpful suggestion, not at all a welcoming statement for my hunger. If there is anything about me, you should know that I don't believe in diets. I eat when I want, what I want. At the same time, I also excerise when I want for as long as I want.

However, my brilliant friend came up with the brilliant idea of order to-go food at the oyster bar that was across the street and taunting us for being under age. Being a slow night, after all, who goes to the bars on a Monday night except for old, tired people with not enough money to pay the bills but enough to buy them a few moments of relief from their own troubles?

That is how my night of searching for sushi went. From one place to the next, and one type of cusine to the next, we did successful ended up with seafood. All in all, it was the best oysters I have ever eaten. Sometimes hunting for one's food makes it all the more worthwhile, and gives you something to blog about.

Mommies Buns

2009-02-16T09:13:00.000-08:00

My mom makes these famous Moomies Buns recipes that is very delicious for all occasions - celebrations, dinner, or mini-sandwhich bread. It is very versatile recipe because of its simplicity in flavors, allowing it to complement any set of ingredients.

In addition, it's fail-proof to be good, as proven by the fact that I could make it on my first try. I am enjoying making my bread, partly because I feel like I am being frugal while enjoying restaurant quality bread. Since I've been at school this year in my tiny, tiny apartment with it's miniature kitchen, I still have manage to try many bread recipes, never repeating once. If you have any bread recipe suggestions, let me know and I'll try my best.

Moomies Buns(makes 8 hamburger size buns, I usually make 12 dinner rolls)

1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast

INSTRUCTIONS: Place all ingredients in your bread machine. Select the dough cycle. Allow to run cycle.Dump out onto lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 (or how ever many you are making) pieces. With each piece, slap into a bun shape. Usually four or five slaps will do it. Place on greased cookie sheets or your bun pans, cover; rise about 30 to 40 minutes.Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes till golden.

The recipe was copied over from my mom's blog. However, since I have no fancy bread machine that would magically transform raw ingredients to dough within an hour, I slightly modified the instructions. I combined all the ingredients and kneaded until a dough is formed. I let it rise in a warm place for about an hour or until it doubles in size. Then punch the dough again and let it rise for a little bit longer as you start oven preheating. Once oven is ready, simply shape your dough into individual dinner rolls or sub rolls or whatever shape you heart desires and bake at 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

Mainstream society has dictated Valentine's Day as a hetersexual lover's day. Since I have never had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day, this may mean that my views are biased. Yet, I feel that Valentine's Day should just be a Love Day - a holiday to show your family and loved ones how much you love them. In this manner, you are making the holiday an inclusive experience instead of an exclusive celebration that will always leave some people out in the cold. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, because, rather you know it or not, someone loves you.

Friday the 13th

2009-02-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia. I only just realized that it was Friday the 13th week on Thursday. That, in and of itself, should be an indication of how crazy busy my week has been, thus another excuse to put off blogging. However, I must say that maintaining this blog is a lot like a labor of love. I enjoy it. Unfortunately, it is the first thing crossed off my to do list when I have to prioritize.

Then I realized how essential it is that I confront the mythological fear shrouding Friday the 13th and why it has ensnared me, unknowingly, into its trap of superstition.

Here is how my week has gone, although it mostly passed by in a blur. I had two tests, one presentation, an audio project, and a paper due this week. In other words, I could murder my professors and drank copious amounts of coffee, which is really no different than any other week. I may try and give up coffee for Lent, but I'm not sure if I could do it. I'm much better at adding something then subtracting. Rather ironic for someone who is prone to ADD moments. (Sorry, I can't help a good pun.)

Over many, many, many hours of preparation did I study and worked on my various assignments. Despite, my best efforts, I was not able to meet my standard level of expectation. As disappointing as that is, especially for a person who lives for herself and her own desires, it rather depressed me knowing I may not be able to handle my coursework. In retrospect, I manage it better than most college students. Plus, I know that I tried my best and was promptly trampled by my professor's cruel fist.

You should know that I am a person who enjoys being alone. I enjoy walking alone, riding my bicycle alone, reading a book alone, cooking alone, and all sorts of activities alone. In truth, I am an unusual person. I have never felt the need to keep people around just to have people around. Therefore, I have grown accustom to how to handle myself, like a well-cared for pet. I had to remind myself that it was only the beginning of the semester and I can still correct my transgressions. There is still time to minimize the damage of Friday the 13th week.

Yes, that is correct. I am giving Friday the 13th an entire week, not a day. Perhaps I give this Wicken tradition too much credit, but I can't help feeling that this is not a coincidence. I am not a superstitious person, but I do believe in something bigger than us. I would not even know how to label this entity, if it is an entity. I know that there is a force that moves all of us to behave in a certain way and for events to occur. I wouldn't call it fate because it is not as definitive as fate. It is just a feeling that like an author in a book that guides her characters as whim imposes upon her pen, something is behind the scenes of our lives. Is this superstition?

We are not all actors upon a stage just merely reading our lines verbatim, that would be too sad of a concept for me to believe in. I dislike the idea of not being in control. That is why I will try to quietly make my way through the treacherous tide of Friday the 13th with a smile upon my face because that is all I can control today.

How corrupted is the United States' industries?

2009-02-04T06:07:00.001-08:00

In my political science class, all you hear about is the wonderful capabilities of a market economy and democracy to achieve bliss and high standard of living for its citizens. However, as the news will show in this week alone, the corruption in our industries and within government is far-reaching, despite the economic recession.

The banking CEOs of large companies like Citigroup that has received $45 billion of TARP, the $700 billion bailout from 2008, are paying their leaders ridiculous bonuses. As a hard-working citizen that sees the majority of her paycheck go directly to the government, I find this outrageous. Are these Wallstreet mongers not human beings with logical thinking skills? Or did they have to sacrifice morals many years ago to achieve the high position that they hold today. In 2008 alone, $18 billion dollars worth of bonuses were handed out willy-nilly despite the economic crunch.

In a time when historically sound companies like Panasonic are slashing 15,000 jobs and stores are closing left and right across the country, for the ones who are receiving financial assistance to flaunt their wealth and security with double dipping into the money barrel of society is cruel. Is there any other word to describe it? Using Citigroup in another example of the atrocities of the corruption of private U.S. industries, they were about to accept a $42 million corporate jet. Only after U.S. Treasury department prodding did they decline. This is obviously not a time of extravagance, if anyone should be spending money, it needs to be the middle class. For this economy to bounce back, citizens need not to fear to spend money in the market place. This will infuse the economy with money and slowly bring us out of the current recession.

Obama's administration seems to be taken on the same look as previous administrations despite his declaration of its transparency and strict ethics code. The fact is, if you say it is so, it does not make it so. Tom Daschle's nominee removal for the Department of Health and Human Services. Ironically, Daschle serves no humans except himself in forgetting to pay $146,000 in taxes. Is this absent-mindedness or intentional. A couple of hundred dollars would be understandable fibbing, but forgetting an amount most people wish could be their annual income is not.

Daschle was not alone to be removed from the nominee list. Chief Performance Officer nominee Nancy Kellefer also stepped down because of tax issues.

Where does the corruption end? Capitalism is one of the best forms of market, but it also encourages greed and self-interest. Unfortunately, like most nations, the U.S. is not exempt from the human nature syndrome. I must borrow Thomas Hobb's theory of human nature. There is a natural tendency for people to serve themselves the largest piece of the economic pie they are able to get without anyone noticing. What we need is a coup de' etat in the executive branch of the private industry. I agree that you should be rewarded if you do a good job, unwise decisions have brought the industries begging at the oval office. Obviously, these administrators are not doing a good job.

Asian Night

2009-01-31T07:44:00.000-08:00

I love sushi, but I have never made it before. So when my friend and I were grocery shopping one night and saw a sushi kit, we immediately decided upon an asian night of scrummcious cuisine. Tuesday's and Thursday's have become our designated dinner party nights since we both have the same night class. I'm in charge of Tuesday nights' dinner and she does Thursday nights. For her Thursay night, we made sushi and lettuce wraps. Yummy!

The lettuce wraps are very basic. You mix pre-packaged cole slaw mix with a few dressing ingredients and toss it together. I'm recalling this from memory, so the recipe may be off:

hoison sauce

apple cider vinegar

red pepper flakes

peanuts

peanut butter

Simply toss all ingredients together and pile into lettuce cups.

While she was busy with the lettuce wraps, I made the sushi. Make some sticky brown rice and cook some salmon. Cut the salmon into bite size pieces that would be easy to roll up into sushi. Spread the rice onto the seaweed wrapper, put a piece of salmon on top of rice and roll up into small bundles.

If your lucky, as I was, you will end up with beautiful sushi rolls. This does take some skill and patience as sticky rice is sticky and the sushi wrappers are fragile, but the results are delicious and well worth the wait.