The Bondinator

It's the Friday Four

2011-03-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! The weather in Nashville today is so beautiful, I've had the balcony doors open all morning. Spring has finally arrived!!!

Since it's Friday, I have decided to share with you four things I found this week and loved. My addiction to the internet is no secret. Here are four things that I hope will brighten your day and kick off your weekend!

1. Dr. Oz's 10 Weight-Loss Commandments. I should print these and tape them to the fridge. Though the article is about weight-loss, these commandments should be lifestyle rules, not just commandments. Dr. Oz's site is one of my new favorites. It is full of interesting videos, encouragement and information!

2. Tres Leches Cake. I made this yesterday. It is fantastic! Don't let the length of the page fool you. The recipe can be found in short form at the bottom and it is well worth the effort! The cake is soft and spongy, much like angel food... So, imagine angel food cake soaked in cool, sweet milk... So, so good.

3. That Should Be Me feat. Rascal Flatts. Not only is the song good, but Justin cut his hair. And Rascal Flatts isn't so bad, either!

4. All things Japan and Nuclear. Like most of the world, I've kept a close eye on my favorite news websites this week, praying for Japan and monitoring the nuclear reactors.

A Quick Guide to Being a Vegetarian

2011-03-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

Below is a quick list of my favorite vegetarian recipe resources, a list of tips for the transition into vegetarianism and a few notes about supplements. A dear friend asked me for some information and I know that a few other friends have given up meat for Lent. I hope that this post helps you all! Please feel free to ask me questions!

Check out this magazine and website.
I highly recommend Vegetarian Times magazine. I paid $15 for a one-year subscription - and I love it! The recipes are easy and it is full of healthy tips. Unlike some vegetarian and/or vegan magazines, Vegetarian Times isn't full of articles about animal cruelty (Veg News has an agenda that gets in the way of my desire to cook). Vegetarian Times focuses on recipes. They have a website, but I find it somewhat difficult to navigate through the recipes online. It's a great place to start if you do not feel ready to commit to the magazine: VegetarianTimes.com.

Read this website. Another wonderful resource is the Whole Foods Blog. It is full of health-related articles and they frequently do a one-food special. For example, last week they featured asparagus, which is in season right now. The post had 10 asparagus-related recipes and talked about the nutrition and benefits of the vegetable. It is not a vegetarian blog, but every post with recipes in it will have some (or several!) vegetarian options. Check The Whole Foods Blog often for new posts. I read this blog every day.

Buy this book. There is one book that I LOVE because it is so simple and full of easy recipes. It's Betty Crocker Easy Everyday Vegetarian (Amazon link). It has a few appetizers but focuses mostly on main dishes. I have found that main dishes are the most challenging part of my veggie meal time. We are all so used to the meat-and-three plate, finding something to replace the meat is daunting. This book supplies the "main dish" part of meals. It has been a wonderful addition to my kitchen.

A note about shopping for vegetarian cookbooks:
Many vegetarian cook books and websites tend to be full of weird ingredients. I don't like it when every recipe has something strange and expensive that I'll never use again (like nutritional yeast. I mean, what the heck is that? There's no way I'll use it all up). So, if you do start looking at cookbooks, be sure you examine a whole bunch of recipes inside the book before you buy it. If it's full of odd ingredients that you do not recognize, chances are they will not get used up and you've wasted money on a weird food. This is why the Betty Crocker book has been so valuable. It does not use weird ingredients.

Transitioning into a Vegetarian Diet:

I made this transition over a year ago, but I still remember the challenges. To be honest, my mouth still waters when I smell steak on the grill. Some things will never change. There are a few things I learned that make the switch easier. Here they are:

Do not replace meat with fake meat. When you first give up meat, it's tempting to buy a bunch of meat-replacement foods (like veggie-ground-beef and veggie-sliced-ham). However, they taste weird and do not have the same texture. When I used these, it made me miss meat and dislike the "healthy" stuff. It was much easier for me to just eat dishes that tasted good and had no substitutes. For example, instead of putting vegetarian ground beef in chili, make the chili without meat. Now that I'm a year into it, I find myself using these substitutes a little more often. The taste and texture of real meat are no longer fresh on my mind, though. For beginners, avoiding these is a good route.

Eat your grains. I also had a hard time feeling full when I first gave up meat. Eating a salad rarely fills me up. I get hungry fast and stay hungry. The best remedy for this is to eat the "vegetarian complete meal" frequently. The Vegetarian Complete Meal is a grain, a bean, and a green. For example, make some rice and add spinach to the rice a few minutes before it's finished cooking. Cook some beans and put them on top of the rice/spinach dish. Make a lot of vegetarian chili and pour it over whole grain noodles or rice or whole grain chips. Have crackers and cheese for lunch. Eat lots of eggs with toast for breakfast. Eat oatmeal. Try barley and quinoa and other new grains. Eat rice, rice, rice. It keeps you full and helps your body to adjust to the change.

Eat your grains, but not too much. A final thing that really challenged me when I first switched was the temptation to replace my meat with a bread. It's easy to eat more rolls or toast when you don't have the filled-up feeling from bacon and chicken. I've learned that grains have a very important place in my vegetarian diet. They supply protein, fiber and nutrients that I need. As a result, I've given up the Atkin's anti-bread lifestyle. However, that does not mean that I let myself have bread with every meal. Instead, I try to buy and eat only whole grains - oatmeal, whole grain bread, whole wheat tortillas, whole grain chips and crackers - and I always eat more veggies than bread in a sitting. Some grains - rice, barley, quinoa and oatmeal - are really so good for you and it's silly to avoid them. Taking the empty place on your plate where meat used to sit and putting a big roll there instead is a very bad idea. Don't do this.

Learn where and how to eat out. Foreign food is your best bet for vegetarian options. Isn't that odd? Italian places will always have meat-free pasta and salads, Indian restaurants have lots of vegetarian options, as do most Mexican restaurants. When it comes to fast food, the same rules apply. Taco Bell will usually replace meat with beans if you ask. Deli's - like Panera - usually have veggie sandwiches, soups and panini's. Avoid most American restaurants and steakhouses. These are the places that are least likely to have vegetarian options (that's really sad). If you do find yourself in a steakhouse, check the appetizers and side dishes! I usually order a loaded baked potato (minus the bacon, of course) and some appetizer. Feel free to ask your waiter what they would recommend. More than once, my waitress has ended up being a vegetarian and was able to recommend something delicious!

About Vitamins

Take a multivitamin every day and consider adding some supplements. Vegetarian diets can begin to run low on B-vitamins. Humans get most of their B-vitamins from meat; they do not occur in the plant world very often. B-vitamins are the HAPPY vitamins. They directly affect mood and cell health, so they are very important. My whole family supplements these - usually with a liquid supplement that we squirt into our juice in the morning. They are available in pill form, as well. Look for a "B-Vitamin Complex" (link to the VitamineShoppe, my favorite vitamin store). It will have all you need. B-vitamins have such a strong affect on mood and happiness, you really should supplement them.

When it comes to a multivitamin, I take a Skin, Hair, Nails supplement. I found that this particular supplement contains extra amounts of minerals and vitamins that vegetarians need - iron, zinc, B-vitamins, D, and more. If you don't want to search for a skin/hair/nails supplement, a multivitamin for adults should be sufficient. I just wanted to share my favorite. In case you're wondering, yes, it has helped my skin, my hair, and my nails! In general, a diet rich in a variety of vegetables and grains will not lack very many nutrients.

In Conclusion:
Make an effort to eat all kinds of different foods, from mushrooms to kale, and you'll be healthy as a horse in no time! Vegetarianism is not for picky eaters. You'll need to man up and reach for the Star Fruit and Mango in the grocery. Go ahead and buy a big bag of broccoli, then find a tasty recipe for it when you get home. If you haven't had oranges in a while, buy some and snack on them! Be creative and explore!

Whatever you do, do not eat junk. Vegetarianism is your chance to learn to eat fresh foods, not processed ones. Don't forgo steak and green beans for a dinner of mac'n'cheese. It may take a little more effort to learn about new foods and it certainly takes effort to make tasty vegetables, but I promise it will be much better for your body! If you eat a lot of junk food, you will feel tired, get sick easily and gain weight. So, don't go there, okay?

Devotional: Start of Something New

2010-08-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

Weekly, I write devotionals for my sorority. I'll post them here, as well, in hopes that they will encourage you in your walk with God!

It's the start of something new and you know what that means! Time to look back on the old and review its lessons!

I'm talking about the school year, of course. Here is a list of things I've learned over the past year. You'll likely be hearing more about these as I write devotionals this semester. Hopefully this list will spark some reflection of your own.

1. I've learned the importance of quiet time with God. As difficult as it is to do, making time for myself to read quietly, pray, and rest pays off. God rewards us in big ways when we seek Him fully. Seeking Him often means making quiet times to pray and listen to His voice. Jesus frequently separated himself from the crowds and disciples in order to spend time with God alone. So should we.

2. I've learned the importance of proactivity. In both my Christian walk and school work, getting it done now is always the best choice. Procrastination is simply not worth it when compared to the reward of being done.

3. I've learned the importance of prayer. Never before have I made a conscious effort to pray regularly. It's amazing how regular prayer increases your ability to hear God, love others and changes your attitude for the better. Regular prayer has actually resulted in less temper tantrums, less stress, and less frustration for me. It's amazing! Why didn't I realize this before?!

4. I've learned the importance of community. As Christians, we simply cannot do it alone. Christianity is not a religion we can practice by ourselves. We need others to challenge us, instruct us, inspire us and encourage us. God speaks to us through others and His Kingdom is a place full of people. It is with people that we grow and improve. It is alone that we get off track and become deceived. I must go to church. I must engage in worship and prayer with others. I must speak with other Christians. I must pursue that community, or my relationship with God stops flowing properly.

5. I've learned the importance of reading the Bible. When I started reading the Bible, I thought that it was a risky venture. Surely I'll come across some verse that makes me doubt God's love or that I won't understand. Instead, I've found that God's word teaches us who He is - inside and out. It gives me confidence, reveals more of Him to me, and is actually interesting reading. There are some pretty intense stories in there! With about 20 minutes a day - split between morning and evening readings - I'll finish the Bible on December 31st, and start again the next day. I haven't regretted a day, yet.

6. Most of all, I've learned the importance of putting God first. He has given us promise after promise to bless us, reward us, love us, provide for us... All with one stipulation: we have to put Him first. First in our time. First in our finances. First in our friendships. First in everything. Daily, I have to submit myself to Him. I have to make a choice each morning to follow God and His will for my life. Sometimes, that means I bite my tongue again and again to hold back sarcastic comments, and ask for forgiveness when they slip out. Sometimes, it means I walk through my day feeling like He is at my side, dancing with me. It's a daily choice. In surrender, there is freedom.

Homemade Bread

2010-08-20T11:55:00.001-07:00

I confess! There has been a great lack of fresh photography on this blog lately... I give my deepest apologies and assure you that it will change just as soon as my camera batteries are charged.

In the meantime, I'd like to discuss something with you.

Homemade bread.

Few things smell or taste as good as homemade bread.

This week, I found our bread machine tucked away in the laundry room in Bowling Green. Naturally, I pulled it out and conducted a search for the accompanying recipe book.

We searched high and low.

Thankfully, it was low (under a bench in the back hallway) and we didn't have to move into sideways searching (complicated).

A few grocery purchases later, I was prepared with whole wheat flour, brown sugar, water, butter, salt and bread machine yeast. You add the ingredients to the bread machine in the order listed in the recipe book, pick the right "bread number" for what you're cooking, then press start. Four hours and twenty minutes later, you have a loaf of fresh bread.

We bought the machine from a friend who no longer wanted it. She sold it to us for $25, which is a steal for the simplicity and amount of bread the thing produces.

The wonderful part about a bread machine is its simplicity. There is none of that complicated business of kneading, covering, rising, kneading again, covering again, rising again, etc. The bread machine does all of it for you. Perhaps this is cheating. Perhaps it does not taste as good as bread done by hand might. Perhaps. But when I read recipes for real bread, I get winded. Just the idea of all that work for one loaf of carbohydrates... Wears me out.

For now, I'll just enjoy the fantastic, delicious, wonderful Raisin-Walnut Whole Wheat bread I just pulled out of the machine... It's warm and tastes fantastic with butter.

(Pretend there's a picture of delicious toasted bread with butter here).

Now, who wants to come over and eat some?

What's for Dinner?

2010-08-16T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'm making these for dinner:

Whoops! Wrong picture!

Can you pull your eyes away from Phelps' abs long enough to see the redheaded official in the background?

That's my cousin.

This is how he spent his summer a couple years ago. He worked as Cord Control Dude for the main cameraman in the Water Cube.

Pretty cool, huh?

I thought so, too. That's why this picture is still on my desktop.

THIS is what is for dinner:

Potato Bundles, photo courtesy of ThePioneerWoman.com

These are the changes I made to her recipe:

I diced and sprinkled the leftover green onion we had in the fridge, instead of using white onion like she does.
I skipped the extra seasonings and sprinkled a little of Mel's Seasoning Salt, which has a bit of spicy, a bit of flavor, a bit of everything. It's delicious.
I used Half'n'Half instead of heavy cream. We don't have heavy cream around here. Isn't it sad?
I used two sweet potatoes and two russets, divided up between five bundles. The potatoes I had were too large, so splitting them up made sense.

They'll be served with shredded cheese, extra butter, sour cream and other typical potato toppings. We don't eat baked potatoes very often, so I'm sure this will be a treat.

As an added bonus, I accidentally set the oven to 425 instead of 375... WHOOPS! We're about to find out if this worked....

NOTE: The potatoes were delicious! They were fantastic! Wonderful! A hit!

Go forth and cook.

Jade is the New Black

2010-08-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

I shopped for this color all summer and finally found it! Well, that's not entirely true. Actually, I found this nail color at the beginning of the summer. Every time we went to the Cosmetic Market (and that's a frequent event for the ladies in my family), I would pick it up and look at it.

I would carry it around the store.

I would hold it up to my fingers, to my face, and stare at it for extended periods of time.

Then I would put it back on the shelf and leave.

Well, yesterday, after a bit of encouragement from Mom, I bought it. Her encouragement sounded something like this, "You better buy that nail polish. You talk about it all the time, so buy it!"

Here it is:

Jade is the New Black

That's not my hand. It's a Hand Model's hand. This hand makes me want to get a manicure.

I want a shirt this color. And earrings, and shoes, and eyeshadow. I love this color that much.

I'm going to paint my toes and fingers now. Have a happy Sunday!

My Social Networking Rules

2010-08-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

People can get themselves into a lot of trouble with social media. I don't mean trouble like giving out your social security number or address and being robbed (though that is certainly a concern). I'm talking about social trouble. Examples include:
a) getting into a light argument in comments that quickly becomes a feud
b) insulting another person in view of all of your friends and family
c) complaining about your life so often that it darkens your reputation and the way you are perceived.
All of these do nothing for yourself and do nothing to show others who God is (if you're a Christian seeking to live for Him).

These are the guidelines I've laid out for myself. I consider facebook, twitter, social media to be a place where I can pour goodness and positivity into the lives of others. These "rules" help me accomplish that goal. Since I intend my social media to be a ministry (that is, a place where I encourage, lift, and hopefully impact others in a positive way), I've written down the things that I believe directly oppose that purpose. If you'd like to know the guidelines I use for positive social media experiences, here they are! All of these are a direct result of my mission statement (kindness always, respect, hospitality, service, encouragement, always kindness).

1. Avoid writing a negative status and if you must, make it funny. In the broad scheme of things, most of your online "friends" are probably more like "aquaintances" and they do not want or need to hear about your bad day or your pet peeves. Most of the facebook and twitter community does not care about your bad day. Sure, your close friends and family might be sympathetic - and if you make the status funny, you'll get a laugh out of others - but the majority of users will just glance over this update and think something like "well, sucks for her" or "oh, I hope the person he wrote this about doesn't see this update!" The purpose behind a status is to a) tell the world what you're up to or what is on your mind and b) entertain your readers, lift their spirits, and endear you to them. Negative-toned statuses do not accomplish either of these purposes. If you post negative statuses often enough, you'll make people think you need medical help. Not good.

2. Avoid posting your strong opinions and convictions about controversial subjects online. This tends to make enemies. Ranting and raving about political figures or topics will only alienate some readers, anger others and fire up the rest. Some will express their agreement with your position, but others will write a long response about how wrong you are. Perhaps this is the response you want, and that's fine, but for many people, facebook is not the place to discuss political or religious controversies. Once again, your posts should entertain your readers, lift their spirits and endear you to them. Generally, your daily posts will give others enough information about you to guess which direction you lean on the political scale. No need to broadcast it daily (unless you love political discussion and consider your political views a big part of your career, examples include people who study poli-sci or are running for office). Please note that I'm not saying you must be politically correct or that you shouldn't let people know your political standing. Most people like to know where you stand, but social media is no place to start arguments about politics or controversial stuff. I follow this guideline because I do not feel confident in my ability to argue my political opinions and I tend to avoid conflict.

3. Never, under any circumstances, post negatively about someone else. Even if you think you are being discrete about who wronged you, most of your regular facebook readers will be able to guess. When I see someone do this, it makes me want to avoid them at all costs. What if they were to get mad at me and post all over the social media world what a jerk I am? This is the quickest way to alienate people and lose trust with your friends. Here is another problem: posting about your conflicts with another person draws your readers into that conflict. If they know both of you, they will be pressured to pick sides. It gets even worse if you "make up" with the person - now those people who picked sides think both of you are crazy and will distance themselves from you both. Again, this is the quickest way to paint yourself as petty, immature and untrustworthy. Don't ever do this. If you must "warn" people about another, do it in person. If you insult another person on facebook, it's much more likely to taint your reputation than theirs.

4. Avoid commenting or posting on the walls of people you do not regularly interact with. It's just awkward. Obviously, since you're friends with the person, you know them well enough to comment occasionally. Frequently commenting on the statuses, wall posts, pictures of someone you rarely see, however, will probably make you look like a creeper/stalker type. Use your own discretion here. Also, never comment on someone's photos unless you're friends with the person. We all know you can see albums of people you don't even know, but they don't need to know you're stalking them.

That's about it! I didn't write these to tell you what to do. I wrote them for you in case you'd like to know how I govern my online presence. Basically, it all comes down to the following:

Social media should entertain your readers, lift their spirits and endear you to them. That's what it's all about. That's what being a Christian is all about - healing hearts, drawing people to God, showing others who God is through your actions and choices. Being kind and loving. That's all for now!

Mini Wheats, Oven Guy, and the Pantry

2010-08-11T15:25:00.000-07:00

1. It's August 11th, a beautiful day here in Nashville. And by "beautiful," I mean it's sunny. And when I say "August 11th," I mean it's hot.

2. I have been to five stores today and one restaurant. Three of the stores were in the mall, so it doesn't really count.

3. I was actually awake at 6:50 yesterday morning. This morning, I woke up at 7:30. I'm working my way up, people! Tomorrow I'll shoot for 7AM.

4. My last day working at Bruster's was Sunday, but I got someone to cover for me because I needed to be home with the family when Popo was put down. I sort of miss the ice cream shop already. While here in Nashville, however, I've already wracked up a full card at Sweet Cece's! I talked Mom, Dad and Robert into going to two-punch Tuesdays at Sweet Cece's last night. It was delicious!

5. I actually ate Frosted Mini Wheats yesterday. I was desperate. There was no food in this condo. If you know me at all, you know that I eat cereal only if it's the only thing left in the house. Cereal tends to leave me hungry. I can eat a giant bowl of cereal and be starving an hour later. Not to mention, the milk with dry crunchy stuff in a bowl doesn't appeal to me much... That is all.

6. Don't worry, we made it to the grocery today. The kitchen is stocked up and ready for business! Except for the fact that the oven still hasn't been fixed...

7. The oven guy is coming tomorrow.

8. Thank God the oven guy is coming. We really need an oven. I don't know what to do without it.

9. We bought almost 9 apples today on accident. Boogie went and got apples, but I didn't know, so I got more apples later. By the time we discovered the double order of apples, we were checking out. So, we bought them and I'm planning on making an apple tart.

10. I'll need the oven to be fixed to make the apple tart.

11. Just wanted you to really grasp the desperation behind this broken oven deal. The apples will go bad unless that oven guy hurries up and gets here!!!

12. I gave the women working at Victoria's Secret the run-around today. I think I tried on 8 or 9 items, was in and out of the dressing room three times and had the ladies calling other stores in search of things for me... I ended up going with choice #1. I felt guilty, but satisfied that I had exhausted all other options and made the best choice.

13. I completely emptied the pantry and re-arranged it today. It is now organized, shiny, new. All the cans are on the same shelf. The baking ingredients are lined up and compartmentalized. The chips are placed on top of the extra cans of coke. It's lovely.

14. Off I go to eat dinner before church! No, I'm not having Frosted Mini Wheats. Ha, very funny.

Rough Weekend

2010-08-11T05:52:00.001-07:00

It was a rough weekend (yes, I know it's Wednesday and the weekend was days ago). After a long family discussion Friday evening, prayer individually and as a group, followed by more discussion Saturday morning, we decided it was time to put our Golden Retriever down. He was struggling to breathe and hadn't slept in days. A tumor was growing under his face and making him very uncomfortable, though we do not believe he was in any pain.

Needless to say, Sunday was a long day. Our vet is a good friend and an active member at our church. He came to the house and was a very kind, respectful participant in the funeral and burial. We were all crying and crying. This is the first family dog we've had to put down.

I'm grateful that we were all able to say goodbye. I'm grateful that we had a few days to prepare ourselves. We did not rush into it and it didn't happen suddenly. God walked through every step with us - from the timing of the illness to His peace which was present throughout. When you are walking with God, fully submitted to Him and committed to His purposes in your life, you notice Him in events like this one.
We see how He timed it. Popo was put down about a week before school starts, giving us all something new to focus on while dealing with the grief.
We see how He controlled it - Popo was not in pain, only uncomfortable and exhausted.
We see how He provides you with the right people - our vet is a patient friend who came to our house unhesitatingly, we did not have to take Popo to a hospital room.
We see how He influenced it - we all felt peaceful about the decision. There was unity in our family and in our hearts, and we were sad but not disturbed. His peace flooded each of us.

Perhaps some of you would say these things are lucky or coincidental, but I choose to believe that it's my loving God, making a difficult thing into a smooth transition. Healing our hearts before the wound was even inflicted.

I will praise Him forever.

Kitchen Confession is Good for the Soul

2010-08-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

Confession is good for the soul, and is encouraged in the Christian faith. I felt like making a list of my kitchen disasters so far. Perhaps you have ones that are worse than mine (then again, probably not).

I think that I have accidents in the kitchen because the Devil is trying to keep me out of the kitchen but I'll show him! I'll show you all! Mwahaha!

1. I set my cast iron skillet on fire at school this year. I left it on the still-hot stove with oil in it. I'd read that you should keep your skillet oiled to keep it seasoned... But I suppose I misinterpreted that one...

2. I've ruined several pans of cupcakes so far. I cooked one set for 40 minutes... Recipe said to cook for 20-25. Boogie gracefully ate one to prove to me that they were not totally ruined... They were, though, so we threw them out. I over-stirred one batch. The batter was so smooth it was like milk by the time I finished whipping it around. They came out sticky and sunk in the middle, like mini-craters. I ate one, but That Cool Guy spit his out.

3. You probably remember the time I turned the oven on broil and closed the door. The glass inside shattered. Yeah, that was fun...

4. This week, I was steaming some dumplings and ran out of water under the steamer. I didn't notice until the burning smell from the bottom of the pot got to my parents.

5. We were in a hurry once and I invited two of my friends at school up to my apartment for grilled cheese sandwiches. It was quicker than going to a restaurant, and cheaper! Well, I promptly burned one of their sandwiches. We didn't have time to make another. She ate the burned one without complaint, but I sure felt like a dork.

6. I frequently skip steps in the recipe without meaning to. Example: when I made those baked apples, I did not pour water into the bottom of the cooking pan until about 15 minutes into their time in the oven... Thankfully, I corrected the mistake and they still turned out. I also accidentally leave ingredients out.

7. Substitution is a big challenge for me. I substitute regularly. The thing is, I stay pretty aware of all the groceries I buy and I make a serious effort to use everything up. If a recipe asks me to buy X and I think I could just use Y because it's already in the house, I'll do it. It doesn't always turn out.

I suppose that's enough for now. Don't be surprised if I come back and add to this list later. Mayhem in the kitchen will likely be a regular event this year, as Boogie and I share the condo in Nashvegas.

Now I must skip off to make some homemade waffle mix before Momma gets up and uses the box recipe... Hehehe

I got a haircut.

2010-08-05T18:59:00.001-07:00

Good evening,

I got a haircut.

Just thought I'd let you know.

Love,
Kathleen

Summer's Ending? Quick! Do something fun!

2010-08-05T08:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday! I now have less than 3 weeks to get ready for school. Add to that the fact that we will likely be in Nashville for a week very soon, and I have about 1 more week to get ready for school. It's so distracting, I found myself making three lists (all school-related) during church last night. Eventually I found the willpower to put them down and listen to the message. Here's a list about my week:

1. We cooked and cooked on Tuesday night. We made Baked Apples Stuffed with Wild Rice and Quinoa. The recipe came from Vegetarian Times and was delicious! Even the carnivores went back for seconds. That's sayin' somethin'. In case you're not familiar with Quinoa, it's a grain-like seed used in many vegetarian dishes. The recipe was sort of labor-intensive. The Wild Rice needed to be cooked for nearly 50 minutes, then the Quinoa was added and the mixture had to cook for 20 more minutes. This is all to make the stuffing that goes on top of the apple halves and can be done a few days in advance to make it go faster night-of. It was fantastic (did I mention cream cheese was involved?) and was a great example of a vegetarian main course meant to be embellished with vegetarian side dishes.

2. We make Pioneer Woman's Mac & Cheese. Click the words for a link to that recipe. Let me tell ya - it took about 20 minutes to get it into the oven, and it came out delicious! I have a feeling that, once learned, this recipe could be the kind you whip up again and again. The best part is that you can easily change and add ingredients to fit your tastes or shake things up. We followed her recipe pretty strictly (since it was our first time cooking it). However, I'm looking forward to making it with Mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. And again with broccoli and a mix of cheeses. It's a fantastic alternative to the Kraft box. Just sayin'.

3. If you haven't been to Pioneer Woman's website, you need to go there now. Read, learn, laugh, and make food. Go forth and be fruitful!

4. Due to Dad's generous offer to add me to his Amazon Prime membership, I now consistently receive packages in the mail. Amazon Prime is a paid membership that has certain benefits - namely, free second-day shipping - that make the thing very appealing. It costs extra, but Prime memberships can include a whole family. Many everyday items we use are cheaper on Amazon because if it arrives the second day without shipping charges, it's been cheaper for me to buy many things on Amazon instead of in person.

5. It's great! Yesterday I received enough fish tank filters to keep the tank running for almost a year. Isn't that great?

6. Popo is still struggling. Conversations around here are grim. We all agree that we don't want him to suffer. We also don't want to pay $700 for a test that will only tell us that he's going to die, anyway. None of us, however, are ready to let him go. He does not appear to be in pain, but he doesn't move around much. It's heartbreaking.

7. I keep telling myself that I will wake up bright and early at 7AM tomorrow. This will, in my theory, help me ease into the early school mornings that are fast approaching. I keep sabotaging my own plan by staying up until 1 or 2, reading and praying and reading.

8. Dad and The Cool Dude (I know my nicknames for my brother change all the time. It's an indication of just how cool and complicated he is in real life) told us all about their 10-day Boy Scout Trip. They went up and down the New England coast, visiting many historic landmarks. Dad brought us a souvenir from almost every stop they made. Most were pencils that we'll be able to use all year. I also received a Snowflake cookie cutter, two charms for my bracelet, and a bookmark. I've already used many of them, but the Snowflake cookie cutter will have to wait until fall. Unless we get some sort of freak snow in August. Wouldn't that be awesome?

9. Today, I'm going to make these: goldfish dumplings! Mine will be made with regular dumpling dough bought at the store, however, so they won't have the fun colors pictured on the blog. I have lots of leftover stir-fry ingredients from the cooking we've done this week. Basically, you stir-fry your mixture and put it in the dumplings, then steam them.

10. Speaking of steaming, I bought a silicone steamer yesterday at the mall. It was exactly the steamer I examined time and again at the Viking Store, but never bought. Well, I'm a vegetarian now and we steam stuff! That's my final answer.

11. Boogie had a dream I got married last night. She said that his hair was about the same color as mine. Beyond that, she didn't remember much.

12. The Master of Cool (again, referring to my brother) is going to take his driver's test today. Your prayers would be appreciated. We really, really need him to have this license!

13. I fed the fish peas this morning. It always takes them a while to figure out that the food has sunk to the bottom of the tank and isn't floating on top. Their bubble eyes give them pretty weak eyesight. It's pitiful and hysterical at the same time.

14. Oh, did I mention that I've already started my Christmas list? So far:

A Viking Cutting Board
Chef's Knife

That's all so far....

Have a great Thursday!

Praying, Peace, and Love

2010-08-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

I went to work yesterday evening then went out to eat after closing. This means I came home very late... Around 12:30.

Expecting a quiet house, I found my Mom and sister both still up and rather upset. Popo, our 11 year-old Golden Retriever, has a mass under his face that is obstructing his breathing and right eye. He was struggling to breath through his nose, looked exhausted but seemed unable to sleep.

We knew that there was nothing we could do about it so late. We're in touch with the vet and he told us that Popo needs a CT or MRI scan, which no vet in Bowling Green can provide. So, we prayed, turned on a CD with scriptures about healing, and went to bed. I was still praying when I fell asleep.

Popo seemed much better this morning. At 8AM, he was sound asleep in his kennel, breathing heavily. He has not moved around much today, but we know he's not in pain and he seems peaceful. He is a little disoriented because he can only see out of one eye.

Today was the first day the vet used the dreaded word... Cancer. He said it's either cancer or fungus. The CT or MRI will show us what is going on. We needed to find a vet with the equipment to do the scan. He (our vet here in Bowling Green) said he would make some calls. We made some calls of our own to fellow pet-owners in Nashville, looking for an animal hospital with the right tools. We prayed.

In a matter of two phone calls, Mom found a vet in Nashville that can do a CT scan for Popo and... (this part will blow your mind).... They're located on 12th Avenue South. Our condo in the Gulch is on 12th Avenue South. My brother's college preparatory tutorial is on 12th Avenue South. My Dad's Nashville office is on 12th Avenue South. My favorite burger place is on 12th Avenue South. In other words, this place couldn't be in a better location.

The bad news was that this scan could cost an estimated $700. That's just the scan. If he has to have surgery, recovery, etc., the costs will increase. Mom and Dad are talking about how far they are willing to go and how much they are willing to invest in him. It's grim but necessary.

I have felt surprisingly peaceful throughout this ordeal. Some people do not believe animals go to heaven, but I think they do. I think that our dearest pets will be there for us - waiting just inside the front door of the mansions Jesus prepared for us, tails wagging and big smiles. While I want Popo to remain here with us, I also know that my life is full of love and peace. I remain hopeful. God loves and provides for the smallest animal, how much more will He love and provide for those animals that have loved us, His children? If Popo's time is drawing near, my prayer is that God give him comfort and peace, that he would not suffer. He is a God of miracles, however, and we will continue to pray and minister to our puppy. God has already provided for Popo - the needed equipment is just down the street from our condo. He is on our side and ready to love us to the end - even by loving our pets.

Tonight, Popo is already asleep. I hope he has sweet dreams of chasing tennis balls and carrying his favorite stuffed animal.

A Sunday List

2010-08-01T07:08:00.001-07:00

A Sunday Morning List

1. I bought Silk Soymilk French Vanilla creamer this weekend to put in my coffee. Now every cup of coffee tastes like a vanilla latte. It's wonderful!

2. I like to take joy in the small things. Actually, I like to be joyful and happy always. I have a very low tolerance for negativity.

3. School starts in 25 days. I've already gotten a good cry in over this and I'm now working on an attitude adjustment. School isn't about me - my needs, my wants, my happiness. It is about others - my friends, my peers, my professors. How can I minister to them? How can I give to them? How can I bring them joy, peace, happiness, love?

4. I think one of the reasons I haven't met my future husband, yet, is that he can't afford the ring I deserve. He needs more time to save, so God is giving him that time. It's just a theory.

5. We had this with our breakfast (click "this" to visit the link). Hey, it has blueberries and an egg in it somewhere. It counts.

6. It's Sunday and we're back in Bowling Green, about to go to our wonderful church - Bowling Green First Assembly - but because I haven't quite left Nashville, yet, I also watched my pastor in Nashville online this morning while I was getting ready. If you're looking for a powerful, God-centered church in Nashville, Oasis Worship Center is the place to be!

7. These were on the front porch when we got home on Friday. They're making the idea of school a tad more bearable. They are boots from Sperry Topsiders. I can't wait to wear them with my skinny jeans or a skirt, ruffly top and big earrings.

8. My To Do Before School list is freaking me out. I need a haircut, I need to pack, I need to figure out the best moving procedure for the fish, I need to clean the car, I need to read a book...

9. That reminds me! I have to feed the goldfish and get in the car. Have a wonderful Sunday!

A Few Last Vacation Pictures

2010-07-31T18:23:00.001-07:00

After a blissful week in paradise (aka Nashvegas), we're back in Bowling Green. I've been struggling with that a lot lately. Rather than bore you with my inner struggle, how about we talk food!
This is a picture of the three of us at our second cooking class - Tuscan Dinner Party. We learned a lot in that class because the chef focused more on teaching us techniques than on just allowing us to follow the recipes. We cooked and cooked and then... We ate.

There were two other ladies taking the class with us, both were business owners and best friends for over 20 years. We had risotto, seared chicken (which I ate because we paid good money for that class and food!), tomato soup and dessert... The best not-chocolate-dessert ever.

That, my friends, is a baked pear with lovely sauces made of all kinds of things - but mostly sugar and cream - topped with brown sugar and cookie crumbs! It was DIVINE!

In the end, we had a lot of fun on our last few nights! I unclogged a toilet. We don't even know if it was clogged, but it wasn't flushing right and I took care of that business! Since it was my first time, I had Boogie take a picture of me. For one last hoorah, Mom and I made it to the pool for an hour Friday afternoon. It was such beautiful therapy time!

I'm back to my vegetarian ways, back in my Bowling Green home and starting my To Do Before School List.

Vacation Day's 2, 3, 4 and 5

2010-07-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

Today was our first day of cooking class! But before I dive into that, I'll briefly recap the past three days...

1. We went to Oasis Worship Center Sunday morning and spent a lovely few hours at the pool, chillaxing. Pastor Danny did a message on something he does best - worship. It was a fantastic way to begin the week!2. We watched my favorite movie of all time that evening - Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

3. Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, The Bondinator woke up hungry. She was in a bit of a rush and pulled half of an Everything bagel out of the freezer. Placing the bagel on a cookie sheet, she flitted off to put on makeup. Remembering her breakfast, she ordered her sister to put the bagel in the oven on broil. Poor Boogie did as she was told, shut the oven door, and left the bagel to roast.
Or toast.
Or warm up.
Or whatever.
About five minutes later, just as The Bondinator rose to rescue the now-burning bagel, a sound like a gunshot went off. In one freaky moment, the glass inside the oven door shattered.

And we wept.

Not really, but I almost cried. We think it must have overheated. The Chef at our cooking class told us that most ovens have a heat sensor that shuts the oven down when the broiler overheats. He also said that the glass ought to have been able to withstand temperatures even hotter than the 500 that the broiler reached. The glass must have been defective. Warranty should cover the damages... I hope...

4. We had no time to worry about the glass incident. We had things to do! After quickly finishing makeup and hair, we went to see a friend in the hospital. She is 12 and is in the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital recovering from surgery. We enjoyed visiting with these old friends before we picked up a newer friend for lunch. The whole day was spent talking, eating and laying by the pool. It was delicious!

And then....

5. Once upon a time, Mom and I decided to leave the condo at 9PM and run some errands before bed. We were in a rush to reach Borders before it closed at 10, so with haste we put on our shoes and jackets. Suddenly, as we rushed out the door, Mom thought "I'll be passing the trash chute, I might as well take the bag out!" She casually dragged the bag down the hall. It was late and I followed, whispering, "Mom, stop it! Pick it up! The bag might break!" She merely giggled and hurried along. I turned my back for just a moment, and when I glanced up, glass shards from the morning's event were spilling trailing out of the bag and down the hall. "Mom!" I hissed, not wanting to wake the neighbors. She looked and gasped and tried to lift the bag but by now the damage was done and more glass spilled out into a large pile outside the trash room. We managed to get the bag into the room and down the chute, but not without emptying most of the glass onto the floor in the hall and trash room. Laughing too hard to say very much, I stumbled back down the hall to our condo. Boogie was on the couch, about to start some homework. "Come here! Come on! We need you!" I cried as I grabbed the broom and dust pan. We were in such a rush to reach Borders by 10, we left poor Boogie to clean up our mess. We were laughing so hard, the men on the elevator thought we were drunk.

6. Tuesday morning dawned bright and early. Boogie met up with Mr. President (her boyfriend) and went on an all-day-date with him. Mom and I made our way out to do some much-needed shopping. By the end of the day, I'd spent over $50 on skin and hair care. I also ordered these adorable boots from SperryTopsider.com. It was an offer I couldn't refuse!

7. We also ordered all our school books on Amazon.com. Don't ask how much school books for two college students and a high-schooler cost. It's an unholy number.

8. Oh! My new watch finally arrived! I am so happy!

9. Wednesday we went to cooking class. We made three Thai dishes, all while learning about Thai food and special cooking techniques. At the end of class, we'd finished cooking and it was time to eat. We ate and ate and ate. Rather than make a fuss about the vegetarian thing, I had some of the shrimp and beef included in the dishes. There wasn't much meat and I was able to avoid most of it. It was also organic so I wasn't worried about the health factor. Over all, the three-hour experience was well worth the price and we learned a lot about Thai food! We took home both our leftovers and some wonderful recipes. I can't wait to try cooking again! Tomorrow's class is Tuscan Dinner Party.

10. Church again tonight! Looking forward to spending time with God, worshiping, and learning about the body of Christ.

Vacation Day 1: Shopping

2010-07-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

So, this is what we did Saturday. We basically spent the whole day at the mall. Oh, and I had a cupcake for lunch, half a Panini for snack, and Sweet Cece's for dinner. I call it the new "sugar & bread vacation diet." I told Mom that I can't keep eating like this. It's wreaking havoc on my system. I lay awake in bed until almost 1AM before the sugar/caffeine rush abated enough for me to sleep.

This is Mom and Boogie, enjoying their Panera treats. Their straws matched their shirts.

I really wanted to buy these Jonas-Brothers-style-Tortoise-shell glasses. But Mom wouldn't let me. She said they made me look dorky. I don't know what she was talking about.

Stores Visited:
Sephora
Victoria's Secret
Lacoste
Brooks Brothers
Claire's
Banana Republic
Buckle
Ann Taylor Loft
Macy's

Restaurants Visited:
Panera
Sweet Cece's

All in all, I'd say it was a great start to a great week!

It's Girls Week! Partay!

2010-07-24T10:48:00.001-07:00

It's Girls Week! Dad and the Cool Guy have gone on a Boyscout trip for - count 'em - 10 days.

10 blissful days of girl time.

10 days by the pool.

10 days of shopping, eating, etc.

10 days of estrogen.

Save me.

But really, here's what we're doing this week:

We're going to take two cooking classes at the Viking Store in Franklin, TN. Thai Cooking and Tuscan Dinner Party. I can't wait!
We're shopping. Today, we hit up Green Hills. We might make a trip to Hermitage to pick up a dresser.
We're setting up the condo for Boogie and I to live in this school year. We need things like a dresser, some way to store shoes, some cork board for jewelry and schedule stuff... Things like that.
We're doing lots of church stuff. We went to an old church last night to hear Mary Frances Vallaro speak and it was powerful. God moved in a major way and really told us things we needed to hear before we start the year. This will be my best year, yet! I just know it. We're going to Oasis Worship Center this week, as well.
We're seeing old friends. We've laid out Monday as a day to have some of our oldest buddies over.
We're going to try and spend at least one hour at the pool each day. This could be our last chance to get tan!
We're eating. The destinations include: Hot Diggity Dogs, Sweet Cece's, Burger Up (a favorite), and possibly Sambuca. We're also cooking a lot.

Now, I think it's about time for a second cup of java before we head to the mall!

Another Baking Adventure

2010-07-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

Once again, we went on a baking adventure. This time, however, I took pictures not only after the event, but during the fun, as well!Step One: Make Cupcakes.

I made plain 'ole chocolate vegan cupcakes. Boogie helped me a lot. We topped them with buttercream frosting slightly flavored with coffee. I wish there were more coffee flavor in the frosting, but they taste fantastic regardless!

Step Two: Make Frosting.
The vegan buttercream frosting is made by creaming together Earth Balance Buttery Spread and Vegan Shortening - both of which I purchased at Whole Foods in Nashville. Then you add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and soymilk until you have the right consistency. We substituted coffee for soymilk today.

Step Three: Ice the Cupcakes

I bought a set of disposable pastry bags at Hobby Lobby. I also bought one pastry tip and the little gadget that holds it on (I can't remember what it's called...). The piping is great fun! You can see what a great time Boogie is having! Haha
Step Four: Spread icing on little sister's face while she has her hands full.

Step Five: Eat Icing (Watch out with this one, because your sister might seek revenge while your hands are full of icing and the camera.)

I love that I snapped a picture with her finger on my face...
See? She got me!

P.S. Did I mention I'm a Phi Mu? Well, now you know.

This is happiness.

This is summer.

This is me with icing on my face.

And my Disney hat on.

I love this.

Wish you were here to eat them with us! Have a great night, folks!

This Dirty Room... Beware: Graphic Content!

2010-07-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

I'm going to show you something that few eyes have ever beheld. Something embarrassing and wrong. Something disgusting and obscene. Something crazy.

Just, do me a favor... Don't share these with too many other people. I don't want my reputation totally ruined. See, this is my room. I've never been a very tidy person, but I'm usually pretty organized and neat. I'm usually not this filthy. But it's gotten so bad this summer, I've actually found it pretty hilarious. Yesterday, I decided to clean up the whole mess. Here are the "before" pictures.

Prepare yourself as best you can.
Grab a cookie and glass of milk.
Wrap yourself up in a blanket.
Hug a pillow.
Whatever you typically do when scary things happen.

The Clothes Pile. Yes, it is dirty clothes AND clean, all mixed together. Horrid, isn't it?

The closet. I haven't been able to close the doors for weeks. The box is stuff to donate. Note the recipe books and notebook on the floor. Also, my beloved Sperry's.

This is where I sleep. The books don't ever move off the bed. I just sleep next to them. Creepy, isn't it?

Finally, the bookshelf. Not as bad as it looks, and yes, those index cards are more recipes. I don't know where Eclipse is at this moment.

Time for some "after" pictures:

There. Isn't that better?! Nothing like a clean room to help you sleep peacefully at night!

Now, you may go on with your life, knowing that, as bad as your messy room may be, you are not the worst and certainly not alone.

Slow Loris, Almost Barefoot Running, Country Boys

2010-07-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

1. I got up to go for a run this morning. I was dressed and about to walk out the door at 8AM sharp, only it felt like 90 already and like the humidity was at about 180%. (Here's the actual forecast). So, I came back inside.

2. For a few minutes, I was tempted to scrap the workout plans entirely.

3. Then I figured I'd go ahead and do some Pilates, since it was an indoor sport and I was already up.

4. I haven't done Pilates in weeks, and I was feelin' it this morning. This is a good thing, since it means my core has quite a ways to go and I will make progress. If you think an exercise routine done on the floor must be easy - (hey, I get it... I mean, you are laying down) - you should try it. It's not easy, and you'll be introduced to muscles you didn't know you had.

5. As a reward, I fixed myself a cup of coffee... Coconut coffee with Vanilla Almond Milk.

6. Last night we watched Walk the Line. Country music has never appealed to me, but Walk the Line tempts me to buy a few country CD's and listen to them while drinking a beer on the back porch (just kidding, I would never). It's a fantastic, intense movie meant to be watched with your full attention. Based on a true story, Walk the Line features a Franklin, TN native - Reese Witherspoon. Reese sings in this movie, which is quite a treat! Oh, and they talk about Nashville, the Ryman and other places that are so familiar to me. I loved that bit.

7. I later joked with Mom about how we should watch a movie about Kentucky next, just so we keep it even between our two home states. Seabiscuit or something...

8. All this talk of horses and country music has me tempted to buy cowboy boots. This longing goes through ups and downs. Sometimes, I see myself in skinny jeans with shiny boots and a cute top marching down Music Row. Then I picture a man in a plaid shirt and a hat walking next to me - just to complete the picture - and I freak out and grab the nearest Brooks Brothers magazine to bring me back to my first love.

9. Not that cowboys are bad, I just like boys who read a lot. And boys who can talk business and politics. And who read. And who have iPhones.

10. I have a list about boys that is more detailed than that in #9, but it's too long to post at the moment. Some day, however, I will likely post it.

11. As a parting note, I give you this quote from Mom this morning, "Something I've learned about being happy is that you have to make the effort to surround yourself with what makes you happy. Other people usually won't do that for you, and it's important."

12. This makes me happy: Slow Loris Being Tickled

12.1 And this makes me happy: (That was my birthday).

12.2 This makes me happy, too: Eat More of This

God in Time

2010-07-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

The Christian walk is high-maintenance. By high-maintenance, I mean that it will require a lot of time, effort and dedication. The rewards are outstanding and nothing else in this world can compare. However, if you're looking for a religion that only requires a few hours each month, Christianity isn't the way to go. With Christianity, you're working with a living God, not just a set of rules. Relationships, especially your relationship with God, take time and regular attention to maintain. As you pour time into your relationship with God, you find yourself wanting more. You fall in love with Him, because He is already in love with you. I say all this because one of my current methods of maintenance of my relationship with God - a current method of spending time with Him - has been through reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Since the purpose of this blog is to share things with you, that includes sharing my current readings and the parts that strike me as particularly captivating/interesting/striking/wonderful! Here ya go!

I learned some really cool things about God the other day. Have you ever thought about God's relationship with Time? How does it work? He obviously thinks very little of Time, since He has eternal life. But C.S. Lewis took this thought a bit further.

"Almost certainly God is not in Time. His life does not consist of moments following one another. If a million people are praying to Him at ten-thirty tonight, He need not listen to them all in that one little snippet we call ten-thirty. Ten-thirty - and every other moment from the beginning of the world - is always the Present for Him.

That is difficult, I know. Let me try to give something, not the same, but a bit like it. Suppose I am writing a novel. I write 'Mary laid down her work; next moment came a knock at the door!' For Mary who has to live in the imaginary time of my story there is no interval between putting down the work and hearing the knock. But I, who am Mary's maker, do not live in that imaginary time at all. Between writing the first half of that sentence and the second, I might sit down for three hours and think steadily about Mary. I could think about Mary is if she were the only character int he book and for as long as I pleased, and the hours I spent doing so would not appear in Mary's time (the time inside the story) at all. . .

God is not hurried along in the Time-stream of this universe any more than an author is hurried along int he imaginary time of his own novel. He has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created. When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only man in the world."

I'll be chewing on that one for a while.

Introducing... My Darlings

2010-07-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

The defining quote of this blog is "People with many interests live, not only longest, but happiest." (See above). Today, I share yet another of my interests with you... My babies.

Meet Maverick (black) and Goose (gold). Taking photos of fish is tricky business, so forgive the poor quality. Maverick and Goose refused to sit still and pose. It was probably the severity of the flash hitting their giant eyes, but whatever.

I bought Maverick for my little 1-gallon tank at school in March. Some dumb mistakes on my part killed Purl, who had been my faithful companion all fall, and Maverick was Purl's replacement. He was tiny when I purchased him. And my, how he's grown! With the help of the internet, my goldfish care skills have dramatically improved. I bought the 5-gallon tank this summer and rescued Goose a few weeks later. Now they are two of the happiest goldfish out there! Maverick is a Black Moor, one of the hardiest kinds of goldfish and - in my opinion - one of the most beautiful. Poor Goose was slowly dying in a pet store when I walked in one day, looking for telescope-eyes. I saved him from a potentially horrible fate. Within a few days his fins brightened and he was alive again! The two have become the best of pals and tend to follow each other around the tank. Don't let anyone tell you that fish don't have personalities. Maverick, especially, tends to be moody and shy. Goose is sort of dumb and adventurous. Since Goose entered the picture, however, Maverick's confidence has improved and I've even watched him explore their tiny cave (A note about the cave: it was specifically chosen to be small enough that they wouldn't attempt swimming into it, but that didn't stop either of them and I nearly lost it when Maverick swam in there. I'm convinced one of them will lose an eye that way. Don't laugh, it happens with telescope-eye goldfish!).

Some things you might not know about goldfish:

Goldfish are completely capable of eating vegetables. Peas, cucumbers, lettuce!
Goldfish are prone to overeating and constipation. So you have to be careful with the amount of food given to a goldfish.
You can leave a goldfish for the weekend - don't worry about feeding him, he'll be fine. They're great pets for frequent travelers. (Or people who live in two cities at once...)
If a Black Moor is exposed to warm water, his color will become more golden.
Telescope-eye and bubble-eye goldfish are handicapped. They just don't see very well and tend to run into things. Care must be taken not to expose them to sharp decorations and to give them plenty of time to find food and eat.

Sharing Happiness

2010-07-12T17:01:00.001-07:00

The Maque Choux was a complete success!!! Mom and Boogie made it; I handled the rice and reheating the fried okra from yesterday's lunch. A big spoonful of Maque Choux on top of white rice made for a colorful meal. Someday soon I'll buy a good camera and start adding pictures to these descriptions! I'm excited about the vegetarian sausage we used in the recipe. It was delicious! I can't wait to try the brats and other products by Morningstar. No meat replacer will ever have the same texture or taste as real meat, but this one came close enough for me!

Now, I can't write for long because the Bachelorette is on and nothing else matters when the Bachelor or Bachelorette is on. However, everyone knows how much I love to share happy things. Finding myself on YouTube, I decided to look up an old classic and play it for my family. They all loved it and I hope you will, too!

Click Here Just for Kicks

Have a great night!

Food! Food! Food!

2010-07-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally did it! I finally went to the farmer's market! It all started - as it so often does - with a recipe...

Okra-and-Corn Maque Choux (Beware, there is no picture of the dish online. The picture in the magazine, however, makes the dish look really good!)

Our local farmer's market is only open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so I stopped by before work on Saturday. I had very little time to waste and the luxury of browsing will be saved for another day. In a matter of minutes, I located a tent with all the veggies I needed, loaded up a bunch of bags, and paid only $6 for all the delicious fare! I only wish I'd been able to visit and browse.

I still went to Kroger after work to pick up some other things I needed. I bought rice to serve with the Maque Choux, and veggie sausage to substitute in the recipe. I'll let you know how that goes later. I'm planning on making the dish tomorrow or Tuesday... The weekend has been too busy to bother much with cooking.

So far my experiences with veggie versions of meat products have been negative ones. With the exception of Morningstar Spicy Black Bean veggie burgers, I have yet to find a "fake meat" that tastes good. Speaking of Morningstar Spicy Black Bean veggie burgers, I had one yesterday on Ezekiel bread with tomato, avacado, and cheese (and a side of fries). It was the best sandwich I've made at home in months! I toasted the bread first, and it was yummy! And crunchy! And divine! By the way, a friend of mine has a soft spot for hot dogs and texted me after making a trip to her favorite hot dog place in Nashville... She said that they have veggie dogs that are rumored to be very good! I can't wait to try them! The shop is called Hot Diggity Dogs. If you get there and have a veggie dog before me, tell me how it goes!

In other exciting news, it looks like Southern Living has caught on to the cupcake craze! Check it out here. The thing about cupcakes is this... Single serving. Fun size. Each one looks like a whole piece by itself, not like some small part of a larger whole. How can you help but love them? I made peanut butter cupcakes yesterday night. They are moist and crumbly with melted chocolate chips on top. I really like the texture of the recipe and will probably make these again. They're vegan, of course.

New food finds that I'd recommend:

Amy's Kitchen soups and chili. Many are vegan and make for quick, easy meals. Organic section of grocery.
Raphael's Coffee. Coconut coffee with real coconut flakes! I've had it every morning for almost a week and it is fantastic! I'd love to try other flavors and this coffee is a delicious way to treat yourself and support locals.
Ezekiel bread products. Found in the organic section in the freezer, it's a bit rough and rustic at first, but addicting in a good way. Benefits of sprouted grains are explained at their website. P.S. Christian company!
Publix. I will always love Kroger, but Mom and I made a stop at Publix last week and the most amazing thing happened... All of the organic food is........... *drumroll here*.......... mixed into the aisles with the regular food!!! For example, on the baking aisle, there is a section of shelf labeled "Greenwise" with organic versions of all your baking ingredients! Imagine a world where you don't have to split your grocery run into two parts - organic section and regular. Pretty sure Publix is where God does His grocery shopping... Just sayin'.

I'm from the South because...

2010-07-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

My Mom cooks sausage with Mrs. Buttersworth Syrup and/or honey.
We have every Southern Living Cookbook, from the mid 1980's to date.
I don't feel comfortable unless my toenails are painted. I really don't feel comfortable if my nails and toenails are two different colors.
Despite my Dad's efforts, we have yet to go skiing. The family vote always goes to the beach vacation.

More to come later...

I quit drinking coffee... It was a rough three days.

2010-07-09T06:45:00.001-07:00

In the past two weeks I have....

1. Driven to Nashville, stayed the night and then driven back to BG, only to turn around and drive back to Nashville the next day.

2. Contracted Strep Throat, probably from a baby in the nursery last week, and was convinced it was a mono relapse. I didn't go to the doctor for days and days, because there is nothing a doctor can do for mono... So, I exposed all of my family to the Strep virus. Learned a lesson about making doctors visits earlier, rather than waiting until symptoms are really bad.

3. Watched Star Wars Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 over the course of two days. Spike TV usually does themed holiday weekends and this weekend was the Force of July. Of course, since my family is mostly comprised of brainiacs and nerds, we watched most of it.

4. Hardly ate anything over the weekend cause I was nauseous. Then ate a whole lot on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, cause my appetite was back.

5. Made S'Mores cupcakes. They were not my favorite. The cake part was a gingerbready-cakey-graham-cracker-y flavor... It was weird. In typical Bond Family fashion, not many of us liked it because there wasn't a lot of chocolate involved.

6. Quit drinking coffee for a few days because I thought it was making the mono worse. (I was really sold on this mono idea). This led to #7.

7. Bought a latte as soon as we finished up at the doctor's office and I knew it was Strep. I bought the latte before I even bought my prescription, if that tells you anything about my desperation.

8. Fell in love with the Publix in Brentwood. All of the organic food is scattered throughout the store, not just in its own area. There's an organic section on each aisle and the soymilk is next to the regular milk! Who would've thought this was possible?!

9. Saw Avatar: The Last Airbender and LOVED IT! Many hardcore fans are upset that they messed certain things up. Here is what I say to that: Someone finally made a movie out of one of your favorite series, and it's not perfect. It is never going to be perfect, so enjoy everything that you can - like the special effects and cool costumes and rockin' action sequences - and quit ruining it for yourself by getting upset about the little things like name pronunciations.

9.5 P.S. Don't write your angry rants on my status. No one wants to see people get upset on facebook. It's inappropriate.

10. Drove back to BG with a table and four chairs packed into the back of my little sister's Prius. Let me tell ya, visibility in the rearview mirror was low.

11. Listened to the Eclipse soundtrack the whole ride home. Loved several songs on there. Including this one. Beware, the main singer needs to put on more clothes, but the lead guitarist has a really neat guitar.

12. Finally watched the Bachelorette with my sister and Mom. The drama continues! It's our guilty pleasure. Don't judge.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

Figured it was time for another post. It's the 4th of July, and instead of celebrating by canoeing the Harpeth with my cousins, siblings and parents, I'm sitting on the couch watching Star Wars and drinking juice. I defeated mono last summer and now I've relapsed. It isn't nearly as bad as last time, but the symptoms of the disease are all present. It explains many of the odd ways I've felt lately - anxious, tired, unable to sleep, sore throat, etc. I'm fighting the symptoms by resting, taking lots of supplements, drinking lots of juice and tea and mostly just paying attention to my body. Hopefully I'll have it back in remission by the end of vacation.

There is nothing that matches time with family, and today I am reminded of the thousands of men and women who have fought to make this nation free. Their service has protected all of our families. I was saddened to see a friend of mine update their status, saying that today is a day for mourning those who had no choice but to fight and give their lives so that new freedoms could be attained. I disagree. Perhaps some of us mourn, but I choose instead to celebrate. If I were to give my life so that another could experience freedom, my hope would be that they enjoy that freedom to its fullest. So, today we'll watch TV and shot off fireworks. But we'll also pray for those who are living without family members who gave their lives to service. I am thanking God for their bravery, for His provision and His grace.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2010-06-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

Made more cupcakes! One failed batch (I forgot about them and left them in the oven an extra 20 minutes... They were nasty), but the second time they turned out perfectly! Here they sit, ready for consumption! I'm having some people over before we go see Eclipse tonight at midnight (yeah, yeah, I hear your snickers all the way over here). In my defense, I read the series before it became mainstream. So, I'm a legitimate fan.

Anyway, here are two pictures of the new cupcakes! I haven't eaten a whole one, yet - waiting on the guests to do that - but I've tasted the ganache and peanut butter filling. Both were DIVINE! Did I mention they're completely vegan? Down to the Earth Balance Shortening I bought today. Coffee's brewin'. Time to welcome the guests!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling.Topped with Chocolate Ganache and more PB Buttercream Filling!

Also on the menu tonight: Kale Chips (Kale chopped and tossed with salt and oil, then oven-cooked until crispy) and Espresso. And whatever the guests bring. Oh, and Edward Cullen. Mmmm-mmm!

P.S. Location: Nashville condo in the Gulch.

Christianity Defined... by Lewis

2010-06-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

I'd like to share an amazing book with you. This is my second summer to try and finish Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The book requires a lot of thought, so I am working slowly through the chapters, taking time to underline particularly good pieces and reflect on all of it. Lewis writes the book as a definition of Christianity without diving into theologies that are particular to any one denomination. Instead, he does his best to explain Christianity in its simplest form - the tenants of the faith, morals and principles, what all Christians believe about Jesus and God, etc. It's a wonderful book for someone who is not a Christian but interested in what Christianity is all about. For any person who has heard only the basic plot of Jesus' tale and might be curious about the rest of it, I'd highly recommend Mere Christianity.

For those of us who have already committed our lives to Christ, Lewis has some fantastic reminders and wonderful ways to explain our dearest held beliefs. He will re-affirm your faith and leave you looking forward to the next life with a renewed sense of purpose in the present life. He might even answer some questions you forgot you had. If you haven't already read it, it should be added to your list ASAP.

If you have already read it, you'll enjoy these favorite snippets I've underlined so far:

"God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot giveus a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. That is the key to history. Terrific energy is expended - civilizations are built up - excellent institutions devised; but each time something goes wrong. Some fatal flaw always brings the selfish and cruel people to the top and it all slides back into misery and ruin. In fact, the machine conks. It seems to start up all right and runsa few yards, and then it breaks down. They are trying to run it on the wrong juice. That is what Satan has done to us humans." (50).

"Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. . . Can we do it if God helps us? Yes, but what do we mean when we talk of God helping us? We mean God putting into us a bit of Himself, so to speak. He lends us a little of His reasoning powers and that is how we think: He puts a little of His love into us and that is how we love one another." (56-57).

"The Christian is in a different position from other people who are trying to be good. They hope, by being good, to please God if there is one; or - if they think there is not - at least they hope to deserve approval from good men. But the Christian thinks that any good hi does comes from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us..." (63).

Good night and God bless you!

The Humidity is at 76%... That is all.

2010-06-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

Thank God it's Friday! I almost didn't get out of bed for my run today, but I found the willpower and I'm so glad I did! It was a beautiful 77 degrees and cloudy, with the humidity at a whopping 76%. All of nature was out and rejoicing in the dampness. After almost a week of 100-degree, sunny weather, the rain and clouds were welcomed yesterday and the continued dampness felt really good this morning. I went for my longest run/walk, yet - 25 minutes in my neighborhood, working in 1-1.5 minute runs and 1-minute walks. I tried not to allow myself to walk for more than a minute.

Summary of my thoughts, in list form:

1. I didn't even need my Vibrams for the first 10 minutes or so! This means two things (oh boy, a list within a list?!)
a) My feet and skin are toughening up.
b) My form has improved, so I am not damaging my feet as much (this is probably it, since I listened and found that my barefoot steps were nearly silent today!)
c) The very-slightly-damp ground provided just enough slip to prevent excess friction (yeah, this one's a little far-fetched).
Post-run assessment reveals no blisters, only hot spots. I am so excited!

2. Maybe it was just the humidity, but today's run was hard. I was out of breath more quickly than I normally am, and my muscles would start to burn sooner than normal. Maybe I'm just a pansy, but at the end of a minute of jogging, my legs felt like lead and I was gasping. I think it's all mental. Maybe taking an iPod would help keep me going a bit more next time?

3. I'm beginning to grasp the importance of frequency. I need to run frequently to stay where I want to be and keep making progress. I need to work out frequently to perform better on my runs. Sounds like common sense, right? Since I can't go for a run Sunday, I might as well get out there again tomorrow morning.

4. Other odd aches and pains included a cramped right calf, strange ache up nearly the top of my left leg, my left ankle still popping all the time. I think there's something wrong with it. It doesn't hurt. Just pops and messes up my "run silent" goal. Stretching has taken care of most of this. Not the ankle, though. Stretching doesn't improve Snap-Crackle-Pop Lefty, though.

5. Perhaps my other runs were better because I had my coffee before the run.

Thursday is All About Food

2010-06-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

Today, I'll make this:

Summer Stir Fry by the Pioneer Woman! I love, love, love her website. I visit it daily for inspiration, laughter and hope. Substituting tofu for the shrimp. Serving it over rice.

And these:

Vegan Mint Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. We have two of the Cookies'n'Cream cupcakes left... Wonder who I can give them to? I bought my first foray into cake decorating yesterday at Hobby Lobby. Just a set of disposable icing bags and the parts that go on the end of it. Hopefully I can post some pictures tonight!

My little brother is at Scout Camp this week, so it's just us women around the house, chit-chatting all day. We went shopping yesterday, met Dad for lunch, and I worked the closing shift at Bruster's Ice Cream. Today the subjects we keep circling around seem to be our favorites: relationships, relationships, relationships! (not just the romantic kind, either).

Another great event has happened this week...
Mom and Dad ate veggie burgers for dinner Tuesday night. Willingly. Of their own accord. No encouragement from me! Boogie ate a regular burger, since she is blood type O and the Blood Type Diet encourages her to eat a whole lot of meat - all the time. Both Mom and Dad are A's like me and the Blood Type Diet says that we should strive to be vegetarians since our bodies and blood respond well to organic, simple vegetables. With time, my family will hopefully switch to organic meat, since I've continually reminded them of the terrible hormones, antibiotics, etc. that are present in non-organic meat. I refuse to be a nag or a bother, however, and mostly let them do what they want. Thankfully, my family has always been interested in doing what is healthy. I told them that I just want us all to live to be really, really old together.

I also washed my hair with vinegar and baking soda today, trying to get all the conditioner and shampoo buildup out. I'd like a fresh start with my hair. Curls can be fussy. NaturallyCurly.com has been such an inspiration to me, and I've been very encouraged to just enjoy my hair for what it is - wild and sexy! More on that later.

POST-DINNER UPDATE:
The stir fry was FANTASTIC! Boogie and I both had second helpings and it is truly worth it to shuck the corn and cut it from the cob, rather than use frozen or canned corn. It just tastes better!

The cupcakes were a little more complicated. Well, they were fine, but the icing was complicated. Perhaps the trouble came from the fact that we used coconut oil instead of shortening. It took almost five cups of powdered sugar, instead of the prescribed three, to get it to piping consistency. Needless to say, it's too sweet. The cupcakes themselves turned out beautifully! I used cake flour instead of plain ole all-purpose. It was a great move! We put the too-sweet mint icing on half of the cupcakes and the leftover cookies'n'cream icing on the rest. Looking forward to more deliciousness this week!

Dessert, Anyone?

2010-06-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

My book arrived today! Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World! It took me a long while to choose a recipe, because they all looked so delicious! The book is full of fabulous pictures and the cupcakes I made actually look as fantastic as they taste! After a lot of debate (and mostly a lot of rummaging to figure out what ingredients we had on hand), I settled on the basic Chocolate Cupcake recipe with Oreos mixed into the buttercream frosting on top. The actual cupcakes were very simple and took hardly any time. I spent a lot more time cleaning up the kitchen than baking. The frosting took a little longer. It needs to stay in the mixer, just beating and beating, until it reaches a certain consistency. Even after I felt like the icing was spreadable, it was still a little soft for my taste. However, it will likely harden up a bit overnight and the creamy frosting/moist cupcake combination was a winner. Mom and Boogie both had one and both approved! Mom is quite the baker and can be picky when it comes to dessert, so her "I like them!" counts for ten people. I can't wait to try the banana split cupcake recipe and Dad is stoked about the Lychee cupcakes! Happy baking days are ahead! I believe I'll invest in a cupcake tote and display stand...

Tuesday

2010-06-22T08:22:00.001-07:00

Barefoot runnin' time! I headed out this morning around 8AM and it was already nearly 80 degrees outside. Today the high is 98 and it will be sunny, not a cloud in the sky! Definitely the kind of heat that makes you want to stay in.

I wasn't pleased with my performance this morning. I ran for about 2 minutes at a time and walked for a minute or two at a time, but I was hoping to be up to 3 or 4 minutes of jogging for every minute of walking by now. The good news is that I took my Vibrams and went barefoot for the first eight minutes, then put on my Five Fingers before any major damage was done. I'm excited about this! The Vibrams will allow me to retain my running form while letting my skin toughen slowly. Still have some tender spots under my toes, but they're doing well and not turning into blisters.

My new cookbook - Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World - arrives sometime today! I am very, very excited! My Dad added me to his Amazon Prime membership only four days ago and I've already taken advantage of it twice! Yesterday I ordered a Burt's Bees skincare kit from Amazon. With the free shipping, most items are actually cheaper through Amazon than at my local bookstore or grocery!

My skin has dramatically improved since I made some changes last week. For four days, I didn't eat dessert and I cut back on dairy. Then I bought a supplement formulated for skin, hair and nails at the Vitamin Shoppe a week ago. It's probably too early to really tell if there will be lasting difference, but my skin has certainly improved over the past week. It's increasing my confidence in a major way, as well.

On the recipe to-do list this week:
Thrive Homemade Sports Drink
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Rice
Homemade Granola Bars

Father's Day Hike

2010-06-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

It's Father's Day, and Dad and I celebrated accordingly by going on a long hike at Radnor Lake in our Vibram Five Fingers. The lake is about 15 minutes from our condo in the Gulch, Nashville.

We had a lovely, 30-or-40-minute walk/jog in mind... We got a 90-minute climb/hike, instead. By the end, we were both exhausted but pleased with ourselves for working so hard. The trails were dirt with mulch on top and some stretches of gravel. The park was damaged during the floods and one of the trails is still closed. We took the route around the lake and Ganier Ridge Trail, which was mostly an uphill climb with downhill switchbacks. It was beautiful and hot. Most of the trails are shaded by woods, so the sun wasn't beating down on us too much (thank goodness).

We were able to jog a bit, but mostly we just walked at a brisk pace through the beautiful woods. Being on a trail in Vibrams was a new experience (all experiences in my Vibrams are new, I suppose) and Dad got some blisters. There was a lot of gravel and many rocky stretches that required more concentration to navigate. I stubbed a few different toes when I wasn't watching carefully enough. No lasting damage, I have no blisters or scrapes. My feet feel like they've been squished, wrung out and left to hang dry. Sort of like jelly. The fact that it was 90 degrees by the time we finished contributed to the jelly-feel of my legs. In the coming weeks, I will be renewing my Pilates workouts. Side stitches and back aches are signals that your core is weak and not pulling its weight during the workout. I suffered multiple aches like that during the hike and even felt nauseous quite a bit. Perhaps more reading on RunnersWorld.com will answer my questions.

For Father's Day, I gave Dad a Vibram Five Fingers T-shirt. It's beautiful, dark red, organic fabric and it looks great on him! He was also given a pair of Injini socks to wear with his Five Fingers and some snacks. Not much in the way of gifts this year, but he's very difficult to buy for and he's already bought so much for himself lately. He is one very loved man!

Three Lists in One

2010-06-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

Summer is usually my time to finally do all the awesome things I've been wanting to do all year. Since I am hopelessly addicted to lists, here are two:

Summer Shopping List

More photo boxes for bedroom storage needs
Vibram 5-Finger Socks
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
A big jewelry box
The Vegan Table
A new cord that connects my camera to the computer, allowing me to upload photos
More workout shorts (with pockets) or a skirt like this

Summer To Do List

Organize my Recipe Binder
Make Ketchup
Finish reading Woman Defined
Finish reading Mere Christianity
Make this coffee cake
Reach the point where I run 40 minutes at a time
Try homemade vegan ranch dressing
Make veggie burgers from scratch
Make homemade hummus
Take Josie and Popo to the dog park
Finish reading Eat Right 4 Your Type
Go see: Toy Story 3, Prince of Persia, Eclipse
Find our old bread machine and all it's parts
Drink more hot tea

These lists are always works-in-progress. We'll see where they go!

A note about the vegan stuff...
Eat Right 4 Your Type says that blood type A's do not digest dairy very well. It's not that we're allergic or lactose intolerant (though some of us might be), simply that our bodies reject it. When I became a vegetarian in January, I increased the amount of soy milk I drank and switched from regular cheeses to soy cheeses. Then, I returned to regular cheeses and went back to using half-and-half in my coffee. Right now, I tend to go back and forth. One week, I'm all about the soy milk in my coffee. The next, I'm dumping cheese on everything and downing ice cream like it's my job (wait, eating ice cream is part of my job...) Now I'm back on my no-dairy kick. Don't get me wrong, I'm no stickler about this. I love sunny-side up eggs and cheddar cheese. I put loads of Smart Balance butter on my toast and no matter how hard I try, I just can't enjoy a bagel without the cream cheese. Cutting back, however, can only be a good thing. The fact that Mom bought Almond Milk - one of God's greatest gifts to man - has aided the process. Thanks to Eat Right 4 Your Type, I've made these changes:

Drinking hot tea more often
Eating more nuts and grains
Drinking soy milk more regularly
Taking my multivitamin every day
Drinking more fruit juice and adding fruit juice to my water

More rants/rambles/updates later. Have a wonderful day!

A Day in the Life... Wearing Vibrams

2010-06-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy day. I slept in some, and since I went for two barefoot runs yesterday, I skipped the workout this morning. Waking up hungry has always been a habit of mine, and boy was I ever starved when I rolled out of bed today! Breakfast was a plum, two slices of toasted Ezekeil Cinnamon Raisin bread, slices of strawberry... And, after a few minutes, the second half of Boogie's bagel with cream cheese (I couldn't resist... I just love bagels with cream cheese!).

I put on my new shoes (if one can even call the Vibram Five Fingers shoes) and off we went!

1. Dropped off my little brother at a friend's house where he will spend the day preparing for a "stage night" with his friends and their families. This is the sort of thing homeschoolers do, and it is so beautiful. There is nothing quite as special as families celebrating their children together, admiring their talent and visiting. I'm looking forward to tonight's event!

2. We went to the mall to look at flatware, since Mom is still in search of supplemental spoons to use here in the condo. From Macy's we moved on to Davis Kidd Booksellers, where Boogie and I looked at books for too little time. I could easily have spent another hour or two browsing the vegan and vegetarian cookbooks. I have only one small vegetarian cookbook with few useful recipes. I have since found that there are loads of vegetarian recipes out there that my traditional, Southern-raised family has never encountered. I found a few books I thought were interesting, and none of them were baking-related! Quite an accomplishment for a girl who tends to make bee-lines for the cookie recipes and brownie books. Alas, nothing was purchased, though ideas were gathered.

3. We stopped by Starbucks to pick up a hostess gift for the Father's Day Lunch we're going to tomorrow, then hurried to Whole Foods for lunch. I grabbed vegan chocolate chips while I was in the store, looking forward to another baking adventure later this week.

4. Went to Kroger. By this time, Mom and I were exhausted. I was starting to feel my feet a bit more, the muscles were beginning to tire. Three hours in the Vibrams was about all I could handle today, I suppose. We flew through Kroger, stopped by the Cheesecake Factory to pick up a cake for tomorrow's luncheon, and came home to put together a broccoli salad.

5. No one pointed and laughed at my funny shoes!

Worth a Thousand Words

2010-06-17T17:54:00.001-07:00

Running with Boogie

2010-06-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

Ah, Thursday dawned bright and beautiful, with blue skies and puffy white clouds. Boogie and I went for a barefoot walk. She has decided she would like to get into the barefoot running thing with the rest of the fam. I coached her through some of the basics. We jogged for only a minute before she felt like her calves and feet had had enough. Boogie is the least-athletic one of us. This will take some time, but hopefully she'll stick with it! It would be awesome to have a running buddy next semester when we're living together in Nashvegas.

Speaking of Nashvegas, I'm all packed and ready to go. The weekend away will be lovely, filled with events with friends and time at the pool. Well, maybe no time at the pool... That lovely day I just described? It's now a dark greenish-gray outside and the birds have disappeared. My sources have confirmed that in Nashville, it is "pouring." Oh well. More time for.... shopping!

I got an email from Crossroads this week (Crossroads is where I bought my Vibrams). They were about to ship my Vibrams - the last pair in their warehouse! - when they discovered a problem with the stitching on one of the shoes. They refunded my money and I am again Vibram-less. I'm going to try REI and perhaps a few other stores down in Nashville this weekend, before again searching online. Hopefully I'll be able to buy a pair in-person, take them home, and go for a run!

In the Kitchen

2010-06-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

I've been lazy today and didn't go for a run early this morning as originally planned. When the alarm went off, I hit snooze a few times too many. Being out late last night at church was a workout in itself. God moved in a powerful way and many lives were changed!

Boogie and I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday before the evening church service. She looked at several fashion magazines while I scanned VegNews. It was a beautiful magazine and inspiring to see so many other vegetarians. (They even had a feature on 8 vegan weddings, the cakes looked glorious!) Sometimes I feel like I'm one of a very small group of odd people who refuse to eat one of the staples of our American diet (meat). While the magazine was too full of animals rights rants for my taste, the recipes and information about maintaining a vegetarian diet were very useful! Having just re-read information in the Blood Type Diet that explains why people with Type A blood are healthiest on a mostly-vegan diet, I'm re-inspired. It's fascinating to me that a simple fast at the beginning of the year - just one month without meat - ended up changing the way my body felt and my energy level so dramatically. Until this point, I've been convinced that it is simply the hormone levels in our highly-processed, non-organic meat that were bothering me. However, Eat Right 4 Your Type suggests that people with Type A blood tend to have lower levels of acid in their stomachs and their bodies process meat slowly, storing it as fat. Our bodies tend to thrive on vegetable proteins and products in their most natural, organic state. While there are lots of people who would likely eat their own pets before giving up meat, I've loved the way I feel when I'm meatless! I rarely feel "heavy" or sluggish after eating. I can taste so much more variety in my foods that I never noticed before. I'm happier.

Done with that tangent. As I said, VegNews had some recipes in it... I wrote down a recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies and made them this morning. Now, you must understand that I was skeptical. My family is big on sweets. We eat a LOT of dessert around here and Mom bakes something at least once each week. In fact, at this moment we have two tubs of ice cream, chocolate peanut butter bars and brownies all in the house. We're pretty picky when it comes to desserts. It must have chocolate. It should be from scratch. It is best chewy (Dad might protest that one, he likes crunchy cookies). So, the idea of vegan cookies sounded... Well... Adventurous? Risky? But I was in the mood for an adventure, so I was in the kitchen at 9:30AM, putting the cookie sheet in the oven.

They are DELICIOUS! Even Boogie and Quad think so! (Boogie is my nickname for my little sister, in case you forgot, and she's in college but the name was given to her when she was a baby... Quad is the nickname for my brother, still in high school, but always the greatest guy around).

So, here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup applesauce
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 370.
Combine sugar, margarine, vanilla and applesauce.
Add flour, baking soda, and salt.
Stir until dough begins to stiffen.
Add chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until light brown.

Yesterday evening I made Oatmeal Raisin bars. They are very sweet and delicious, and also very easy. Next time I will use some sort of sugar substitute, since I feel like they are too sweet for me (and even though I work at an ice cream shop, I still like to watch my sugar intake). I also made some major changes. We were out of rolled oats. So, I used original instant oatmeal for 1 cup and apple cinnamon instant oatmeal for the other 1/4 cup, emptying the breakfast packets into the measuring cups until I had enough. I'm sure the texture would be crunchier and less crumbly if I had used rolled oats. The addition of the cinnamon/apple oatmeal really made it sweet and dessert-like. I'll re-make them following the recipe next time and post it here.

Little Scratch, Big Pain

2010-06-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

So, that little scratch on the bottom of my right foot became a blister that bugged me all day. I treated it, taped it, and it's less painful today (though still not 100%). I'm re-applying aloe frequently.

Yesterday I bought the components of my self-made barefoot running kit. A few things I picked up from around the house, the rest I got at the grocery. The kit (aka shoebox on my bookshelf) contains:

Aloe gel
Baby wipes (to use after runs and during runs before I put on my shoes)
Hydrogen Peroxide
Cotton Balls
Bug Spray (unscented)
Sterile Gauze
Masking Tape
Epsom Salt

Basically, it's a first aid kit for my feet. The baby wipes will be very useful for running on trails or in the park. I can give my feet a quick wipe-down before I get in the car or put on my shoes. The Epsom salt is my favorite. It cleans my feet and helps heal wounds without moisturizing and ruining my pads. It is also good for muscles and bruises. Bug spray is a necessity, of course. I've already used some sterile gauze that we had in the cabinet to clean and cover blisters, taping it down to make it sort of like a bandage. I'm steering clear of band aids for now because they are more expensive and I would be tempted to leave them on for longer periods of time. The feet need to breathe!

I also went shopping yesterday....

Hello, Vibrams!!! I really wanted the light pink ones, but they just did not have them in a Women's 40 anywhere in the whole world. Black, however, will match just about everything I wear and will look like normal shoes at first glance (or so I hope). If I'm lucky, they'll arrive before we head to Nashville next week.

I tried to go vegan this weekend. Lasted almost 24 hours. I started to feel ill - not from the changed diet, but from the long hours and lack of sleep I've had lately. It's hard enough to be the only vegetarian in a very carnivorous Southern home. To be a vegan in such an environment? VERY difficult. It will have to wait until I'm at school in the fall. When I'm doing all my own grocery shopping and cooking, the lifestyle is a lot easier to maintain. I do not think I could ever become truly vegan. I love dessert too much. Real desserts, with sugar, milk, eggs... Ice cream... I also do not want to supplement my diet with too much soy. However, simply eating more fruit, vegetables and nuts can be nothing but good for me!

It's time to finish getting ready for church and get some breakfast. Coffee mug could use some topping-off, too. Happy Sunday!

Hot Day = Sweaty Run

2010-06-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

It is a HOT day! The high is 91. When I left the house at 8:15, it was already 83 and humid. I went for a run - barefoot, carrying tennis shoes and socks - in my neighborhood. Chose a longer route this time, determined to run lighter and longer. I did increase my time, arriving back at the house at 17.45 minutes. I discovered a few things.

1. I've been bouncing up and down a whole lot. When I actually concentrate on keeping my head and shoulders level and moving just my feet, my energy immediately increases. The vertical distance is taking a LOT of energy to maintain.

2. My calves aren't sore. Even though I ran more and walked less this round, my calves feel fine. The first run nearly put my legs out of commission for a few days, my calves were SO tight. I also added some speed this time, practicing some sprints. In a few minutes, it'll be time for a thorough stretch.

3. My blisters are feeling better, though I think one of them has started to return. Another is finally peeling off. There is a tender spot on the left side of my right foot, just under the big toe on the outside edge of the ball of my foot. It looks and feels like the upper layers of skin have been scraped off. It's not bleeding, but it stings terribly. I've washed my feet and put a load of Aloe on the scrape, then taped a sterile gauze to it. I'll have to do some research to find out if my form is suffering here, or if it's just a callus issue.

4. I felt it more in my quads this time. I think this is because I was trying not to bounce up and down. Perhaps I am over-striding... Not that I mind giving my quads a workout!

5. People stare at you when you run barefoot. There's a neighborhood yard sale today, so all the country folk were out and "shopping" already. I tried hard not to be shy, but ended up walking past a lot of the big groups, anyway, just because it attracts less attention. Especially carrying shoes, barefoot runners are not a common sight. One lady biked past me and actually gasped when she realized I was carrying my shoes and not wearing them. I just smiled and kept going! Heck, a month ago, I might have done the same!

That's all for now! In other news, I bought another goldfish yesterday! His name is Goose and he is a telescope eye goldfish. I'll get some pictures up soon. Maverick and Goose seem very happy together. I knew Maverick needed a friend, and I've spotted them playing a few times! It's very cute.

Summary of 2.5 Months in 7 Points

2010-06-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

So, obviously I haven't been here in a while. A lot has happened since the March 8th post! I am hopelessly addicted to lists and will now put the events between March 8th and today - June 11 - in list format. Enjoy!

1. The boy and I dated for 2(ish) months. I broke up with him for a variety of reasons, most of which had to do with personality differences that were driving me crazy and religious differences that became deal-breakers. I have since resigned myself to the fact that no one but a person whose religious beliefs are exactly like mine will do. This is not unreasonable - God can do anything. I have also decided that an introvert simply will not do, either. I like the idea of someone quiet and calm but in the end, it drives me bonkers and I feel that he is not generous. Regardless of my efforts to change my paradigm on this subject, I still feel like shy people are rude people. I give freely of my thoughts as a contribution to others - to make them feel included, desired and a part of something. People who refuse to contribute are, in my humble opinion, withholding good things from others. The language I'm using is overly harsh, but the moral of the story is this: my personality and pet peeves will drive an introvert crazy should he think to date me, and I'll spare both himself and myself the pain and try to date extroverts. The reasons I haven't been attracted to extroverts so far are for another post.

2. Boogie (nickname for little sister) is now blissfully in love with a really great guy. I feel like he's a part of our family already and we are all very excited to have him!

3. The school year ended and I have moved home to Bowling Green, KY. The end of the year was both very hectic and tainted by the aforementioned breakup. My grandparents came into Nashville for my 21st birthday and the seven of us lived at the condo for a day or two. It was a tight squeeze and it makes me wonder how the world my Aunt, Uncle and two cousins will live there for four days in July. Two bedrooms, two baths, one living space, no doors, nine people. That will be CRAZY!

4. Maverick (my adorable Black Moor goldfish, whom I love more than just about anything but not more than my cat, Scout) is now in a 5-gallon tank on a bookshelf in our living room. He is about has happy as he tends to be, which isn't as much as you'd think. Over all, he tends to be a moody little dear. I will be adding a second fish to his tank this weekend. I hope to find a Telescope Eye goldfish and name him Iceman. More on that later!

5. Oh, I've also taken up running! Barefoot. Dad discovered it and bought a few books. I picked up and read Barefoot Running by Michael Sandler, and now I'm hooked. It will take a long time for me to build up any speed or distance. My last run was a series of 60-second runs and 90-second walks for a total of 13 minutes before the skin on my feet protested enough to send me home. As my skin toughens, my distance will increase. It will be slow going, but it is so much fun to feel the ground beneath your feet!

6. My next goal will be to find a way to incorporate time with God into my runs. I figure the runs should serve a dual purpose. Otherwise, I'm likely to give up on them in favor of something else that feels more productive.

7. The family is slowly adjusting to the fact that I am a vegetarian and that it's not likely to change anytime soon. For the next three days, I'll be 100% vegan and dessert-less. (Fasting with my church, praying about some big things). I went for a barefoot run with a friend of mine here in Bowling Green last weekend and she's very open to the vegetarian thing. I might make a convert out of her without even trying! My decision to become a vegetarian is purely based on my body and how it feels. Barefoot Running requires us to get more in touch with our body and become aware of how it works/what it tells us. My decision to listen to my body in January led me to give up meat. If you feel good while eating meat (though I believe that in order to really test it out, you'd have to go meatless for at least 3 weeks), then more power to you!

That's enough for now. Hope that you have a lovely day!

Boys. And Spring Break.

2010-03-08T19:37:00.001-08:00

I have not posted in a while. I apologize. Time seems to have escaped me and, when I did have a free moment, I have chosen to spend it elsewhere.

What is happening? Well, I am finally home for Spring Break and all is right with the world once more. Life is meant to be shared and lived with a family, and I am so grateful to be with mine once again. I feel like I am actually catching up on my sleep and enjoying my days once more, instead of falling asleep and waking again with a To Do list running through my mind. Oh, don't be too surprised. There is a To Do list accompanying me on this vacation, but it is a small-ish, manageable one. I'll work through it a little at a time.

Interesting news: a boy is talking to me. I am more than certain he will never read this, so I'm going to go ahead and talk about it. He is in two of my classes, and he friend requested me last week. Being the rather clueless person I am (truly), I did not recognize his name or picture and, of course, didn't accept... until he sent me a facebook message yesterday, asking me how things were going, and I suddenly realized who he was and accepted the request. A bit of snooping on his FB revealed some promising things: he is a Christian and is actively involved in his church, he wears a True Love Waits ring, we have similar movie interests.
We have chatted a little in class, but most of it has been my doing, since he seemed sort of quiet and absorbed in his own buddies. I've actively tried to strike up conversation with the few people who have back-to-back classes together and it seems to have worked.

But as usual, I'm hitting some roadblocks.
1. Though he has actively pursued conversation with me for two days straight - literally all day, both days - it has all been electronic so far. No actual phone calls or even real conversation in person, just FB and texting.
2. He has not asked me out, yet, despite some obvious flirting. (I realize he is probably waiting to do this in person... hopefully). Still, there has been no hint of "let's get coffee sometime" or "oh, yes, we should go see that movie!" or "hey, want to walk with me to the next hall and we can talk as we go?"
3. I am not feeling excited like I usually do when a new boy catches my eye. I suppose it is because we're not face to face, but I also seem to be struggling with an inherent expectation of disappointment. I've had too many boys act like they're interested, only to find out that they weren't thinking that way at all. It makes me feel used. I've been the pseudo-girlfriend quite a bit and it makes me just disbelieve boys who actually flirt with me. Sure, you're talking to me now, but it's only because you're bored and it's nice to have a best girl-friend around until you meet someone you actually like. Thanks.
4. I cannot flirt. Too much of it relies on sarcasm, which I don't understand because I typically believe what people tell me. Mostly, I'm just sweet and sincere. Most of you (if anyone is reading this) will insist that sweet and sincere is a good thing. However, it does not seem to attract boys. Well, that's not exactly true. It attracts sweet and sincere boys who are usually too nerdy, too awkward, or too strange for my tastes. (By this logic, one might easily deduce that I am probably too nerdy, too awkward, or too strange for the kinds of boys I am attracted to. Thus, my problem).
5. I've not really been attracted to, or involved with a boy since Dustin and I broke up. It's a silly thing to worry about, but I do not know, yet, how that previous relationship will affect my next one. I know that there were certain things about me that really bothered Dustin and I was aware of this. I worked hard to keep certain aspects of my personality in check because of it. It made me afraid of some situations and gave me expectations of how a boy responds to certain things about me. I am worried that these things that I learned in that relationship will damage or hinder the next. While I want to move on (obviously), I am also not looking forward to facing, and dealing with, those fears and habits.

I suppose we'll see what happens! Of course, it's all so incredibly early to be even worrying about this stuff, but I am a daydreamer through and through, and I like to think ahead. Brain dumping is what this blog is for! Tata for now!

Listing

2010-02-16T05:01:00.000-08:00

I am exhausted, but slowly recovering. This weekend, besides being Valentine's Day and including all of the celebrations of love, was a stressful one. I have begun to come to terms with the homework load and have actually made progress (mostly due to a new approach to my classes this semester). Melanie and I went home Friday and spent the evening watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony as a family. We had a wonderful time sitting in front of our big screen and discussing the science behind such a fantastic production. Saturday was homework day, but Saturday evening was Life by Chocolate - a chocolate buffet and comedy show organized by our church. It featured a huge buffet table covered in in mostly-homemade chocolate desserts! We stuffed ourselves. Sunday featured two wonderful services on marriage (Pastor Danny online, Pastor Tom in person) and a wonderful lunch at home. We exchanged some gifts and Melanie and I came back to Nashville. We saw Valentine's Day, the movie, that evening. It was cute and happy and fun!

On the Menu this week:
Sweet potato with bell peppers and mushrooms
Fruit pizza
Bagels with cream cheese and fruit
Pasta with spinach and mozzarella

It's going to be yummy!

On the schedule:
Setting up meetings with various homeschool leaders for a class project.
Reading.
Watch the Olympics as much as possible.
Reading.
Finish Ethics Bowl cases and begin to memorize.
Read.

How Christian Were the Founding Fathers?

2010-02-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

I will comment on this article later, but for now, feel free to read and enjoy. It's a discussion on the Texan school system and the strong Christian emphasis that has been a part of the Texas educational system for a long while. It also talks about the strong influence that Texas has on the textbook industry.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/magazine/14texbooks-t.html?em

Motivation Meter: -1

2010-02-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

I like to feel busy, feel productive. It absolutely drives me crazy when there is a task to be done and it's not getting done. I love to finish things. In Psychology 1200 last semester, we took lots of personality profile quizzes and at least two of them said that I am the one that "gets the work done" or "the packhorse" that can handle a large load and finish the job. However, sometimes, my more human, lazy side surfaces. Yesterday, despite a great need to work, and plow through projects, I just. didn't. want. to. I tried! Boy, did I try! But the motivation was not there. Eventually, I sort of gave up and sat down to read. That helped some.
Today I feel a lot more motivated, but there is less that needs doing.
In other news, the new fish (Valentino is his name) is doing very well. He and Purl have become buds and they swim back and forth together and eat/spit up bubbles a lot. Typical fish behavior.
Today I am going to make a vegan vegetable tart/pizza with squash, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, basil. Seriously excited!

Lovin' Eldridge this Morning!

2010-02-08T04:37:00.000-08:00

God Pursuing Us
What is God like? Is his heart good? We know he is the initiator from first to last. As Simon Tugwell reminds, God is the one pursuing us:

So long as we imagine that it is we who have to lookfor God, we must often lose heart. But it is the other way about; He is looking for us. And so we can afford to recognize that very often we are not looking for God; far from it, we are in full flight from him, in high rebellion against him. And He knows that and has taken it into account. He has followed us into our own darkness; there where we thought finally to escape him, we run straight into his arms. So we do not have to erect a false piety for ourselves, to give us the hope of salvation. Our hope is in his determina tion to save us, and he will not give in. (Prayer)

When we feel that life is finally up to us, it becomes suffocating. When we are the main character, the world is so small there’s barely room to move. It frees our souls to have something going on before us that involves us, had us in mind, yet doesn’t depend on us or culminate in us, but invites us up into something larger. And what about the Romance and the Arrows? It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Once upon a time we lived in a garden; we lived in the place for which we were made. There were no Arrows, only beauty. Our relationships weren’t tainted with fear, guardedness, manipulation, quid pro quo. Our work was rewarding; we received more than we gave. There is beauty, and we so long for it to last; we were made for the Garden. But now there is affliction also, and that is because we live East of Eden. The Arrows seem like the truest part of life, but they are not. The heart of the universe is still perfect love.

(The Sacred Romance , 81–82)

Habit 1, Anyone?

2010-02-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

The past few days have been wonderful. My family arrived Wednesday and last night we ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory together. They have been very understanding of the switch to vegetarianism. Despite lots of fun events, I have been struggling with my positive attitude a bit this week. I feel tired and busy. I can easily name people who are much busier than I am, but comparing myself to the accomplishments of others will only make me feel like a failure. I seem to be in that difficult space where the number of things to do looms over my head and keeps me up at night, but I still insist on procrastinating. I think that this is a knee-jerk response to feeling out of control. Give me too much to do and make me feel like I have no choice and you're sure to make me feel down! This is the perfect place to insert a Habit 1 reflection.
Being proactive, I will now apply the proper proactive language to the scheduling events that seem to be getting me down.
The truth is, I chose to take an internship this semester. I chose to rush Phi Mu and participate in events. I chose to be on Sisterhood Development Committee and I chose to spend time with my family on Wednesday instead of read or do Ethics Bowl homework. I chose to participate in the Ethics Bowl. I chose to procrastinate in buying my Mom's birthday present until Tuesday afternoon.
Therefore, I am in control, after all. I cannot - and should not - waste time feeling low. I have a wonderful life!

Goals/Weekly Events

2010-02-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

I made a list of semester goals this week. Here is what I have so far, and the musings that went along with them:
1. Make a 3.5 or higher GPA.
2. Save at least $300.
3. Bake sugar cookies for classes - Marketing, LEAD, Building Stakeholder Relations
4. Tithe on every penny I earn/am given.
5. Finish reading Mere Christianity.
6. Finish knitting that second mitten.
7. Finish every book assigned in LEAD.
8. Go to/gain 4 convo points.
9. Read the Bible daily, pray daily.

In other news, I bought a new fishtank for Purl. He's quite happy, though still in a bit of shock. I do not think that he likes the new "bowl" atmosphere, yet. It is obvious, now, that there is plenty of room for a second fish in there. A buddy would do him good, since Knit died early last fall. I will add that to my To Do list.

Veggie/veganism is going well, though I discovered last night that Arby's is not a vegetarian-friendly fast-food joint. I had my first french-fry dinner, which becomes a regular event for many vegans. After much research, I will be eating eggs. There are no health problems solidly linked to consuming eggs, so back into the diet they go! Yay! I love eggs.

Also, the parents finally told our extended family about the condo purchase. This was put off for a long while, mostly due to the recession and some of the financial difficulties that members of our family have faced, and it would be inconsiderate to tell a person who is hurting financially that you have finances enough to invest in property. Regardless, after a lot of talking/praying about it, my Dad finally posted pictures of the condo online and my aunts/uncles are fully informed. My parents are also in town this week. The bed for the master bedroom was delivered yesterday and, finally, they have a place to sleep. Robert (little bro) will still be sleeping on a mattress on the floor, but he's young and can handle it.

Joy in Small Things

2010-02-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

I had the television on while I did some studying tonight. AFV was on - though the TV was muted - and I managed to catch one of my favorite funny videos of all time. Here it is on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSBP5MZstTk

Cracks me up every time!
Though it provided only a small break from studying, it reminded me to be happy with the little events that God does for us daily, like playing an old video we'd forgotten we loved.

Hope you can continue to take joy in the small things!

Vegetarianism

2010-02-01T08:33:00.000-08:00

It has, obviously, been a long while since I've posted here.
An update on life in 2010:
I am now a vegetarian, semi-vegan. I am still surprised, myself. I have long been an advocate of meat. My diet at home is usually meat and some vegetables, and I know that my body does not like a lot of bread, which I considered a significant portion of a vegetarian diet. I believe in the high-protein, low-carb diet that has kept me skinny and full all these years. However, I now know that vegetarians do not simply replace the meat on their plate with an equal portion of bread; I will continue to avoid excess breads even as a vegetarian. How did all this get started, you ask? I'll tell you.
As usual, our church started the year off with a fast (actually, both my churches did a 21-day fast, in Nashville and Bowling Green). For the first week, I fasted desserts/sweets. I did not feel challenged enough and I really felt like God was encouraging me to do more. So, I switched to not eating meat, bread or dairy, with the exception of half-and-half in my coffee. Basically, for three weeks I ate vegetables, rice, and nuts. I expected to feel terrible. I expected to feel weak, hungry, tired, and irritable. What I discovered, however, is that I had more energy, felt lighter, enjoyed my food more and now I'm hooked!
I broke the fast Saturday, reintroducing bread and desserts into my diet, but I have made the decision to remain a vegetarian and a semi-vegan (at least for a while). I refuse to be overly strict. A true vegan eats no products that come from animals (this includes all dairy and honey, etc.). I will not eat meat at home or restaurants and I will buy soymilk and soy/whey dairy replacements for my everyday consumption, but I'll continue to put real eggs and butter in my baked goods, and when I'm at a friend's house I'll eat what they give me, meat or no. I may even get a steak at a restaurant every once in a while.
The research about vegetarians and health is amazing. The top killers in our country are heart disease and cancer, and vegetarians - on average - have a 50% less chance of contracting one of these killers. Basically, maintaining a diet with more vegetables and less meat/dairy will pay off down the line. Vegetarians also live longer by about 7 years (a whole extra decade of life? I'll take it!).
I have not been hungry, as I thought I would. I have not been lacking protein (my other concern). There are all kinds of vegetables that I've never even tasted before and I love food adventures (I really will eat just about anything). I can eat larger portions of vegetables without worrying about my weight.
I feel so good, I have to keep this up. I am no PETA fan; I do not have lectures about how animals are treated or the intention of boycotting products. I simply like the way this diet has made me feel. I like the health benefits that I'll reap down the road. For my own personal happiness, I might as well stick with it!
It has the added benefit of all kinds of unexplored recipes to keep me entertained for months!

Well, I'm off to have my bowl of broccoli and rice with salt and pepper and a glass of iced tea for lunch! YUM!

Monday, Monday

2009-08-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

After the last post, I think it is time for something light.

I present you with recipes for Cast Iron Skillets! They may not be as simple as Food Network's 5-Ingredient Fixes, but anything by Williams Sonoma is going to be delicious. Click the link to see.

I am greatly looking forward to going to the beach next week. In fact, this time next Monday, I will be halfway there! Perhaps I'll meet a man or two? (unlikely...)

In other news, I finished the gloves I was knitting. They are green with a thread of gold glitter throughout. I'll post info/pics soon.

Operation Breakup Recovery

2009-08-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

Going from being in a loving, wonderful relationship, through its decline, and then back to being single again is rough. I find that my self esteem has taken a blow. Perhaps this happens to all girls when they break up with someone they loved. You find yourself wondering if you'll ever be loved again, if calling it off was the wrong choice and he was The One, if perhaps you are simply being imature and need to change a little more to accommodate him - maybe if you changed, it'd be for the better... In the end, the best thing is to be yourself, remain true to who you are and leave it at that. If a man requires you to change who you are - even in ways that are not ethically threatening (i.e., quit listening to country music because he hates it) - then you must weigh those changes and consider the fact that there may be another who doesn't mind your musical tastes. I'm not saying that we broke up over an arguement about rock and roll. It was much more complicated and serious than that. I am saying...

No relationship is better than a bad relationship.

End of story.

Now, on to Operation Breakup Recovery, which is as follows:

1. Go to the beach with my best friend for a week.
2. Retail therapy. Shopping list includes kitchen stuff, gifts for the fall, and clothes that make me feel sexy/attractive.
3. Watch the following movies - The Ugly Truth, Pride and Prejudice, a Pixar film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
4. Talk to Mom, Dad, sister, brother, best friends, etc. Get feedback.
5. Bake brownies, cookies, dinners, carbohydrates.
6. Get pedicure, manicure, haircut.
7. Make playlist of breakup songs and happy songs. Listen often.

I feel better already! Boys, here I come!

Distance

2009-01-07T14:25:00.000-08:00

Distance is an odd thing today. We're all so connected. A person is hundreds of miles away, and I feel that I speak with them always. We send gifts through facebook, leave pictures and comments for observation, speak on the phone, text while not speaking and even sometimes write. It can saturate you and become overdone. It can make you forget what it is like to have a person here, in front of you, within reach. We take distance for granted. I am afraid of being saturated, but more afraid of not having the time or energy for any conversation. Next week the rat race begins. Wish me luck.

Everyone hears what you say, friends listen to what you say, best friends listen to what you don't say.

Now what?!

2008-12-27T08:54:00.000-08:00

Now what do I knit? I've done nothing but holiday scarves for weeks. It's all done and I need a new project.

I have plenty of Silk Garden left over from Dad's, a whole skein of plain black-and-gray wool I could use... Perhaps it's time to make some mittens. I cast on for a pair several weeks ago with a silk garden blend that I've come to think of as a little ugly.

Problem solved.

I'm off to tear out a pair of ugly half-mittens!

2008-12-25T13:29:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Weather: 44 and sunny.

Location: Home, kitchen, listening to others playing with their gifts (mostly noisy things like a keyboard and speakers)

Mood: Ecstatic!

Christmas day dawned bright, but the black curtains in my room left me in blissful darkness until my alarm woke me promptly at 9. Believe it or not, I hit snooze three times. I suppose Christmas becomes calmer over time. Gone are the days I would jump out of bed enthusiastically. Now I look forward to giving gifts as much as receiving them.

A hand-knit scarf was my gift to both parents and my little brother. I bought jewelry for my sister, who is a knitter herself and understands why the effort put into the others prevented her from being given a hand-made. Robert (brother) literally gasped when he opened the box and saw his scarf. He loved the colors and cable and how soft it is. My Mom was very touched at the Waves of Grain scarf I made for her. She's seen me laboring over it for a week, knitting every spare moment, inch slowly following inch. I fumbled the grafting in the middle and one of the ends, but it's all so small, you can't really tell. She loved it. I surprised Daddy with a Noro Silk Garden and a plain gray/black wool stripe scarf. The Noro is a series of bright, masculine colors (greens, red, brown, blues, even white). It is simple and smooth enough to match even his most formal coat and shirt and ties.

I feel loved. Nearly everything on my list was given to me, and a few surprises, too! More than that, I've spent so many hours with my family and I get homesick just thinking about the return to school.

There's so much to look forward to. Merry Christmas!

Two Things You Must See

2008-12-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

FireMeetsDesire.com Burger King Cologne (hint of flame-broiled meat)

Pandora.com Free radio, perfect for Christmas music! Create an account - it's free and quick - then start listening to music. Give songs thumbs-up if you like them, down if you don't so you hear more of what you enjoy and less of what you don't!

What is the slowest thing you can think of?

2008-12-18T19:32:00.000-08:00

Mother's scarf knits slowly... Slowly like the tractor down Three Springs Road when you cannot pass. Slowly like Robert and Melanie when it's time to do chores. Slowly like the clock turns when the house is ready and you're waiting on the beloved friends to finally get here. Slowly like the time it takes for the water to finally boil so that you can pour it into the press and make coffee. It can't come quick enough, and quickly it is not coming. I trudge on.

2008-12-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

Current Location: Home for the Holidays in Bowling Green, KY.

Temperature Outside: Cold and humid = miserable

Past week: Finished exams and did horridly on all of them, am petrified to see results. Avoiding Belmont-related web pages because of it. Spent a night at Opryland (I know... again?!) Ate out twice a day or more every day this week, shopped a lot but none of it was Christmas shopping. Received pair of very high heels, beautiful brown and gold and khaki heels. Did not knit enough and am trying to knit behind mother's back (hard to do because she tends to flitter around a lot and pops up all over the place).

Quote for week: "I'm going to marry you. Let's get married tomorrow." - my friend, a bit intoxicated, to me, who is always sober.

Mood: Peaceful, missing people, but I know such feelings will pass and two days from now I won't be able to picture life differently.

Tonight: Youth Group is coming over for annual Christmas party. Mom is worried cause Daddy is still out of town, but I'm here to help. Little sister's two best friends are staying over, so we'll all be up late.

Knitting: Have finished first two charts of Waves of Grain, am now repeating two rows until desired half-way length, then shall do it all over again. In other words, SLOW! Not good, considering what is left to be done in the next.... 7 days. That's right. 7 days. *panic*

To do: Buy Silk Garden for Daddy's scarf! I was going to knit him some socks but this scarf will be faster, easier, and more useful for him. Problem is, I haven't bought the yarn, yet... Let alone started!

Pedicure + No Sleep = Recipe for lethargy.

2008-12-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

Today:

Mom bought me an adorable little cocktail dress, chocolate brown with gold zippers.

Took a huge exam, not sure how I did...

Had dinner/snack with my sister, brother, Trev, Jeff and Mom. Love those people.

Got a pedicure!

After much thought and discussion with Dad, the decision was made not to buy a yarn store. I am, after all, only halfway through my sophomore year of college. I'm not exactly ready to live on my own, yet! Let alone work full time and be responsible for a business.

The past week has been so much fun! I've spent the majority of my time with my closest friends, done lots of shopping and gotten very little sleep. I took my first final today and have a second tomorrow, another two on Monday. Looking forward to the weekend!

Mother's scarf has been cast on and is 8 rows in! As you know, I'm using Shimmer Galaxy, a laceweight yarn from knitpicks (it finally arrived Monday). I bought beads and have chosen the Waves of Grain pattern from knitty.com. It's going to be absolutely beautiful with the jewel-toned beads and subtle color changes in the yarn. I am so very excited about this!

Well, I have two papers to revise and then I'm hitting the hay before midnight for the first time in days and days.

Wishing you all the best this Holiday Season,

Kathleen

A good plan, violently executed.

2008-12-07T06:37:00.000-08:00

Patton once said, "A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week."

I am at home in Bowling Green for at least another couple hours. The past few days were sort of mind-blowing.

First I found out - through a email list that I just signed up for - that a local yarn store is closing. Sad, but no big deal, there are three others...

Except, this was the very store that I wanted to start going to every week next semester and eventually buy/take over when I graduated. It's in an excellent part of town and has been around for 14 years. They have a rep with yarn wholesellers and the local yarn arts community. In the email is a little note saying the shop is "still currently available... should one (or some) of you decide that is a viable (albeit last minute) option."

I switched to an entrepreneurship major because I want to own my own business.

The business I want to own is a yarn store.

Fate?

Well, it's not that simple, of course. Owning a business is no joke and I'm 19 years old. I've been in conversation with the women who currently own the store and they're asking $100,000. Daddy, a little help, please?

You only live once. It would be cheaper to obtain a yarn store that already has a reputation with locals and wholesellers and a great location than opening one from scratch two and a half years from now.

But am I ready to move out? I mean, I'd quit school and get an apartment. Who knows when I'd next have a vacation? I wouldn't be home for the summer or new years, probably would only come home for a day for Christmas... That scares me to death and makes me feel ill, but I love people and I love knitting...

I also don't have a lot of knitting experience under my belt. I mean, I've been at the needles for less than 5 years and haven't so much as felted an item, tried fair isle, or knit more than one cardigan. Not too encouraging when it comes to teaching and answering questions when people come in with problems.

I can't know for sure that the women who own it now would be willing to stick around and help me out. I'm sure they'd love to teach me a few things, but I can't take over all of their classes and such, not without breaking my back learning the techniques myself first.

I'll pick up their financial statements of the last 4-5 years tomorrow. We'll see what it looks like and go from there.

Dive in head first, right?

2008-12-05T04:27:00.001-08:00

And the hours tick slowly by as I wait for my KnitPicks package to arrive...

In it: two skeins of Shimmer Hand Dyed Lace Yarn in Galaxy (the purple), one skein of Gloss Sock Yarn in Cocoa.

The Galaxy is for Mother's lace scarf. I am planning on using a pattern from Knitting Little Luxuries, haven't decided on which, yet. Daddy will be given a pair of socks, which I plan to spice up with some red sck yarn I have left over from who knows when - a year ago? this summer? I need to get started on both projects.. But first I need that dang yarn to arrive!

Last night my close friends and I exchanged Christmas gifts. I know it's early, but we were all so very excited about what we'd purchased for each other, we couldn't wait! I received a NAP blanket from Brooks Brothers (if you haven't touched them, shame on you. Go to your nearest brooks brothers store. NOW! haha), a pair of scandalous underwear from Victoria's Secret, a beautiful scarf and two knitting books (both of which I love). More about those below. First, some pictures!

These were taken in the boys' apartment on campus. This is Chris (left), Kate and Jeff, opening the gifts I got for them. They each received a hand-written note, a mix CD with songs I thought they'd like and that reminded me of them and a Christmas ornament reflective of their personalities. They were enthralled (much to my satisfaction) and I succeeded in spending a small amount but still communicating a lot of love with it!

They made me open ALL my gifts next, because theirs were so perfect. It was quite a fun time! Above you see me trying to hide the underwear.

This picture showcases most of my gifts. I'm holding one of the amazing books, the other is tucked in the corner of you couch and you see my blanket on my lap (VS bag not yet opened, see above). I LOVED them all!!! I'm surprised Jeff looks so interested in the knitting book!

Pictures at Last!

2008-12-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

Urchin Beret, knitty.com in Lions Brand wool (couldn't find a real yarn store!) A big thank you to Melanie for modeling even though she wasn't wearing makeup that day!

Charlotte Purse from Knitting Little Luxuries by Louisa Harding, knit in Merino with flowers and stem made of bamboo, mohair and alpaca.

By the way, I am in love with Etsy!!! The whole site is so inspiring and creative. I highly recommend that you click on "buy"and then try some of the fun ways to shop - especially "shop by color!" It's wonderful!!!

It's funny, but I'm watching A Christmas Story (it's on TNT), and right after they buy the tree, "Mom" is wearing what looks like the Grown Up Bonnet from Knit 2 Together. It's a scarf with a bonnet on it! Very cool.

People with many interests live, not only longest, but happiest.

2008-12-02T08:56:00.001-08:00

People with many interests live, not only longest, but happiest.
George Matthew Allen

Yesterday's adventure: cooked a Derby Pie. It is delicious.

Knitting Update: Finished a small bag last week - including embroidered stem and knit flowers, I-cord drawstring. It's beautiful, will add pictures soon as internet is returned to my room. Also knit a beret on the ride home, which I gave to a friend because my hair is anti-hats. Went internet shopping and bought yarn for mother's christmas present (a beautiful lace scarf in royal purple) and sock yarn (for self, I hope). I can't wait for the shipment to arrive!

Weather in Nashville Today: Sunny and 46 degrees. It snowed a lot yesterday but none of it stuck :'(. It's pretty out today, though!

Today I feel: like taking a nap, eating green food, relaxed.

Upcoming Events: exams! Next week will begin Hell Week 2 of this semester. But it will all be over soon.

Recent Disappointment: men. ARGH! But I'm over it.

2008-11-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

I saw Twilight again today. It was better the second time.

I went with my mother, who has not read the books but LOVED the movie. Yay, Mom!!! She couldn't get over how beautiful the stars were. It sort of blew her away.

On a less-happy note, we went to a yarn store here in Cumming, GA, only to discover that said store has closed down. It was a sad moment in the knitting world...

My cousin Blair brought his girlfriend to our thanksgiving festivities. She knits! In fact, Blair gave her a skein of blue/purple Merino and she decided to knit a beanie with it. She is using my needles and a pattern from one of my books. :) I taught her long-tail cast-on and I'm so proud of her!

The reflection for the day:

Why are some boys so confusing? Most guys are transparent. They cannot really hide what they want. But I do not believe that guys and girls can easily be friends. The relationship usually moves into something more or back into something less. I am currently in-limbo with a guy friend. I want more, but I don't know what he wants. It is unhelpful that we have friends very closely involved in everything. Sometimes I wonder if there's any friendship at all, or if it's just the two of them pushing the two of us. Regardless, I wish we could DTR, but I need to take things slow... "Patience, young padawan," I say to myself as people in the grocery line stare at the strange star-wars-quoting-girl, "It will all be revealed in time."

2008-11-26T08:48:00.000-08:00

Currently in Nashville: Chilly, sunny, beautiful.

In Atlanta: I wouldn't know, because I'm not there yet because SOMEBODY is LATE!

That's all the ranting I will be doing on my family's lateness... They're coming to pick me up sometime in the next hour... I hope...

I went yarn shopping yesterday, but when you have only $15 to spend, it's hard to buy real yarn. I picked up a merino blend that is a combination of coffee/toffee/chocolate colors. It's truly GORGEOUS! I knit all during the Predator's game, got half a mitten done, and then tore it all out because it was too big.

Why, do you ask, was I at the Predators game?

Because my friend bought season tickets with her now-ex-boyfriend and she found out yesterday that he was bringing his weird friends and she didn't want to be by herself. So her new boyfriend bought a ticket to the game. Turns out Preds tickets only come in twos, so I got to go! Preds lost. But it was fun nonetheless. The older guy next to me was hitting on me and teasing me about my knitting the WHOLE time. Actually, now that I think about it, I got hit on in the concessions line and in the line coming in. Guess I was looking good last night! hahaha

So, I've re-started the mitten. I just finished casting on an eyelet lace edging in pink and will switch to the chocolate later. I'm hoping this will be Kate's christmas present.

VICTORY is MINE! My Mother has asked me to teach her to knit over Thanksgiving!!! Her first lesson will be today. I'm trying to remember an easy cast-on method, cause all I seem to use these days is cable and long-tail, both of which would overwhelm her. Regardless, by the end of the weekend, she will hopefully be armed with a washcloth or potholder!

2008-11-23T06:49:00.001-08:00

Panic.
That is what insued when I looked in my knitting box and didn't find my little Kit. My Kit is the small, plastic bag with tapestry needles, blocking pins, scissors, etc.
So, I told myself to remain calm and checked my backpack. No luck. The Bond Bag (an llbean tote I got for Christmas with the name "bond" printed on it). The Phi Mu tote. The purses. Drawers. Refridgerator.
Then I called my sister and made the poor woman search my room at home while on the phone with me. I sounded something like this,
"Look in my khaki messenger bag. Check every pocket."
"It's not here."
"Did you check all the pockets?"
"Well, I'm trying but there are a lot of them!"
"CHECK EVERY ONE! Then look under the bed! And on my dresser!"
Poor Melanie.... She never found it.
So, at 8:30 Thursday night, I made an emergency run to Michaels. I bought scissors and tapestry needles. No need to replace blocking pins or stitch markers, yet. I still haven't cracked open the printer and checked inside the air conditioning unit. That will likely happen tomorrow.

Did I mention that I'm sitting in a huge suite in the Opry Land Hotel? I've decided to hang out with rich friends this semester.
In school, you have a "family" at school as well as at home. My family this year consists of my girlfriend Kate - a tall blonde with an addicting laugh and the ability to charm anyone. Her boyfriend Chris - who thinks he's the center of the universe, but it's funny so it's okay. His roommate, Jeff - who wants to be a country music star and shows cattle at fancy rodeos for fun. Both of these boys come from money and very regularly buy food and drive us places (did I mention Jeff drives a very nice BMW?). We spend a lot of time together and I'm truly growing to love these people. I hope that we stay friends for a long time, but you know college... It's always shuffling things around!
Anyway, back to the Opry Land thing. Jeff's parents came into Nashville to join him for a cow show in Louisville on Thursday (they drove from Nashville then back). They decided, Friday night, to rent a suite in the Opry Land Hotel and stay the weekend. This suite is bigger than the boys' apartment. Kate, Chris and I joined them for dinner and to see the Rockettes Saturday night, then the four of us sat in the hotel and chatted until late, then fell asleep on Jeff's couch. Now it's Sunday morning and I'm thoroughly embarrassed to have spent the night in my jeans and pretty t-shirt but I'm doing my best to go with the flow these days. I mean, it's not a bad thing to be in a huge room with a flat-screen tv and my closest friends, is it?
I'm starving, though.
Everyone else is still asleep.
Perhaps I'll go in search of food or room service....

2008-11-19T06:49:00.000-08:00

I finished Robert's scarf! I need to sew in ends and wash it, but then it will be gift-worthy. I got the guys to give me their opinions. They consider it very cool. I am satisfied.

A friend picked up Vogue Knitting for me last night! I LOVE it!!! I think I'm going to order stainless steel yarn just to try it thanks to an article about a shop in New York that sells yarn of unique and weird materials.

I also bought Knitting Little Luxuries. It's a beautiful book with very feminine knits that feature unique additions, such as using buttons as accents and adding flowers and ribbons. This is the kind of knitting that truly appeals to me. Girly, lacy, embroidery.

Now that I've cast off Rob's scarf, I'm going to try and finish up a few projects that have been OTN for a long while... such as the wrap made with the handspun I bought this summer. And the cabled fingerless mittens I cast on two months ago. And that blanket made of my scrap yarn.

All of these things and more must be conquered over Thanksgiving Break, which is, THANK GOD, one week from today!

On the other hand, Twilight comes out tomorrow night.

I. Am. So. Excited. (that's me trying to be contained)

What cracks me up is that two guys I know are reading through the series and loving it! They're both coming with me to the theater tomorrow night. I honestly believe this movie will do the book justice. Their relationship is so intense, it's the only thing I'm not sure you can communicate. However, I remember reading Stephenie's website when she first visited the set and she said a girl was so wrapped up in the acting in front of her, she slid out of her chair. I can't wait to see Bella acted out on-screen. She's such a plain-jane character. She loves fiercely and she lives her life, making decisions and following through. She's easy-going, not picky or extravagant. I don't understand her, because I don't think that way, but I feel like there's so much of her that every girl identifies with. What I'd like to hear is what guys like about the books.

And look at that, I went and wasted a couple paragraphs talking about Twilight again! I'm going to grow out of this, I swear.

36 days until Christmas!

2008-11-11T06:53:00.000-08:00

Weather today: 54 and cloudy/rainy.

Our room is a wreck and desperately needs some deep cleaning. Same for the bathroom. Unfortunately, I have no time.

The Barry Drake convo last night was AMAZING! He did great and the students just ate it up! Zach and I went to dinner with Barry, his wife and an old friend of theirs after. They're such sweet people!

Countdown to Christmas: 44 days!

I've switched to the second skien for Rob's scarf. It's going to be long enough and totally wicked.

I went home this weekend and spent lots of time with my family. The dogs and cats are doing well, the siblings are busy with school (and more focused than I remember them being capable of). Melanie is excited about Belmont.

Formal is in three days. I have a royal blue dress and the most beautiful red nail polish. It's going to be a beautiful night.

Countdown til Twilight: 9 days. 15 hours.

I started listening to Christmas music yesterday. The wreath is on our door, the Christmas towels are out. My list was sent to the family, it's all coming together!

2008-11-07T06:29:00.000-08:00

Friday!!!!!!

Weather: 63 and rainy, fading to cloudy this afternoon.

I knit last night, almost through the first skien on Rob's scarf. It's beautiful! Can't wait to get started on that second half, it's going to be perfect.

I have one class and one exam today. It'll all be over soon.

Countdown to Christmas: 48 days

I leant Twilight to my Little yesterday. I made her a "soundtrack" and everything!

Speaking of which, the real soundtrack for the movie is out and on iTunes! I illegally downloaded Bellla's Lullaby. I couldn't resist. And now I'm in love. It's not exactly what I'd been thinking, it's better. I tend to dislike Bella. She doesn't do things the way I do, and I struggle to grasp the way that she follows her heart and emotions because I tend to do everything logically. This song has a lot more cheer and sweetness in it than my negative paradigm allowed for. It's certainly better than I imagined, so I'm feeling very hopeful about the movie.

Countdown to Twilight: 13 days. 15 hours. 25 minutes.

We are 7 days from Formal and it's shaping up to be the Night of the Semester! There's an after party and we're going to the movies to see Quantum of Solace. It'll be a long night, but we can all sleep when we're dead.

I made my Christmas list. #1: A subscription to Vogue Knitting! :)

It only gets harder?!

2008-11-04T05:58:00.001-08:00

Today's Weather: 76 and Sunny!

Happy Election Day!!!

I can't remember the last time I knit. It's heartbreaking.

But I do remember how many things I have to do today!!! My Gov't professor said yesterday that life does not get easier, it only gets harder, "sorry to bust your bubbles!" I now have no reason to live. ;) Thanks, Dr. May!

So what, in heavens name, have I been doing besides knitting?

Dr. Byrne, why do you torture me so?!?!?! The second Celebration of Knowledge (aka Exam of Death) was yesterday... I don't know how I did.... I have a Map Quiz tomorrow and an exam Friday, a paper due Thursday, a large amount of reading due tomorrow. Now I'm feeling bad about wasting time here when I should be pouring my soul onto my textbooks.

This past weekend was Halloween, I went as a bumble-bee.

This is me with my friend, Andrew. (Nothing more than a friend, don't get all excited or anything). I bought that little dress at the beginning of the year and just added black and antenna and wings. Viola! Costume!

Phi Mu has taken up most of my past couple of weeks. Last week was Boo Bash and this week we have the Phi Tau Social and the Alumni Social, separate nights. Not to mention the 3-hour meeting we had this past Sunday. Elections are over, I did not accept any positions, though I was given some very encouraging words from some sisters I do not know very well.

I've had the odd experience this month of people who I don't know knowing me. Basically, twice I was chatting with a friend...

Friend: "I met someone who knows you yesterday! Do you know [insert name I've never heard here]?"

Me: *blank stare* "No, I'm afraid I don't recognize that name! But I'm really bad with remembering names and faces..." *sheepish*

Friend: "Well, they're in [names some obscure department I've only seen once]"

Me: "Oh, okay, then I probably have met them!" [or not]

Either I have a very memorable face, people talk about me a lot, or someone else has my name. These experiences, coupled with the girls in my sorority I hardly know treating me like we're old friends, has made me feel loved and confused. I think it must be the weather text getting around.

This weekend I get to go home for a friend's bridal shower. I will spend the majority of my time at home working on a music video project due Monday. Next week will be beyond crazy. I have a speaker coming Monday night, pickup another speaker at the airport Tuesday night, put on her show Wednesday morning, then Winter Formal on Friday. Wish me luck!

Busy busy bee.

2008-10-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

We only had two school days last week and I was swamped. Wednesday and Thursday were eventful for my friend Kate, for whom I played wingman while she got to know a particular guy. Now the two of them have a date scheduled and are totally gooey-eyed. It's cute!

Friday night was sorority retreat, we spent the night in tents. My tent-full went to bed early (12:30 or so) and got some good sleep. It was great! I volunteered at Project Cure Saturday afternoon then went to the mall for a few minutes, came back and watched TV and went to bed at 10:30. Sunday I went to a new church down in Franklin (with kate and her new boy). I LOVED it! It was beautiful and a really neat church. Lunch at Cracker Barrel, back in time to change and go to sorority business meeting, then cafe coco to do homework until 11:30 or so. Dorm, papers til 1.... Oh, you get the picture.

Basically, I have two exams tomorrow and tonight is a social with a fraternity and pancake night.

*sigh* College is not normal. This lifestyle is unrealistic.

I have been knitting a little. I started on the scarf for Robert with that yarn I post a pic of in the last post. It is delicious yarn!!! SOOO soft and way warm... It's masculine and reminds me of Fall. Robert will love it.

That's all for now. Hopefully I'll have the time later and something interesting to say!

Fall Break

2008-10-07T16:21:00.001-07:00

First, got my hair cut today, and had it straightened. If ONLY I could have it this way every day! But it takes so long and is such a bother, I just can't do it every day.

Yesterday the Fam and I went to Kentucky Down Under. We fed lots of birds and pet kangeroos and, my personal favorite, got to see all kinds of sheep! They had nine rams, all different breeds, including a gigantic Merino. His wool was oily and gross on the outside, but if you pulled it apart, underneath it was clean and soft.

Naturally, I just had to have some Merino for myself.

And here it is! For Robert's Christmas present (don't tell him.)

I love it. It's got a lot of very masculine colors in it and will make a wonderful cabled scarf. It's also very very soft, and I'm sure we all know mens' tendency to avoid itchy things. Also, Robert has a very particular sense of style and appearance, so he's sensitive about what he'll wear. Therefore, I have to author a scarf that involves cable and is preppy but in no way feminine. I'll stop before I make myself nervous.

Back to school tomorrow. And I haven't done hardly a stitch of homework. *sigh*

Looking Forward to a Break...

2008-10-01T07:52:00.001-07:00

Weather today: 72 and sunny! Long sleeves (I just took off my jacket for the pic).

Countdown to Fall Break.... Two days.

Amount of homework this week: Hellish.

Disappointment of the day: Maura possibly not coming to pancake night. I needed some bestie time. *sigh*

Looking forward to: Pancake Night!

Having survived (barely?) the Celebration of Knowledge (aka, Exam of Death), I picked up a handout on my way out of Dr. Byrne's class Monday morning. On the handout: our assignments for this week. 40 pgs. reading due the next day. 100 pages of reading and a 3-page paper due Thursday. In Microeconomics, Dr. Vilikova reminded us to be working on the assignment due Saturday called Commanding Heights. Sounded easy enough. "Watch three videos, answer 5 questions." Not half so simple. Each video is 2 hours long and the five questions are supposed to be answered with 2-page essays. Needless to say, I haven't slept much. I am, however, knitting while I watch these videos on Microeconomics. I truly love economics. It's so logical!

I finished the garter and the red scarf. Now I've cast on for the fun of it! I have to start Christmas gifts soon, but a few inches into these fingerless mittens and I just don't feel like they'd do for my sister, so I'll keep them for me. I want to give Melanie some mittens with mohair lace on them. Robert will be getting a hardcore hat, hopefully made of unique hand-died. We'll see. Mom? Well, she's incredibly hard to shop for. She always has everything she needs! And she's forever complaining about what clothes make her feel all hot and she's changing clothes a lot. I wanted to get her a tea pot, but she pretty much only drinks iced tea and coffee... Arg! Daddy's pretty easy. He loves to shop, so I get him gift cards. Usually.

Fun thing I did this week: make a legit list of requirements for my future husband! Lots of women have these lists. I had one started, but Sunday my roomie and a friend and I were doing homework at Cafe Coco for nearly 3 hours and we got bored. So I pulled up my Long-Term To Do Lists folder on the comp and found my incomplete list. I won't post it here, but we'll be walking some other girls through this fun and hilarious process tonight at Pancake Night!

So, off I go to get on that 100 pages of reading and writing those dangblasted papers.

Studying? yeah, right.

2008-09-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

What's the greatest enemy of studying?

The internet.

Seriously, I'm about ready to call a no-electronics day! I have to disconnect my ethernet cord and turn off Airport to get much studying done. Class material is slowly becoming more and more electronic. My gov't class is half online articles, half regular printed ones. My Ancient World class is the same way, so is my economics class. Quizzes, tests, study sheets, notes, articles and other reading material, instructions, syllabus... It's all online.

"That must be great!" you say? "Everything is so easy to access!"

Yes.

But guess what else is on the internet....

Facebook, the home of Flair and stalking. Abc.go.com, the home of Dirty Sexy Money, Desparate Housewives, etc. AbcFamily.com, where new episodes of Greek and One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl appear. Knitty.com, Knotions.com, Yarn Harlot, Panopticon, Style.com, websudoku.com, foxnews.com and CNN.com and Comics.com!

It was great idea, the TAB option... I mean, I can have my homework in one tab, then I'll be only a click away from a television show or knitting blog.

I've taken to setting my watch to 15-minute timer. I'll ready/study for 15 minutes, then take at 5 minute break.... or a 10 minute break..... or... well, you get the picture?

This is why I don't want a job that puts me at a computer.

Knitting update! I went to a shop called Knaughty Knitter in Murfreesboro this Friday night. I bought 100% handspun Uruguayan wool in a delicious color: burgundy. I'm going to make a short scarf in feather-and-fan pattern. Hopefully I can buy some big sparkly broach and use it as a pin? I'm in love, needless to say.

I also bought some very pure white kid mohair. It's for a gift I'm giving a friend of mine who is getting married. I'm going to give her a regular gift - a toaster or something - and also a handknit garter. It'll have a very red ribbon through it. I'll post pictures once I'm cast on.

I'm getting up tomorrow to take a walk. I find that without regular exercise, I become a restless, edgy, annoyed person. So, 5:30AM, hello sunrise! (actually, the sun won't rise til 6:35 according to weather.com)

I found a great quote for the weather text tomorrow morning.

What is the weather text, you ask?

Last year, sometime in the fall, there was a very rainy day. It has long been my routine to get online first thing in the morning and look at the day's forecast. So, naturally, I was armed for the rain. After three or four people said something along the lines of "I had no idea it was going to rain all day! I wish I'd brought my umbrella!" I got curious. So, I asked people.

"Don't you check the weather forecast before you leave your room in the morning?"

And was stared at as if I'd just got off the banana boat.

O......k...... Something must be done! And so, the weather text was invented. I got up one morning and texted all my friends, telling them what the weather would be like that day. They loved it. I now text around 85 people every morning, usually including some cute quote or encouragement.

Back to tomorrow's weather text. I was listening to a song by Natasha Beddingfield and it says this:

"A face without freckles is like a sky without the stars. Why waste a second not loving who you are?" It goes on to say... "Those little imperfections make you beautiful, lovable, valueable, they show your personality inside your heart, reflecting who you are."

Sweet, huh?

Well, that American Government exam isn't going to take itself. I've got to get back to studying. *sigh* Maybe I'll find time this week to go sit at Angel Hair for a while. After all, if I'm going to work at a shop, I might as well get involved with one early!

P.S. 95 days til Christmas!

2008-09-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

I've been knitting!!!

The past two weeks have been unbelievable. The 2+ hours of sorority stuff every night and 100+ pages of reading to do a day were pretty much overwhelming, but I'm still alive and got to take a nap today!!! (without skipping class to do it, haha)

There's still lot going on and it makes me reflect on how much is too much. So many of these college kids seem to have been raised to move from one activity to another. They're in 4 clubs and taking 19 hours and volunteering and working... Every time I try to do that, I fall apart. As soon as I stop getting 7-8 hours of sleep at night, I become a depressed version of my normal self. I'd rather be a very happy - if disappointingly inactive - version of myself than a stressed out, eye-twitching version of myself, you know?

I honestly don't understand what is to be gained by living such a crazy busy life, anyway. Besides a better job someday?

I got a new keyboard! Well, actually, I traded my old one with a friend to get this one. Here's a picture! :) It's still in the box there, but that's really how thin it is!!! And it's not even as wide as the box, if you can imagine. A tiny little keyboard. I LOVE IT!!!!!

Okay, so back to my knitting!!! I finally got time to go check out Angel Hair Yarn Co. here in Greenhills, TN. I was actually pretty disappointed. I believe they were picked over from the weekend, but there wasn't much of a yarn selection (not compared to Crafty Hands back home). As a result, it took me a while to find what I wanted, but I eventually picked up some stuff... I don't remember what and I'm too lazy to go find it. I cast on for some fingerless mitts and I'll post pictures eventually.

I was going to upload a video for ya, but it's not working. So you'll have to go without! Too bad...

Back to reading my 100 pages for the night.

Deep Thoughts

2008-09-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in my dorm room, watching Ace of Cakes and ignoring the mile-long To Do list in my planner...

Knitting? Yeah, haven't been doing that much lately. Between twice-a-week Program Board Meetings and 3 hours minimum in the PB office, two-hour-a-day sorority recruitment practice and Dr. Byrne's 30+ pages per night of reading, I'm barely treading water. I was called yesterday and asked if I would make 200 cupcake-cheesecakes for next Friday. I said yes (bangs head against wall). I'm such an idiot.

I've done a lot of deep thinking lately. I don't like deep thinking, but it's time to do some.

Two of my close buddies here are seriously considering transferring. Both are figuring out what they'll do in the future. I've been thinking about that, too. After I graduate, do I want to get a job with a big business? Become a manager or founder of a small business? Start my own wedding planning or knitting shop? If I did decide to do one of those things, I need to get involved with those businesses and learn about them. I do have a better idea of what I like to do: I like to work with people, to interact with customers and be in an active space. In other words, it's time to start planning, preparing and saving.

I still feel insecure here. I love being with my family and I don't like living somewhere where I don't feel like I have anyone who 'takes care of me.' I don't mean that I need someone cooking my meals and doing my laundry, I mean purely in a social and emotional sense. I am myself when I feel safe, and I feel safe when I'm with people I've known for a looong time. This is why I love spending time with Maura or Deborah or other high school friends. Why I love being at home with my Mom. These people know me and love me and I trust them. Sure, I have friends here, but none that are close like that. Not yet, anyway.

I don't mean that I can't make new friends. I can and do enjoy making new friends. But I feel like I need the support and reassurance of my family and old friends on a more regular basis than I'm receiving now. If I spend a couple hours with my family or an old friend every day, I make new friends faster. Does that make sense?

A friend today told me that I should try and find my security within myself, to learn to create my own security where I am and not rely on my family so much.

I believe this reliance on my family developed in middle school, when I changed schools after 5th grade and then after 6th grade and again after 7th grade. We also changed churches within those years. I was in a different environment every year and wasn't allowed to create and keep friendships for an extended period of time. The only people who remained constant in that turmoil were my family members.

Now I need to decide if my friends' idea that now is the time to "break away and create your own path" is the correct one, or simply a result of public schools encouraging separation from family as part of life. There are no great emotional or social or other disfunctions in my family. We're very healthy people - both mind and body.

What to do? *sigh*

About those knitting projects...

2008-08-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling much better about things today. Due to troubles with my car, I won't be moving in until Thursday - which means Mom will be helping me! I've also talked to several friends on the phone and they all have plans to get together and catch up, which sounds nice. And I miss Cafe Coco...

I forgot to update on the project I mentioned a while ago. That birthday gift for my friend? It turned out wonderfully! The bright colors are exactly what she loves and I went ahead and gave it to her because she had a present for me from her latest Europe trip. Sweetheart. :D

I have since then finished knitting a sweater. I still have to sew everything together (I did get one arm on there! haha) And I'll have to knit the frontbands and sew on the buttons.

Here's what the sweater will look like, only it's a "marsh green" ultra alpaca.

We went to Enchanted last Friday and I think I'm in love! The shop is beautiful! I bought some handspun wool/merino blend made right here in Kentucky. It's a very natural off-white color (I'm pretty sure it wasn't died.) I'm making this wrap with it:

2008-08-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'm almost completely packed for school. Only a few little things to go.

This will also be the third night in a row that I've cried over the going-back-to-school thing. I've been thinking a lot about it and not going is absolutely not an option. Why, then, am I so upset?

I like having a family. I love being in a home where I know that down the hall is someone(s) who loves me very, very much. Someone who doesn't mind me being makeup-less or goofy. Someone who supports my dreams, like my Mom, or who loves to just sit with me and read, like Melanie. Someone who loves to share things with me, like Dad. People I belong to.

At school, I don't have that family. It's just me, making friends with people who probably won't be a part of my life in six months, let alone six years. I like having a team that I see every day. I like supporting my teammates and I love being loved by them. When you're in those beginning stages of a relationship - and nearly all relationships in college are in beginning stages - you don't share love and support. It's all about the fun, getting used to each other. You can't rely on those beginning stage relationships for anything more than a fun night out or a little help with homework. Those people don't see you and say "You look tired, have you been sleeping okay?" They don't laugh at you and tell stories about "that one time...."

I was also very shocked at the lack of enthusiasm about anything I wanted to do this past year. I admit that I do have the dreams of a middle-aged woman. If given the choice of traveling the world with a band and moving into a home in the suburbs, I'd pick the home any day. I'd rather wake up and make coffee and run errands to the grocery and cleaners than go to work at a huge office. I like to go to bed early, I'm a morning person, I eat healthy food and don't drink, I knit, I read... Basically I'm all of everything "not cool" in the dictionary, not to mention my parents are happily married and still madly in love. Most kids I've met think that's the most un-natural thing ever. To them, it's not reality and I've been reassured that the chances of me meeting someone and staying married for more than 2 years are 1:1,000,000,000. That breaks my heart. I don't believe them, but I feel sorry that someone could have so little faith.

I think it's interesting how truly important my dreams are to me. I never realized before how very serious I was about my plans for the future -whether they be what kind of house I'd like to have or what I want for Christmas - until this past year at school. Before, in high school, I was in an environment where everyone is unique and is supported. No one ever said anything against my talking about what I'd like the sunroom to look like or how many roses I want in my wedding or what kind of minivan I will drive. These things were admired by my peers because they were almost exclusively from two-parent homes where mom stays at home and raises the kids while dad provides. At Belmont, however, I was suddenly surrounded by people who believed my life was something you only see on television. They were also people who had been raised in schools where teasing and criticism were the norm. I was devastated.

The solution is simple, right? Don't take them seriously or don't let something like a silly idea such as what kind of coffee pot you'll have someday be so important to you. The latter I've found increasingly hard to do. My dreams fuel me. I need those little ideas to keep me energized about today. It's not negative - I KNOW that most of those things will never happen - but the idea of them gives me the boost to do things today that might help me reach those goals. Now I must simply teach myself not to take them seriously. Or make new friends.

I'm leaning toward the latter of those two.

But that puts me back at the beginning, in relationships that I can't rely on.

School = trying to run through water. Hard, painful, and pointless. How will I ever learn to swim?

Don't Expect Much

2008-07-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

I'm really not very consistent with things like blogs. That is, I don't consistently write in them. I do, however, read them consistently. I have a morning routine.... And an evening routine, both of which involve reading of some sort.

Since I do love to read so much, I began work on a novel last fall. It's now almost fall again and I have a total of 25 pages on this computer. Mostly I've spent a year throwing ideas around and I'll undoubtedly re-do everything I've got before eventually giving up, but competition was always a good motivator for me and I'm determined to finish before my little sister finishes hers. So, I've written a little each day for two days now. Yay!

Knitting update: still working on my best friend's birthday present. Her birthday is in November, but I like to get these things done early... And I found a pattern that I simply HAD to do ASAP. You know how that obsession goes. Here it is: Ruffle Scarf

The colors I chose look like clown barf, but they work well together and are the kind of colors that look great on my friend's darker features. I'll post a picture soon.

Reading: Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice. This latest Star Wars series is boring. The wars going on in the galaxy far, far away are way too complicated to provide much in the way of action. There's a lot of politics and some turns that I don't like much. Luke Skywalker is a pacifist, Mara Jade is a fussy mother, Ben Skywalker is a tormented soul, Jacen Solo a calculating emo, Han and Leia are MIA. And there's a whole string with Boba Fett and his homeworld that seems to have come out of nowhere. Basically, these books are meant to be light and full of battle and spur-of-the-moment romance and rescues. Now they're more about what the leaders of such-and-so planet are doing to cause planet B to arm for battle while Planet C recovers from devestation and Person A changes laws to become ruler of the galaxy and Person D tries to solve everything without bloodshed. Not exactly what I expected from my old favorites, you know? But there's always another book... namely...

BREAKING DAWN!!!!!!!!!

Please read the Twilight series. There are three books and all of them are completely addicting - for girls, at least. I've been reflecting on the draw of these novels and have concluded:

1. girls love them because they identify with Bella. Bella (main character) is an ordinary girl, blind to her own attractiveness to the male sex, clumsy, and does ordinary things like homework and laundry.

2. Edward (main boy) has ethics. Despite Bella's attempts to make him have sex with her before they get married, his gentlemanly insistance on doing things the old-fashioned way is extremely attractive to girls. There's something about those old rules that make us feel safe. If Edward and Bella HAD done the sex thing early in their relationship, the books would not have the same draw. As it is, in literature and in real life, saving sex adds intensity to the relationship.

3. It's forbidden love (Romeo and Juliet) and the Peter Pan choice (family vs. love/eternity). Both very drawing themes because of danger and pain. Danger in that Bella's life is threatened by Edward's very presence. Pain for every normal human she's ever known, all of whom she must forsake when she marries Edward.

4. It's King Arthur all over again. These triangles happen all the time in real life and have been a staple in literature for generations. Bella (Guenevere) is in love with two men, Edward (Lancelot) and Jacob (Arthur). Though the fourth book won't come out til August 2nd *fan-girl scream*, I believe she will choose Lancelot. You simply cannot force that kind of attraction.

Anywho, I cannot breath for excitement about this book. I'm not as obsessed as my little sis, but I do enjoy a good resolution, don't you?

Now I'm gonna go work on that birthday gift. I MUST FINISH! haha