nBbloggin

im baaaack...

2010-08-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

hello blog land! i know it has been 8 million years...but what can i say, life is busy and the blogs just werent flowing! i didnt want to put out bad material just to be "out there". so i took a little breakski. but today i wrote an email to my boyfriend that has somehow spread like wildfire...so i thought i should probably share it with all of you...or i should say those of you who havent given up on me bc of my blogging hiatus! anyway, heres the email! happy reading!

email title: the rat

i have nooooooot good news for you: THERE WAS A RAT. in the HOUSE...just kidding..it was in the little pathway outside the back door!!!!!!!!!! it was right by the drain and when i came home i saw it and was horrified. but then i thought it was dead..although thats a lie bc i saw it breathing. so really i thought it was dying...but then leia called me in that moment so i had to get my phone but my hands were full and so i JUMPED over the RAT! and then.......it came aliveeeeee! it stood up and looked at me! IT WAS SICK!! so then i screamed and ran inside and then got leia...who was at the front door...and then she came and looked at it. then i called my mom and dad...obviously. then we decided we had to try to make it leave so we threw water at it. but it was too almost dead. so it just scattered a little and then looked at us. omg justin it was sick. what do we do?? we tracked it for a while..it moved away from the drain, then over by the window (like right next to the house, to the right of the door), which i thought was better bc then at least i wouldnt be afraid to run past it..i dont want to jump over it again! it might come alive again and this time it might be more lively and less friendly and it might bite me and give me a disease. not ok. sooooooo anyway. we saw it this AM and it was still in the same spot and still moving a little but lots of flies were on it and its face looked kinda sick. so anyway then sheila went out to see it (bc we now feel bad for it, yet still are grossed out and want it to leave..but still feel bad and kinda want it to be our friend) anyway, she said it was GONE. i was like WHAT THE?? but then i just saw it in a little patch of grass on the sidewalk...i think its dead now. if i want to get to my car, i have to walk next to it. or actually run. and probably scream! AHH!! what should we do??? its gonna start decomposing and everyone said its really gonna smell...........how do we get it out of here?? what would you do?? eulp.

oh...also there was a cockroach in the kitchen. sheila killed it. then picked it up. i was screaming and breathing into a bag. hahah!

**haha hope you liked it!! a quick update is that the rat died and justins roommate disposed of it...he wont tell me how or where, just that its gone. and really, i guess thats all i need to know :) ill try not to be a stranger!

xoxo

the big lebowski

2010-05-18T08:46:00.001-07:00

when asked recently if i had ever seen the big lebowski i responded, "nah, i dont really like baseball movies". when i received a blank stare and saw that the person was clearly waiting for some sort of punch line..i knew i had made a mistake. whoops! well, i am proud to say that i have finally cleared it up..i am now aware that the big lebowski is actually about bowling, not baseball...which thank god, because im just really not into baseball movies :) anyway, i saw it last night for the first time and really liked it!! i was a little worried going into it because i had heard from a few people that it def would not be my thing...but i must say, i was pleasantly surprised! it was really funny!! SO if you are like me and were somehow sleeping through the big lebowski phenom...i would suggest seeing it!

enjoy the rainy day...and if its not raining where you are, dont tell me because it will just make me angry.
xoxo

playing mom

2010-05-14T08:02:00.001-07:00

ive spent a lot of time playing mom in my young life so far. from babysitting to nannying to taking kids for a week or more at a time and being a full-time "mommy"...i really think ive seen it all! ive potty-trained, transitioned to spoon-feeding, taken kids off the pacifier, transitioned from the crib, first words, breast-fed...wait...too far. ANYWAY, for the past week and a half, ive been doing the mommy thing. ive been doing overnights with a family that i work for on the weekends because one of the parents is out of town. basically, my job is to do the whole bedtime routine at night and then the morning routine and off to school in the morning. i have to admit even though its a lot of work, i really do like it and i get a lot of warm fuzzies along the way. because if you think about it, those are the best times with kids...when they are all post-bath clean and sleepy and you get good night snuggles and kisses. and then when they are all post-dream groggy and you get their first morning hugs and smiles. its before the whining and the crying and the nose-running begins! haha seriously though, its when they are the cutest :) BUT ive learned over time...and this week did not disappoint...even in those sweet times...its not all adorable! women seriously lose ALL sense of privacy when they have kids. ive been walked in on in the bathroom more times than i can count. ive had my food and drinks taken over by wandering hands. my clothes spilled on. phone conversations interrupted. kids are crazy man! over the past two days..ive really felt the mommy! yesterday i was woken out of sleep to a little one crawling into my bed with me.....i sleep in a twin bed at their house...so lets just say, things are tight. it was pretty cute at first though, i must say...so i didnt protest. i just scootched over...or was actually shoved over by lots of elbows and feet. seriously in our hour or so sleeping together that morning, i got an elbow to the ear, a hand in my eye, feet and knees to my legs, and i was literally smashed up against the wall. so. cute. haha! seriously though--how and why do people sleep with their kids?? its awful! then this morning i woke up and hopped in the shower. my bedroom door was closed as was my bathroom door (which is inside the bedroom). so you think with a two door buffer id be safe from intruders...but no. as i turned off the shower and flung back the curtain i noticed that the bathroom door was open and there was a little blonde with two big blue eyes staring directly at me from my bed. AH! NO PRIVACY! not even with two closed doors was i safe from the little babies. i flung the shower curtain closed and grabbed my towel, quickly dried off and hopped out of the shower. i was greeted with a sleepy smile and a "did i surprise you??" she clearly thought nothing of it! haha, gotta love kids!

oh well..the i love yous, the snuggles, and the smiles make it all worth it!!

happy weekend!!
xoxo

men are from mars, women are from venus

2010-05-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

a truer statement was never said than men are from mars and women are from venus. there is just a distinct difference between men and women that is so great that it really cannot be denied. there is fundamental disconnect between the two sexes and its really a wonder i am irritated each and every time it comes up (no matter how hard i try). an example of this happened to me tonight. i had a nice little night planned out. my boyfriend and i were cooking dinner together (which means i cooked and he watched)! we made a vegan pasta that was AMAZING...second time making it..i must post the recipe bc it was seriously so good (and super easy). anyway...as we were finishing up the meal and chatting...i scraped some remaining avocado (the star ingredient) and a tiny noodle onto my knife and then onto my fork and into my mouth. thats when it happened. the fundamental disconnect. as i put the fork in my mouth he goes..."did you get it all?" now, i knew he was kidding and i tried to ignore it and not be bothered. i tried to move on and casually keep talking. but then he goes, "are you sure you got it all? do you want some more??" as steam streamed steadily from my ears (if any women out there do not understand why i was not happy with these comments...we need to talk.)...i again tried to ignore his comment and take the literal meaning...after all, i know he doesnt mean it, i know he isnt intentionally calling me fat...so i go, "nope, im good." and i keep going with the previous conversation. but he again...determined to make me understand his joke, that he for some reason thinks im missing, not choosing to ignore...goes, "you know, because you were scraping every tiny bit onto your fork..." im like..."YEP. got it. thanks! i mean...what is that kind of comment supposed to do?? other than to make me feel bad!? or to make me feel fat!?" then i got up and took my plate to the kitchen. i left him sitting at the table totally confused and totally bewildered...wondering why in the world i was upset. hahah! TOTAL DISCONNECT. he immediately lept to his feet uttering apologies...clearly totally surprised that my feelings were somehow hurt by what he said. i tried to explain to him why that comment hurt my feelings...even though i dont think im fat and i dont think he was really calling me fat or a pig or that he cares how much im eating...BUT regardless of any of that...it still hurt my feelings and made me feel sad. he had two things to say: 1. im so so sorry, i didnt mean it and 2. i dont understand women. hahah with the sincere look of regret in his eyes, i had to laugh and just have to say again: men are from mars and women are from venus. done and done. i dont think we will ever fully understand each other...

good night!
xoxo

starbucks

2010-05-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

ive said it once and ill say it again..i have a starbucks problem. i dont deny it. am i ashamed of it?? of course. do i wish it were different? not really. haha! anyway, today i hit a new low...i emailed starbucks to inform them that the free drink i am owed has not yet arrived in the mail. wow. but seriously...i want my free drink. i earned it. how, you might ask...wellll let me tell you! i have a starbucks GOLD card..very elite, i know youre jealous...anyway, every 15 stars (you get a star for each drink purchased) you get a free drink. clearly that takes no time at all, especially after my starbucks birthday madness...so i looked online the other day and saw that i was close to a free drink. BUT thats the second time ive seen that...so i was like, what the heck..wheres my free drink. i always find it embarrassing to ask for free things or to complain when you have not received a free thing...so i have been putting it off. but yesterday when i stopped to get a mid-afternoon latte..i thought: no more! im asking! so i asked the lady and she said that i will receive a free drink coupon in the mail. wellllllll i have received no such coupon. so after some investigative work on my starbucks account page i saw that i got a free drink coupon issued to me on april 11th and to allow 2-3 weeks for it to arrive...well today is may 11th and i have NO CARD! what the?? so what did i do?? emailed starbucks, of course...god, i was actually slightly embarrassed (in front of only myself) writing the email demanding to know where my free drink was! haha what the heck is my problem?? whatever...i want the free drink im owed for being the most loyal starbucks customer ever! haha! ill keep ya posted on what happens.......OR ill come to my senses and take a step and calm it down with my starbucks obsession...

PS as i was looking for a picture to accompany this post, i came upon this article, which shows me that there are people out there who are crazier than i am...if you do read the article, while i understand where they are coming from, i dont necessarily agree bc i get free soy now, which is about what i saved when using the old card...so im still ok with the change haha just in case you wanted to know :)
xoxo

i have a problem

2010-04-29T20:06:00.001-07:00

i dont know if its because i move around a lot or because i am getting premature alzheimers, but i seem to be having a litttttle problem remembering my zip code. yes im serious and no im not five years old. seriously though, if it happened just once or maybe twice at the most, i probably wouldnt think anything of it. but this has happened one too many times recently! i know it seems weird to even think about your zip code...but there are certain stressful situations where it comes up and i will inevitably give the totally wrong zip code each and every time. its a serious issue and im starting to worry just the slightest bit :) btw this does not include writing a letter or writing my address on some form or something...that, thank goodness, i can still do. its other more speedy, more urgent situations with which i have difficulty. for example, when you are at a store (ie nordstrom --happened just last week) and you are checking out and they suddenly ask you for your zip...putting you on the spot..the whole line waiting behind you...you start to sweat and panic...start mumbling some random numbers that you seriously believe to be your zip only to realize you are giving a totally incorrect number but unable to correct yourself because what kind of a weirdo doesnt know their zip code and all the while wondering if there is any way they could find out that you are mumbling a false code and call you out on it right then and there. WHEW. im getting stressed just thinking about it. there have literally been several times over the past year that i have given completely wrong zip codes and have had secret feelings of panic each time ive been asked at a register. the other place where i often get my zip code incorrect is at the gas station. i know this sounds strange, but where i live there are certain areas that ask for your zip code when you put in your credit card to make sure you didnt steal the card or something..your zip has to match what the bank has on record for you or you are unable to use your card. with that kind of pressure, i almost always put in the wrong zip. the frustration and embarrassment (in front of only yourself--thats the worst kind) that follows is pretty intense. i have actually had to leave a gas station and go to one nearby that doesnt ask for it...how awkward. i have also had to go inside to talk to the register person explaining my situation with my head held in shame. anyway, to be honest, i am a bit concerned about my zip code recall problem. it is true that i move around a lot...buuuuut i have lived at my current location for almost a year...and i did the gas station one today and had to use my moms credit card instead bc my card was then denied with the wrong zip entered...so it was embarrassing on many levels--not only was my card denied, but then i had to tell my mom of my little issue. yikes.

any thoughts?? am i losing my mind? do i just have a horrible memory for numbers?? is it just one of my many weird problems? ahh...the next time you are asked for your zip code, think of me and wish me luck on my next stressful zip code situation.....

xoxo

B&Bs

2010-04-28T06:57:00.001-07:00

over the weekend i went on a little mini vacay to virginia. along the way we stayed at 2 bed and breakfasts! they are SO nice SO cute and SOO fun! why would anyone stay in a big impersonal hotel over a lovely b&b?? they are priced similarly in many cases and they have so much more character! we stayed in two that were very different, but both equally cute. the first was in Charlottesville and was more of a modern-style b&b! when we walked in, the lady gave us our keys, offered us a bev, and showed us around...there was a really cute screened-in porch stocked with little snacks, water, and tea, they had a happy hour each day with wine and cheese, and (this is why i say modern) a giant flat-screened tv and dvd player in each room! hah! so funny..but really nice to snuggle up with a movie and some wine in an adorable room after a long day of sightseeing! the next one we stayed at was a more traditional b&b! it was located in Harpers Ferry and was much smaller and much more quaint. there were no tvs here! when you walked in it smelled like baking and sure enough in the cozy living room there were fresh baked cookies, tea, drinks, and chocolate! so cute! it was also stocked with tons of board games! so here, we cuddled up with a game of scrabble and wine (obvi) and stayed up late fighting over which words were legit and which were made-up (willy is a word..right?? like willy-nilly...right??). anyway...the best part of both places: the breakfast! how much fun is it to wake up to the smells and sounds of cooking in the morning??! and then to walk downstairs to a beautifully set table and get served fresh home-made treats! it was so nice! im telling you...b&bs are the way to go!! they really made our trip!!

ah well...back to reality!

xoxo

Roly Bags

2010-04-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

what the heck is it with all the roly bags?? kids cant carry their backpacks anymore?? people cant carry a briefcase?? we are seriously getting more and more lazy! i mean, i get a rolling suitcase that weighs 50+ pounds...clearly we dont want to be lugging those all around...but a backpack?? hello...its called a backpack for a reason! whats next?? purses that roll? wallets?? i dont like the way this is going. you better believe my kids will be carrying their backpack and i will be carrying my purse and/or briefcase in hand until im old and grey!

yep, thats it :) have a good one!

xoxo

dry mouth

2010-04-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

hello all! sorry ive been MIA.......oh yah and a quick update: I DID NOT EAT THE JAMON!!! those spaniards tried to make me eat it a few times...and to be honest, it was a little tempting...but i resisted the urge and stayed away from that big old leg of meat! hah! ALSO in other news...when i came home from spain, i became a VEGAN! its been two weeks and i feel great..ill keep ya posted on how that goes!

OK now for the real post...dry mouth. this morning i went to a weekly presentation that we have at our work...once a week someone from the department gets up and does a little lesson on whatever it is thats going on in their specialty...either an update on some topic, some research, or a case that they are working on...anyway...sometimes they are really interesting talks and sometimes i nearly fall asleep! today was a pretty interesting one and the guy was a really good speaker. the audience was actively listening and people seemed to really be enjoying it. i was too, that is until i noticed the speakers severe case of: DRY MOUTH. like, he really really needed a drink of water...bad. i mean, i know we've all been there. you are getting up to give some presentation or to have a serious talk with someone and you find yourself getting a little nervous...palms start sweating...hearts racing...mouth starts to get a little dry. but before you know it, youre starting and theres nothing you can do about it. try as you might to lick your lips...swallow...clear your throat...everyone can hear it in the microphone as you try in vein to wet your mouth and your mouth just keeps making that weird noise that it makes when its really dry. you just keep talking, pretending like everythings fine, that you are not cursing yourself out for forgetting your water bottle. and the more you try to lick your lips or swallow or pry your lips from the top of your teeth where they are now stuck just to wrap your lips around your bone dry teeth...the more dry your mouth seems to get. you know what i mean, right?? this guys dry mouth was seriously making me uncomfortable and making me want some water! i really wanted to help him out with a drink or toss him up a mint! haha! but sadly i just had to sit and watch him suffer. the good news was that once people started participating a little more..i think his nerves calmed a little and he was able, once again, to make saliva....things looked up from there. moral of the story...in stressful situations, dont forget your water bottle.

happy spring!
xoxo

SPAIN here i comeeeee!

2010-03-12T05:31:00.000-08:00

today i am off for SPAIN for a little vacay!! clearly if you read this blog or if you know me, you know that i am completely obsessed with spain and lived there two years ago (omg sad) for a year teaching english! so needless to say.....IM SO EXCITED!! HOWEVER, there is a little bit of betting going on regarding my trip that i want to share with you all. the big issue: JAMON! jamon is spanish ham and it comes on a big pigs leg that is either hanging in bars, on ppls kitchen counters, or in my suitcase..wait..anyway i was a littttttttle obsessed with it when i lived there and may or may not have craved it A LOT when i get back. if you dont know what jamon is or have forgotten how delicious and appetizing it looks...click HERE for a little refresher. :) yum...right?? haha i know, it looks sick...but trust me, so good. ANYWAY...i have been a vegetarian (still eat fish for those of you who are picky about titles) for about a year now so clearly there has been no jamon or any other meat for me for a while now. but i also havent been back to spain since the end of my meat eating days.......sooooooo some of my friends and my whole entire family think i will crack as soon as i smell the sweet aroma of the delectable ham or see the large inviting pigs leg or just due to the fact that its in almost everything there and i wont be able to resist and i will give up on my vegetarian ways and take a leg to the face. eulp. BUT they are obvi wrong...that is def not gonna happen....is it....im so over it....arent i....AHH! this will be a true test of wills ppl. WISH ME LUCK! i will let you know how i fare :)

see ya after spain!!

xoxo

how low can you go?

2010-03-10T12:15:00.001-08:00

have you all heard the new ludacris song how low can you go? ive gotta say, ive never been a big ludacris fan...but i do like this song. i just have one question--why must we go so low? why must we go lower than we know and lower than our mom has ever seen befo? hahah i just dont get it! i even called my mom to ask her opinion....i dont think she was amused. then i called my friend and asked her all about going low and why she thinks we have to go so low. i finally asked her to ask her boyfriend for me and let me know what he says. she was actually less amused than my mom. so, i decided to take it to the blog. what is the appeal of going so low?? i mean..its uncomfortable for all parties...girls trying to get so low and keep their jeans up or their skirts down and i mean, once youre down there..how do you get back up?? its not hot to like fall over or to grunt as you try to get up from going so low...right?! even ludacris says "baby pull your pants up", so see..he even knows! and really its not great for the guy either because they normally cant go as low as the girl...so they are awkwardly dancing with the air as the girl is on the floor going lower than she knows. its too low. thats all there is to it.

any thoughts??

xoxo

ps love this song though...if you dont know it, def check it out! and the video..totally ridic! haha crazy ludacris.

love hate relationship

2010-03-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

nature is a funny thing. i am def NOT a nature girl--anyone who knows me, knows that. but i must say, sometimes i do get a kick out it! i was just sitting on my bed getting ready to leave the house and i noticed two squirrels chasing each other in the yard. haha i know this happens all the time, but i dont really nature watch too often. anyway, for some reason, i watched them for a little and it really made me smile. it was so cute! i have also been known to like ants. yes, its weird, but ever since this psychology of natural science class i took in college, i have weirdly liked ants and bees. they are both really smart and really funny to watch....yep..im a freak.....haha! seriously though--ants are REALLY hard workers and super smart! they are team players too...so cute! haha im not kidding, stop and watch a group of them sometime!! and bees, well, i know a lot of ppl are scared of them...but they are also really hard working and super smart too! really interesting to watch them work!

such a freak. what can i say..i dont really want to go camping or go walking in the woods...or long-ish grass for that matter...but show me some ants hard at work and im a happy camper! hha!

have a good day and enjoy some nature for me!

xox

NYC--part 1

2010-03-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

i went to nyc this past weekend for my birthday and to visit my sister and one of my best friends! we had SUUCH a fun time! the more i go to new york, the more i like it......maybe ill end up there one day?? who knows!? nyc is a pretty funny place though but i guess, like most places, you take the good with the bad. for example--the good: all the food! anything you want, you can get and at any time of day or night. i love that. its also very walkable and there is a ton of stuff to do and see-never boring! overall, really fun city. buuuut it does have its downsides as well. for example--taking the bus into chinatown--rookie mistake. now, i have gone to nyc by bus many times over the past few years, but normally my sister books my ticket for me--what?? im helpless! well this particular trip she was really busy and couldnt do it, so i decided to tackle the seemingly easy task on my own. i decided after looking at all the normal, sensible bus options to book the sketchball chinatown bus. not only does it drop you in the middle of nyc chinatown, where i am eternally lost and scared but the bus was dirtier than any other bus i have taken, there were more people fighting, more people drinking, and it stopped in philly for a little 30-45 min rest....what the?? oh, also...the seat next to mine didnt have a head rest, which i guess i can actually consider a good thing bc then no one wanted to sit by me...wait, that was the reason, right?? anywayyy...sorry about that little tangent. thats not really the city's fault, thats just the bus. the rats, on the other hand--thats all city. and the man i saw pooping onto the sidewalk near penn station--that too, i will give to the city. i wish i were kidding, but sadly i am not. but to be fair.....ive also seen a man pooping into a plant in dc, so ya know, it could just be a thing ppl do that i was just unaware of! ew. anyway, besides the rats and the weird smells, oh and dont forget about the pooping on the sidewalk, i really like the city and had a really fun trip!! more on that later....

the accidental "i love you"

2010-03-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

yeeeep...my life is still awkward and sitcom-esque! i had a little situation tonight with the guy that ive been dating for the past couple months. never, ever triple-task while signing off on the phone with the guy you are newly dating! lesson learned. heres the tale: i was talking online to my BFF and writing an email to another friend while reading her email to me in spanish aaaaand saying goodbye on the phone to the guy. soooooo as i was doing all of these things..i dipped into my arsenal of send-offs and pulled out the first one that came to mind without really thinking....i go, "bye, love u".......................AHHHHHHHHHHH! WHA??? the situation got a litttttle awkward in that moment! the most awkward part is perhaps how much i took it back/made sure he knew that i was not saying what it seemed i was saying....whooooops! anyway...i quickly tried to explain that i was triple-tasking and that its just something i say when signing off with friends--all the while saying whoaaaaa whoa whoa...way too much! i am sure i sounded like a total bumbling freak, back-pedaling and stuttering like a weirdo...yowza! tough moment. he, on the other hand, was LOVING my panic and actually laughing at me!

lesson learned...phone calls with the boy will now get my full attention!

xoxo wish me luck on our next meeting....

starbucks

2010-03-02T08:51:00.001-08:00

you know you have a problem when you get over $100 in starbucks gift cards for your birthday....hahah awkward! so fun though, right?! 100 bucks in starbucks money......that should last me at least 2 weeks! HAH! what?? i have a problem...

thanks everyone who gave them to me :)

xoxox

dreams

2010-02-24T04:37:00.000-08:00

so i was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking about dreams. specifically, they were talking about when ppl dream of their girlfriend or boyfriend cheating on them or doing something bad and then they wake up mad at them and have a tough time shaking it. at first i thought that was so silly because..hello..its just a dream! but then i thought about it and realized that sometimes my dreams are so life-like that i seriously have to think whether or not they really happened! (same thing happens to me with movies...sometimes i forget if what i am remembering happened to me or if i saw it in a movie...then when im halfway into a story of "my life" i start to wonder if maybe it was actually a movie im talking about...but once you start, you cant stop..you just hope someone doesnt say..wait...i think that was the movie pretty woman....haha what??) anywayyyy..back to the dreams...this actually happened to me yesterday when i had a dream about an old friend and i reuniting. it was a beautiful dream...we havent seen each other in a long time...i saw him, we met, i cried...beautiful...but then...he looked at me...really looked at me...and goes...aw, youve gotten thick. he said it in the sweetest, most sincere voice and i looked at him sort of confused and hes like..what...its not bad! im like..OMG! you cant say that to someone.......and then.....my alarm went off. and i woke up and realized i was like seriously offended. i was like, geez, hes gotten rude. i also wanted to get to the gym! haha! the power of dreams....

shakira is so so cool

2010-02-22T13:12:00.000-08:00

i would like to edit the title of this post to shakira is so so cool...in spanish. i am noooot a fan of shakira in english! i think her songs are usually really annoying and i just never really liked her. but when i was introduced to her music in spanish, i realized--shes actually really good! my best friend is in argentina and tries to keep me in the know for latino music and she just sent me the shakira song "Lo Hecho Esta Hecho". she told me 2 things: 1. this song is amazing and 2. i want to be shakira....i couldnt have said it better myself! click the music note to see the video! i thiiink i could probably do most of those moves...im gonna get to practicing.....:)

BEAN CURD

2010-02-22T07:08:00.000-08:00

have you ever heard a more unappealing name for food than: BEAN CURD?? i mean...that just sounds nasty! i have been a tofu fans for a few years now and whenever i saw "bean curd" on the menu, i was like..umm..i dont thiiink so! then once when i was like, ew sick, bean curd...someone told me that it was just tofu and i was like what the?? why the heck dont they just call it the much more normal, recognizable, and appealing name: tofu?? so strange! i mean, i have a hard enough time convincing people to try tofu as it is...but when you couple it with the name bean curd, its just darn near impossible! haha, i know i sound crazy..but its actually weird the amount of things that go into whether or not we like a food or even try a food! theres the name, appearance, texture, etc. another name example for me is wiener schnitzel.....that name just sounds like a joke! when my sister and i were in austria i thought that wiener schnitzel was a hot dog and when my sister ordered one for like 10 euros, i was like..what the heck!? its a fricken hot dog.....theeeeeen my sister and several austrians laughed like crazy at me! haha whoops! either way, the schnitz=unappealing. lentils are another one...they are so fricken good and super healthy...but they may or may not look like a big grey blob in a bowl....so generally when i eat them at work, i get some interesting looks :) whatevs!

anyway, i guess the moral of the story is...dont judge a food before you try it?? well, clearly thats not gonna happen...so i guess lets just stop calling tofu bean curd and ill be happy :)

happy monday!

xox

MoVie REviEW!

2010-02-22T06:56:00.000-08:00

i saw shutter island this weekend and loooooved it!! leo has been my favorite actor since i was a kid and had his pics from tiger beat and teen beat hanging all over my room! him and jtt of course...what the heck happened to him?? oops, sorry for the trip down memory lane......anywayy..shutter island: SO GOOD! i was actually really terrified to see it because i hate scary movies and i was horrified and had nightmares just watching the previews! but really, how can you go wrong with leo decaps as the lead and martin scorsese as director?? so i decided to give it a try and i have to say, it was TOTALLY different than i thought it was going to be...in a good way! everyone i saw it with liked it too! i def give it an A and i totally recommend you see it!

xoxo

commercials

2010-01-30T08:19:00.001-08:00

its weird but the combo of not having a dvr anymore (sad, i know) and the fact that ive become kind of a sports nut has got me watching commercials again! and by watching them i mean becoming obsessed with them :) click the clown to see the best commercial of the year! i seriously cannot even talk about this commerical without cracking up! sadly, it was done by walmart, who i hate, but what can i say, when you get it right, you get it right! ENJOY! (sorry michelle and aly...)

hand washing

2010-01-27T12:09:00.001-08:00

i had my first bio class yesterday and i actually think im going to like it! my prof talked about some interesting, real-world things that actually mean something to me! one thing that really stood out was when he started talking about immunizations, germs, how we handle this, etc. he talked about how parents today try to protect their kids from EVERYTHING...not letting them go outside and get dirty, constantly wiping them with wipes or purell, never wanting them to fall down or get a bruise..basically trying to protect them from anything and everything. anyway, he actually said that this is causing more harm than good and that kids today have weaker immune systems with all of this fussing. he actually said that kids should be exposed to many different environments and many different things in their first years of life so that they can build up a good immune system early on (obviously this is within reason...he is not advocating dirty unsanitary kids either).......aaaannyyywayy..the reason for this little rant about germs and health and all is that one thing he said really caught my attention and i was even reminded of it today so i thought i would share! he said that the most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and germy is to wash our hands. clearly i already knew that part...but then said that just "washing" is not enough--we have to wash correctly. i was like, come on dude i know how to wash my fricken hands, im almost 25 years old!! BUT i think i was wrong!! he said that most adults dont even do it correctly! he also said that in studies they have found ppl are more likely to wash their hands when others are present, but skip it when they are alone. also that the average length of time an adult washes their hands is 3 seconds...what the!?? he said that it has been shown that the proper length of time when washing your hands is singing happy birthday two times through (works in any language apparently). so, as i was washing my hands today this came to mind and so i sang happy birthday twice through in my head to test it out.....WHAT THE HECK!? that is SO long. omg, am i gross?? i dont think i ever wash that long.....i mean..unless im in the shower :) AWKWARD! guess i need to work on that.....how about you??

movie review update!

2010-01-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

i saw The Hurt Locker today and it was surprisingly a great movie! it felt like last year when i was so skeptical of gran torino and then loved it. i hadnt even heard of The Hurt Locker until the last award show and then michelle obama said in a magazine that it was one of her favorite movies of the year...so i decided i better give it a try. normally i am not really a war movie type of gal...but i have to say it was so well done. i didnt really recognize any of the actors as big names (but you know im not that good at that!) but i thought they all did great with their parts and really made it seem believable. it was definitely not easy to watch and doesnt make me feel very good about what is going on in iraq or where things might go in the future, but i am really happy i watched it. it also really makes you think about all of the people serving in the military and what they must be going through not only on a daily basis, but for the rest of their lives. so sad and touching and definitely thought-provoking bottom line: a really good movie. i obviously recommend it and give it an A. see it!

the little tootski

2010-01-23T12:26:00.001-08:00

i went to a private yoga class today that my trainer held for a few of his clients. as the title of this post suggests, sometimes ppl allow themselves to become a little too relaxed during their yoga experience. now, i know they say to completely let yourself go...but there are certain unwritten boundaries to that release people! unfortunately, a lady learned that the hard way today in our little yoga class...let me set the stage leading up to the main event: the room was completely silent (no music even)...all of us had our eyes closed...the teacher instructed us to breathe deep...stretch...deep breath...relax...breathe...toooooot...all eyes immediately open looking directly at the woman from which the tootski escaped. she looked over to her daughter with a sheepish smile and said, in a tiny voice, "oops". it was seriously all i could do to maintain composure!! haha i dont know what it is about farts...but i seriously become a child in situations where farts happen in an awkward or unexpected way...lets just face it: farts are funny. haha all i can say is...thank god it wasnt me :)

MovIe ReViewS

2010-01-19T06:51:00.000-08:00

helloo blog world! my life as a bum is coming to a close...i have a little less than a week left of FUN! i have finally been able to see some movies and decided to do a little movie review! here we gooo:

Its Complicated

soooo cute! saw this on christmas with a mix of moms and friends and the overall consensus was that it was really cute! i wouldnt say oscar worthy, but really funny and really entertaining! def recommend it! grade: A-

Precious

im sorry in advance...did NOT like it! i know it got so much hype and will probably win a bunch of awards and oprah loved it and all...but i will have to respectfully disagree. no, i am not heartless...i think its a story that def needs to be told and could be powerful--but i guess i just thought it was going to be better? could be a product of over-hype? dont know...regardless--grade: C

Lovely Bones

a lot of you know that i have been waiting for this for a looongg time! i LOVED this book so i was super excited for the movie! i saw it yesterday with my sister and it did NOT disappoint! i thought it was soo creative and so well cast...i loved it!! i cried the entire way through and had to cover my eyes a few times...but it was totally worth it. SEE IT!! grade: A

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

duhh...i should have never gone into this movie in the first place! totally not my taste...anyone who knows me could have told me not to bother! buuuut i did...it was a date, what can i say?? anyway, needless to say, i was NOT a fan. grade: D

Inglourious Basterds

ok, yes i am aware that this is now an old movie...but i am finally getting around to seeing it as i have heard so many times how great it is and everyone is all shocked when i mention i havent seen it! anyway, i finally saw it last night with my sister and again i say...i should have known! hard as i might try...i just do NOT like quentin tarantino. i know everyone is obsessed and thinks hes a genius...and fine, pulp fiction was really good and kill bill was pretty fricken cool...but even with that said, i would never buy either of these movies or choose to watch them on a friday night. what can i say?? i would much rather see You've Got Mail or Overboard for the millionth time on tv! whatever..you like what you like! anyway, i guess there were some good parts and it was entertaining, i guess...soo ill go with--grade: B-

well, i think thats about it! the next movie on my list is Up In The Air! hopefully i can get it in before classes start!! any other must-sees??

xoxox

the disappearing act!

2010-01-13T15:34:00.000-08:00

HELLO!! i guess i disappeared for a second there!! sorry (snl voice..if you dont know it...learn it..gilllllly is all the rage in 2010)...anywayy hope everyone had a nice holiday :) i was home for TWO WEEKS and had the best time ever!! i had good food (paired with a lot of wine...clearly), saw famliy and friends, played a million games, got pampered (nails, massage, hair..the works), and had so much fun....and now i am back in the "real world"...in quotes because i am still on winter break for classes...soooo that pretty much means im a total bum and am not at all in the real world! but you should know that really i should be enjoying it and being totally lazy..instead it actually gives me anxiety!! basically all i am doing is working part-time and hanging out.....and let me tell you, as nice as that sounds--i do better when im busy! when my alarm goes off on days when i dont work, i seriously wake up (yes, still set my alarm) and i have like real anxiety. i am always thinking there must be something that needs to be done and thinking of all the things that i could productively be doing. dooooont get me wrong..its not all bad. once i force myself to chill out...i have really been able to relax and enjoy living!! i have lazy mornings with oatmeal and coffee...fine and some real world dc and jersey shore...yes, i know, unacceptable!! i have also reunited with all my friends that i neglected when i fell of the face of the earth into science land over many glasses of wine and lattes. i am definitely living the good life! oh-and on top of that, ive also become a sports nut! seriously, football is taking over my life! i watch all the games--not just my team and not just half way...im like really into it. even when i cant be at home, i listen to them on the radio while driving AND watch highlights later on espn.....WHO AM I!?!? hahah its so weird, right??! hockey and basketball have also made an appearance in my life of late :) hmm what else...OH, i started up with a trainer again! had my first appt yesterday...can hardly walk today. gotta love it! i do have some funny stories about that..but will save that for another blog! anywayyy thats pretty much my life at the moment! its a nice change and im trying to soak up every minute of it before i go back to the life of the insane! hope everyone is having a great 2010 so far......HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

xoxo

doooooooone

2009-12-17T19:30:00.001-08:00

DOOOOOOOOOOONE with FINALS! DOOOOOOOONE with my FIRST semester of the SCIENCESSSSSS......done Done DONE! WHEW. i made it!! now im watching my soap and sipping some wine......putting off packing for a little bit longer (obvi).....then HOME tomorrow!!! CANNOT wait!!! i dont start classes again until the END of january!! man im gonna be such a bum for the next month! cant wait to read for FUN, watch TV, drink WINE, see FRIENDS, and COOK!!! ill keep you posted as i re-enter the land of the NORMAL!

happy xmas break :)
xoxoxo!

bad habits

2009-12-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

bad habits seem to be forming all around me...whats going on here?? i think the bottom line--im soooooooo ready for CHRISTMAS BREAK!! thats really the only super exciting thing about being back in school....really long christmas vacation! haha sad...but true!! anyway, back to these bad habits...clearly coffee is a problem for me...flavored, unflavored, espresso...you name it, i love it. you name it, i crave it. you name it, i probably drink it about 10 times per day. seriously, in the last post when i mentioned a coffee IV drip...i was secretly wishing it were true! hah..so thats a bad habit that just seems to be growing with this whole school/finals/stress thing ive got goin on! i have also cultivated some compulsions recently. now that we are in the computer age (yes, i realize we are not just NOW in the computer age...but seriously..ive been out of school for only two years and things have like really changed! plus i am not really computer savvy and actually just mentioned to a friend that perhaps i will go back to the typewriter...ahh the simpler times...)...whoa, side tracked, ok so now that we are in the computer age--everything is online...grades, class notes, announcements, etc. this may seem like its a good thing...but really it just breeds obsessive compulsive behavior! each time i take a test i compulsively check the website to see if the scores have been posted...like you think id be satisfied with having checked five minutes ago...nope. about to check again. (yes, i seriously did just check in the middle of writing this post...probably will again before the post is sent!). i have also been a little obsessive with sparkling water....i never even used to drink sparkling water and now i seriously cannot study without it. i only have one can left and its gone through my head several times tonight that i will be without sparkling water tomorrow and really need to do something about it..fast. such a weirdo.

hmm perhaps i will try to break some of the bad habits that have formed this semester over break....although i guess upon further thought, these arent really new bad habits at all..they have just manifested themselves in different ways...clearly i have always been a little OCD doing things like checking my alarm clock 800 times before i go to bed or clearly locking my car door, walking away, then convincing myself i forgot, and turning back just to make sure...even though i know i locked it. you know i locked it. i always lock it! and the coffee obsession is obvi nothing new...it just rears its ugly head when im lacking sleep or just looking for some comfort in a cup :) what??

two finals down. two to go. as you probably can tell...i may or may not be cracking up....

xoxo

fiiiiiinaaaaalsssssss

2009-12-14T12:44:00.000-08:00

who knew so soon after graduating undergrad that i would be in FINALS WEEK again. so so sick. it sucks just as much now as it did in college...actually..it sucks a little more now :) im getting too old for all-nighters........which is totally inappropriate bc they are so necessary and totally crazy bc i used to be the one to be going strong with only 4 hours of sleep for a week straight. i am no longer a soldier people...whats happened to me?? am i old?! so weird! anywayyyyyyy...finals have begun and i am a sight to see...no make-up, hair undone, yoga pants 24/7 (fine, i do that outside of finals week too), and an IV drip of coffee! gotta love it :) i think im going a little insane too! first thing this morning my friend called and i had barely said two words and she goes...umm..are you ok?? you sound crazy. i was like..ah geez, thats never a good sign! then just now i almost slipped on a rug at my house and i started imagining what would have happened had i actually slipped and cracked my head open on the granite counter top and had to be rushed to the hospital........and for a second juuuust a second...the thought sounded kiiind of appealing...because my next thought was...well, at least i wouldnt have to take this final! yeeeep THATS A PROBLEM!! ahhhhh!

ok ok, dont get all worried...i wont have any "slips" or anything! just do me a little favor and think good thoughts and WISH ME LUCK!!!!!

see you after the insanity ends.......xoxox!

a second time for everything??

2009-12-08T08:54:00.000-08:00

omg so i guess i jinxed myself or something with the last post...bc it appears my luck with the cops has DEFINITELY run out!! i was on my way home from the gym yesterday...all worked out, had a pretty good day, feeling good about things..until i get a call from my mom. usually thats a good thing, a little catch-up sesh, a little goss...but noooooot when her tone sounded like it did...four words you really never want to hear at the start of a convo: we need to talk. uh ohhhhh instantly a million things come into your mind! i was like, oh god..what happened?? heres the convo that ensued:

mom: you know red light cameras?
me: yes, obvi...oh no..
mom: have you heard of speeding cameras??
me: oh god
mom: yeahhh....i got a little letter today from the police saying I was speeding in YOUR city two weeks ago...
me: oh god...(nervous laughter)...how fast...
mom: not appropriate honey...first you get pulled over for a wrong turn, then you get pulled over for another wrong turn and get a TICKET, and now a speeding ticket?? 46 in a 35 is NOT ok dear! you need to pull it together!
me: mom! you dont understand!! eeeeeveryone speeds here..its like, you cant go the right speed limit or you are a hazard! people will pass you and honk...you basically have to speed!
mom: it comes with a picture hun...and you are literally the only car on the road....
me: oh. (more nervous laughter) uhh...well i must have been speeding to get to class!! thats it...i was toootally late for class!
mom: its time and date stamped dear....SATURDAY at 1pm.
me: (geez, cant a girl catch a break! every possible excuse shot down! throw me a fricken bone here!) oh man...umm...uhh...maybe i was on my way to study??
mom: nick, stop speeding. stop getting in trouble with the police. just be good, please.

whooooooooops! sorry mom! haha...

have a good day all....and if you happen to be a cop reading this..please leave me alone!

PS sooo not a fan of the cameras everywhere...i seriously feel like im in the book 1984! gosh, i cant speed, i cant run red lights...whats next?? hahah..seriously though..hate them, totally not fair!

theres a first time for everything...

2009-11-25T06:20:00.000-08:00

wellllllll it finally happened...after 5 (maybe 6?) times being pulled over...i FINALLY got a TICKET! AHHHHH!!! was it speeding, you ask?? NOPE! running a red light?? NO AGAIN. a normal reason??? nooope...its me people...nothing normal about it! i got pulled over for.....making a left turn when there was some tiny sign that was barely even legible and totally blocked by trees and there was a bird sitting on it so i couldnt even have seen it if i had wanted to (fine, i actually never saw the sign, so its tough to say...) that apparently said "no left turns between x and x hours". i clearly dont know what those hours are as i never saw this alleged "sign", but apparently we were within those fricken hours! anywayyyy...i made the turn safely (and totally unaware that i was becoming a criminal), kept driving, went past two or three stop lights, pulled into campus (i was on my way to class to take a quiz), went half-way through campus...which is BIG...and THEN i was pulled over. make sense?? NOPE! seriously?? like ten minutes later theeeen he decides to pull me over?? in front of the whole school?? inappropriate. now, normally in these situations, i tend to cry (some call it hysterical...i call it a tear or two) and be all pitiful, usually resulting in an irritated cop, a stern talking to, and a warning. this time...i just couldnt get it together because i was seriously so confused as to why i was being pulled over in the middle of campus. everything happened so fast, i didnt even have time to use my stellar negotiating skills...and my tears...to help me out of the situation. he argued with me about me having the proper paperwork and then told me that i was wrong about what state my license plates were from...my state...clearly i know...so he looked at them with his flashlight and confirmed i was right (duh) and then peered into my car..he like thought i was a criminal?! then he barked at me to stay in the car and took literally 20+ minutes to contemplate whether or not to give me a ticket. finally he comes back and goes, heres your NINETY DOLLAR TICKET ma'am...what the?? for making a turn at an incorrect hour?? not ok. i have NO prior offenses...i was being so safe during the turn i was practically a grandma...im from another state and clearly didnt see the sign...and i was not even crying or being rude or arguing or anything! and he repays me with my first ever ticket?!? SO RUDE! i seriously cannot believe that i have never been pulled over for speeding, but have been pulled over for not having my lights on, going around a bus in the bike lane, and now making an illegal turn. what the heck is with my luck?! oh and at the end of the little ticket-giving ceremony he tried to be all cheery and nice...ummm i dont think so buddy. we are not going to be friends after you just gave me a $90 ticket in the pouring rain (oh, forgot to mention i was in my least favorite of the elements at the time too!)...so i just rolled up my window and turned on my car as he was saying have a nice night! so rude. still debating whether or not to try my luck in court to get my fine reduced or maybe he wont show up and it will just be dismissed?? ill let you know what i decide.....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!! xoxo

folgers update

2009-11-16T05:24:00.000-08:00

recently a friend commented on my folgers post and asked whether or not i was serious and then reasoned that i must be because folgers tastes like poop. welllllll at first i was quick to defend and said, really its not so bad, blah blah. but i had it again yesterday...and i must admit, i stand corrected. i must have been seriously delusional when i wrote that post because when i drank it yesterday it tasted like chemicals. i was like, ah geez, i mixed chemicals into my coffee instead of milk again.....but i hadnt, it was just the smooth soothing chemical aftertaste of folgers. eulp. clearly i dumped the pot and then the rest of the grounds into the garbage...guess ill just stick to the good stuff...

many of you know that i dont like to be wrong (and im not wrong often ;) )...so when i had it yesterday, with my stubborn nature and the endorsing post in my mind, i really did give it a good old college try. i was like, no no, its in my head..it tastes fine. my throat is burning from the chemical taste...toootally fine..drink it down, its good! i finally gave up after half a cup (of gagging) decided to cut my losses and just admit i was wrong. so there you go, are you happy?? dont drink folgers people..its not good.

happy monday!

moldy cheese

2009-11-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

i just poured a glass of wine (friday night happy hour..duh) and got out some cheese as a little throw-back to my second favorite country, SPAIN (obvi).....but when i got the cheese out...there was a little...eulp..mold on it. after considering my options, i decided that i would just cut it off and eat it anyway!! waaaait...is that weird?? was it a fat girl moment??! just a moment of weakness? no idea...but i thought that had i heard somewhere that you are supposed to do that when cheese gets moldy, but i def felt a little awkward (slash nauseous) doing it. oh...and i fed the moldy parts to my dog...is that bad?? oh crap...this dog better not die on me! oh well, clearly i ate the cheese and it tasted pretty normal, but i still immediately called my mom in a panic to make sure that i wouldnt die! she assured me that its fine to cut off the mold..thats what you are supposed to do?? so weird.......i think im gonna throw the rest away now.....haha!

xoxo

awkwarddd

2009-11-13T13:39:00.000-08:00

today i got myself into an awkward little situation...my friend at work called me to meet her for lunch and she was a little urgent about it! i was just about to ditch her for lunch because i was so hungry, so i had already warmed up my soap and was about to eat it. so i quickly capped my tupperware, grabbed my wallet, and ran out the door to the elevators. right as i got there everyone was boarding to go up...which was where i needed to go! so lucky, right?? or so i thought...i started walking on the crowded elevator (the last person to get in) and as i did, i noticed my dominican friend and so i was all "holaaaaa" and smiling and all goofy and friendly, of course, and then as i walked on...i ran straight..into....the elevator door (its not like it closed on me, i somehow managed to walk straight into it). as i did this, i bounced off the door and my wallet flew out of my hands and the change part of my wallet opened and change flew all over the place. and my soup container popped open and my scalding hot vegetable soup sprayed over the crowd..ok..the last part didnt happen...but everything else was true! but instead of bending down and picking up my wallet and getting myself together..i just awkwardly stood there with a stunned look on my face staring back at all the ppl staring at me in the elevator. finally, after several seconds, my dominican friend broke the silence and was like..uh...are you ok...and i was like, "omg! NO!" hahah i mean clearly not...i just beasted the elevator door!! haha then this girl bends down to start picking up my change and i just awkwardly kept staring and then i was like, omg..thanks! and then i realized as she was picking up my change that she was actually robbing me..haha kidding, that didnt happen either...really she was just blocking the door from closing because she was picking up my change for me...so then everyone in the elevator turned on me and spit on me as i knelt at their feet, fine, that didnt happen either...but they werent happy! anywayyyyy why must i always be such a crazy spectacle?!

haha oh well! have a good weekend :)
xoxo

obsessed

2009-11-06T15:31:00.001-08:00

current song obsessions:

**fireflies-owl city (who is NOT the person from postal service or death cab for cutie, even though he sounds identical...totally amazing and sweet though regardless of the fact that he sounds exactly like someone hes not)

**party in the USA-miley cyrus (who i hate that i like but cant help but like her dang songs! so fricken catchy! awkward...)

**forever-drake feat. lil wayne, kanye, and eminem (ive always been obsessed with eminem..so hes clearly my favorite part, but im liking lil wayne lately too, even though he has an old man face on a teen body...so weird..)

have you ever seen such a random mix of fav songs?! total opposites!! hah but im totes obsessed with all three.....so if you are either a slow sweet music fan, teen pop fan, or rap fan..i have the perfect amazing song just for you! haha! if anyone has any song recommendations or current obsessions...let me know!!

the best part of wakin upppp....

2009-11-03T04:35:00.000-08:00

....is folgers in your cuuuuuuup! yes yes we have all heard the song a gazillion times, but THIS morning...i actually sang it! haha for some reason when our coffee ran out this weekend, the next person to buy thought it was a good idea to get folgers. i said, eulp no thanks and went and bought something else. total coffee snob, right?? but this morning i decided to give it a try and as i poured it and the steam rose into the air and i breathed in the intoxicating aroma of the delicious coffee goodness...i couldnt help myself...and just i had to sing it! i felt like i was in a commercial...the beeeeest part of wakin uppppppp is folgers in your cuuuuuuup! i think i may have judged folgers too harshly, 1. i am pleasantly surprised by the flavor/taste of the coff and 2. it gets extra points because my normal coffee brands do not inspire me into any morning song and dance. so i am gonna have to give some props to folgers!

have a good daaaaaaay! xoxo

the power of the rubber glove

2009-10-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

if you do not have a pair of yellow rubber gloves...im gonna need you to go and get some immediately! they are seriously so amazing! not only are they good for washing dishes...so that you dont have to burn your hands with the hot water or touch the nasty food thats on the dishes...they make you invincible for any unsavory task. for example, this morning i walked into my bathroom, all sleepy eyed and tired...and as i looked in the mirror to survey the damage (me in the mirror, obvi) to my HORROR, behind me on the wall was a GIANT (ok fine, you caught me..it was really teenager size...not baby, but not big daddy) CENTIPEDE!! and i think we can all agree that centipedes with their millions of legs and their speed are just about the sickest bug to come across. anyway...i thought about what to do and considered my options 1. smash it with a nearby kleenex...nope, too thin and small and too big a chance i might miss or it may dodge me and then a stray leg could touch my hand (again-speed+million legs=not ok) so then i thought 2. i could smash it with a shoe...but then its like, should i use my shoe and risk getting guts on it or worse, leftover legs?? nope. so then i would have to find someone elses shoe to use and then i got to thinking...there just isnt time for this plan because what if i go in search of a shoe and then i come back and its no longer there!!? that would be awful because then chances are it crawled somewhere to hide like maybe in the shower (which i was about to get into) or maybe it would try to crawl onto my toothbrush and then maybe i wouldnt think to check before i brushed and then it may accidentally go into my mouth...and then i eulped and knew i had to move on to plan #3...the rubber glove plan. THIS is the best plan, clearly and the ultimate winner. in a flash i ran for my rubber gloves and put them on for protection, then i got two thick paper towels and ran back to the bathroom and bravely smashed the centipede without even screaming or crying!! heres the thing, with rubber gloves on your hand, you dont have to be scared!! you can touch anything sick or get near things that you are scared of (mainly bugs, but also any dirty clean-up job) without fear because you are protected by the glove!! amazing right?? with those gloves, i become a different person...an invincible person!! if you dont have some, get some...because you dont want to be faced with something sick one morning when you wake up and then have to attack it with unprotected bare hands! believe me, ive been there and its not a pretty picture :)

xoxo

keen sense of direction

2009-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

clearly the title of this blog does not describe me...as i have mentioned before, i have a very poor sense of direction (to say the least). well people, it happened again...i got totally and utterly lost...going HOME!! to be fair, i have only lived here for like a month or so and i have actually been doing a pretty good job of driving places (that i go every week, same route, same time...yes, clearly i have many issues...) without my GPS. this is difficult for me as i have grown accustomed to seeing the ETA of my trips and my speed, etc. but i realize its a little ridic to keep using my GPS every day to get to work...sooo i have decided to try to learn my way without it! as i said, im getting better every week...first, i made it home from school without it! then, i made it to school from work without it! THEN i made it home from my old stomping grounds, to my new digs, which was a fete because my sister was in the car with me and there was added pressure..i even tried to turn on the GPS at one point and she restrained me....and i did it!! welllll i think that may have been the point where i got a little too cocky. because yesterday as i was making that same exact trip (one day later), i was like, ive got this, no problem, did this yesterday! patting myself on the back, congratulating too soon...welllllll then i was driving...and driving...and driving some more. and then i realized...i dont remember it being this far...in fact, nothing about this drive looks at all familiar. did i pass my exit?? nooo, couldnt have! im on top of things! then i thought..oh god, i passed my exit. as i scrambled to get out my GPS i realized that i really had no clue where i was! once the GPS finally acquired satellite...i surveyed the damage. i had driven at least 20-25 mins out of my way. wow. i think thats a record people! back home i always used to end up at the airport...i know, it sounds weird..but the airport was east and i lived west and i just could never get that darn direction straight so i continually went the wrong way (in fact, as i think about it now..i cant be sure that the airport is not actually west and i live east...tough to say..). needless to say, i dont have time to be driving 20 minutes out of my way as my life is insanely busy at the moment. so i guess you can imagine that i was pretty irritated at myself. but then i realized, whats done is done..i just had to turn around and get back on track and being mad just going to make it worse. i thought about the situation and almost had to laugh at myself because my sense of direction just never fails! fricken cocky attitude...i should have just stuck with the GPS....that'll teach me!!

xoxo

poker face

2009-10-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

no, im not talking about the lady gaga song...i am talking about my very own poker face...or lack there of. apparently i, 1. have a very expressive face and 2. do not have a very good poker face. i always knew that i had an expressive face because everyone always tells me i make bizarre facial expressions and i guess i sort of knew that i didnt have a very effective poker face because whenever i get presents that i dont like...like from my family at christmas for example...i always try to smile and look excited, but they pretty much always know that i hate it. haha sad! (but true) anywaaay...i recently got a couple of reminders about my facial issues in my classes. the first one was just last night. i had a chem lecture and the prof covered a TON of info...like twice the amount he had planned on covering and my head was seriously spinning by the end of it. clearly, i thought these feelings were totally internal and on the outside i looked just as confident as ever...until suddenly the prof stops the lecture...literally mid-sentence...and weirdly seems to be looking directly at ME. i was like, what more dude?? i have already been called on to answer a question in front of the class, you are already like two lectures ahead...what the heck do you want from me?? then he goes, "are you ok? you look like youre in pain." hahah OMG SO INAPPROP!! in front of the WHOLE class...and its like stadium seating and i sit in the back..so EVERYONE turns to look at me and im like, "oh..uh..no, im uh..fine." SO AWKWARD!!! exhibit A of my poker face failing me. then about a week or so ago i was in bio lab and the same sort of sitch happened...but this time i was sort of in lala land thinking about all of the stuff that i have to do with so little time to do everything and then the TA stops and looks at me and goes, "you look confused" AGAIN, EVERYONE looks at me and laughs (clearly, because as usual, i am a total spectacle) and im like.."uh..no no, i get it." hes all, "you sure??" and im like, omg dude..if i didnt get it, theres no way im saying anything NOW! exhibit B my poker face fails again! looks like i need to either get my emotions in check OR get some control over my face!! in the meantime, i will get in front of a mirror, put on some lady gaga, and practice my po-po-po pooooker faaaaace, pokkkkerrr faaace!

emergen-C

2009-10-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

there is so much hype about emergen-c but since i rarely get sick i have never had the pleasure of trying it....until NOW! last week i suddenly went from not sick to sick in a matter of seconds...which clearly i do not have any time or patience for, so i just kept pretending i wasnt sick (sometimes you can fool it..not kidding people, power of positive thought!!)...but when that failed me (what?? i didnt say it alwayyys works!) i decided to bring in some reinforcements. i went to the store and got some coat throat tea (celestial seasonings), some emergen-c, and some oranges and i went nuts. i had those things every day and literally less than a week later...IM BETTER!! and that is with the stress of two tests, no sleep, and a crazed schedule.....so im gonna go ahead and say that emergen-c really works!!! i now swear by it and will be chugging it any time i feel some sickness coming on!! maybe they could pay me to do infomercials for them?? omg i could have a new career on my hands!!

ok back to work...just thought id share and if any of you feel a sickness coming on, seriously start chugging emergen-c...you will not be disappointed :) (plus it sort of tastes like tang, which is obviously so good and totally reminds me of after school snacks with my sister!!)

LARABAR

2009-10-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

new obsession: the LARABAR!!!!!

seriously SO amazing!! now that i have night classes and dont eat dinner until i get home somewhere between 9:30 and 10:30...i have had to start planning ahead for snacks and things to tide me over. the blog world seems to be obsessed with bars for this purpose so i went ahead and bought a few different kinds to try (luna, cliff, think thin, kind, etc) they have all been pretty good so far, buuuuuuut the leader of the pack is DEF the LARABAR!! i LOVE that there are seriously only about 3-5 ingredients (mainly fruit and nuts)...all of which i recognize and can pronounce! they are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher...yeeeep they pretty much sound sick, right?? thats what i thought too...then i opened it and saw the delightful nasty brown stiff square...ew, sick again...but i went that far, so had to go all the way and actually eat the sucker! i am proud to say i was wrong! larabars are sooo YUM! dont know how they do it, but they take those like three ingredients and make them into something filling, healthy, and delicious! if you are like me and always running around like a crazy person and constantly not having time to eat...go get yourself some larabars!!! my fav flavs so far are peanut butter cookie and chocolate coconut chew...YUM!

xoxo

ps any other bar suggestions or fast/healthy snack ideas would be appreciated!!

directions

2009-09-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

its weird, but i think i must seem like i know where im going or know how to get somewhere that people want to go...because time and time again people are asking me for directions and clearly, most of those times...i have no idea what to tell them! my sister and i were once taking a walk by my house and someone pulled over to the side of the rode to ask for directions. being from the area, i stepped up to the plate and gave my best attempt at directions. once they pulled away my sister was like, whoa, im impressed! and i was like...yeahh...nooo idea where that is! haha, whoops! shes like, what?? why didnt you just say so?? i was like, i dont know..i like to try to help people!! i have also had ppl roll down their windows and ask me for directions while we are stopped at a stoplight and i often give them some shoddy help there too...i know, i know..i should just say i dont know...but the thing is, when i try that, they still look at me all lost and scared (wait, are they deer or people??) and so then im like, ok fine...guess i could give it a try! haha! well today two ppl asked me for directions where i work...but this time, their senses led them to the right person. if you want to know road directions-no. if you want to know how to get to a specific room or department-no again. buuut if you want to get to coffee---im your gal! TWO people asked me today where they could get coffee...one time i was holding a coffee, so that was a clear indicator that i know things (fine, that i know one thing), but the other time, they just must have felt my coffee vibe! i had someone on campus ask me where the coffee place was the other day too...i swear to god, no matter where i am...new city, new country, new job, new school...whatever...i will always be able to tell ppl where to get the nearest latte. and that my friends, is one amazing talent. hahah..fine, i have a problem!

off to class/off to get a latte! have a gooood one!!

xoxo

Carrot Cake Oats :)

2009-09-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

as i mentioned before, i am a little oatmeal obsessed since i started reading food blogs! one blog in particular has a whole oats section with tons of different variations and toppings and i had always been meaning to give one a try. well people, i finally did it! it was tough to pick which one to try, so i took another recent obsession...carrot cake...and decided to combine the two for my oatmeal adventure. YUM...i am soo happy i tried it! SO GOOD!!! it was the most fancy oatmeal breakfast i have ever had and i cant wait to make it again! if you are looking for a fun way to eat some saturday or sunday morning...try this!! if you like carrot cake and oats..you will not be disappointed!! i used the basic recipe from kath, with a few minor adjustments...here ya gooo:

Carrot Cake Oatmeal
serves 1

-Ingredients-
1/2 c oats
1 c water
1/4 c shredded carrot (i used a microplane...so they were very thin...it would be sick with thick shredded carrot)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbls vanilla soy yogurt (can use any kind of yogurt obvi)
1 tsp maple syrup
3-5 chopped pecans (toasted=better!)
sprinkle shredded coconut
*optional: agave nectar if added sweetness is necessary

-Directions-
1. combine in saucepan: oats, water, and carrots (remember-shredded thin or it wont be right). cook on medium heat until its bubbling and most of the water is gone (5-7 mins). stir occasionally.
2. while you are waiting for your oats, make the "frosting" for your carrot cake. mix in a bowl: vanilla soy yogurt and maple syrup. also, toast (can do in a pan or in the microwave) and chop your pecans.
3. once the oats are ready, remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and perhaps some agave nectar (this is optional...but mine could have been a tad sweeter, so i could have added a little here to help with that...if you dont have agave, a little brown sugar can also be used).
4. next pour oats into the bowl, drizzle icing over the top, sprinkle on the coconut, and finally the toasted pecans...and ENJOY!!

YUM!! this totally worked for a carrot cake fix and was a wonderful and filling way to start the day!! def give it a tryyyyy!

one more :)

i dont get it

2009-09-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

as i have recently become a driver in a place where i have lived for like 6 years yet through those years i have been metro bound or on foot...both of which i actually miss and were more simpler times (well, most of the time...grocery shopping was weird...) anywayy, its a different world for me now that im a driver! i am trying to learn how things work here, but clearly i am having some issues. first and foremost, finding my way around...if you know me, you know that i have little to no sense of direction! i still get lost in my hometown for goodness sake...so finding my way around here is no easy task. even now that i have a gps...i STILL get lost! what?? sometimes that little british lady inside there just isnt clear!! haha times havent changed much...different location, same serious issues! hah! anyway, the other thing thats different here are the red light cameras...we dont have those where im from, so we like to speed up and rush through the yellow/red lights...well, nooooooot here...not with those pesky little cameras all over the place! i also learned what the HOV lane is today...was riding in that baby for about 15 minutes and when i finally realized i shouldnt be there, i like could not figure out how to exit for some reason! haha suuuchh issues, i swear!! but lately there is something else thats been on my mind and i just really dont get it: the speed radars. now, i am a citizen of the law and i mind the rules (well, within reason...i have been known to speed a little in my day and do forget to turn my lights on at times...yeahhh...), so when i see the sign "speed limit X, radar enforced" i get SCARED and i feel like, omg big brother is watching and i need to follow the rules! so naturally i slow down...but the problem is...no one else does! seriously there is one zone that i keep going through that is 35mph radar enforced...yet literally everyone is going at least 50mph. im like..wait..what the?? are you all not reading the sign?? RADAR ENFORCED, PEOPLE!! THEY'RE WATCHING US!! so i get all panicky and try to slow down, but then everyones whipping past me and giving me dirty looks for driving like a grandma, so then i speed up...but then the panic starts up again bc i think the radars are going to catch me so i slow back down!! ahh its a vicious cycle! so i guess basically what i dont get is, when they say that the speed is "radar enforced", yet everyone is speeding...what do they do?? are they giving all of us tickets or what?? is it written just to scare us?? i seriously dont get it. if anyone can shed some light on this, it would be much appreciated! otherwise...i will continue the panic-slow-speed-panic-slow cycle that i am currently working and hope for the best! wish me luck!!

amazing item alert

2009-09-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

theyreeeee baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack....HONEYCRISP APPLES!!!!!!! if you dont know what these are...you need to get in a car or on a bike or in your running shoes or on a bus or on a metro or on a horse...whoa, sorry, got a little carried away...some form of transportation and get yourself to a grocery store and gear up for the most amazing apple of your life!! if you already know what these are...then you understand why im so excited its the honeycrisp season!!! just had my first one and it was SO AMAZINGGGGG!!!! OMG...i just google-imaged a honeycrisp apple for your viewing pleasure...and i found out that its MINNESOTAS official state fruit!! OMG...now i like it even more!!! ok, go and get one...what are you waiting for??

ps if you think i am a freak after reading this post, go try a honeycrisp and everything will become clear.

xoxo

Kale Salad!!

2009-09-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

who loves kale?!? ew, i know...me either! but, that was BEFORE i tried this amazing salad!! now im a total kale salad fan and since kale is soo amazing for you...you probably should be too!! even if you arent big into salad, like me, this is delicious and filling and really nutritious! so dont get scared off if you dont love big leafy greens that happen to look more like garnish than salad! haha what?? i was scared! and if you already love salads or eat kale every day (whoa, go you!)....then this is a new way to eat it that you are going to love! anyway, i got this recipe from a friend back home and i seriously cannot stop eating it! there are like no ingredients and it takes five seconds to put together AND because kale is a pretty strong beastly leafy green, it holds up all day dressed or even over night (so if you make too much, keep the leftovers, its good!)...so great, right?? ok ok, ill stop with the hard sell (can you tell im obsessed?!)...try it and see for yourself!

Kale Salad

-Ingredients-
kale (organic is best, comes in a big bunch...just normal green kale, no dino kale or anything)
handful of dried cranberries
handful of pine nuts
raspberry vinaigrette (i use annies light...yum!)
*optional, could top with tofu or chicken to get some added protein

-Directions-
1. wash and pat dry kale leaves (amount obvi depends on how much salad you want...i use about 3-5 leaves for a biggish salad)
2. tear the leaves off the stem into salad-sized pieces and throw into a bowl
3. add handful of cranberries, handful of pine nuts (amount depends on you..im a freak, so i pretty much follow the serving size on the package...)
4. dress (to taste) with some delish raspberry vinaigrette--i usually do about 1 1/2 tbls (if you dont like rasp vin, you can try another dressing, but with the crans, i think it goes best with a sweeter/berry dressing personally)

AND THATS THAT, easy right?? i put it in a tupperware in the AM and then just shake it around when im ready to eat it for lunch! soooooo good!! if you try it, let me know what you think!!

one more pic for the road...xoxo

oatmeal

2009-09-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

ever since i got into food blogs and healthy eating...i have started eating oatmeal! YUM! no no, not the oatmeal in packets...i make the reaaal oatmeal on the stove. i usually try to buy organic oats (normal oats, not steel cut..dont have thaaat much time people!), but sometimes i just buy quaker, which is fine too! anyway, i thought i would share my oats with you in case you are not currently an oatmeal eater and in case you are looking for an amazing and nutritious way to start your morning! i have introduced my sister, my parents, and a few friends to this and they have all approved, so try it! trust me, youll like it!!! here is a pic of my everyday oats and the picture that comes later is of oats that i made in the end of a barney butter (almond butter...buy this brand, its amazing) container...once there was about a tbsp left, i just poured my oats right in..yum!

Nicole's Delightful Oatmeal

serves 1

-Ingredients-

1/2 cup oats

1 cup water

1/2 ripe banana

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

1 tbls barney butter (or any other almond butter)

1 tsp agave nectar (+/- to taste--can use brown sugar too, but why when agave is SO GOOD!)

optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract--adds a little something special, i dont always do it, but its nice!

optional: raisins or nuts--dont normally do it, but if i dont have banana, raisins are a good sub!

-Directions-

1. in a pot combine oats, water, and 1/2 banana (cut into 1/2 inch slices) and put over medium heat...cook for about 5-7 mins. you MUST add the bananas before cooking...they puff up like big banana marshmallows this way and its really yuuuum! once the oatmeal starts bubbling, give it a few really good stirs...this helps with the marshmallow effect!

2. when its the consistency you like best, take off heat, add the tbsp of flax seeds and the vanilla extract, and stir (dont be afraid of flax seeds...they are delicious, good for you, and even if you dont love them, you wont even really notice them stirred in with everything else!!)

3. pour into a bowl and top with agave nectar and the tbls of barney butter (and any other toppings you like!). note: i dont stir in the almond butter--i leave it in a blob on top and then dip each bite into it to maximize the flavor!! much better this way...trust me :)

and thats that! how easy, right?? ok ok so it maaaay sound a bit complex, but im telling you...once you start, you wont stop!! its THAT good!! it really doesnt take too long and its the best way to start the day!! TRY IT and then let me know what you think....

xoxo

MIA

2009-09-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

AHH OMG SORRY! i just realized that i havent blogged in TEN DAYS. thats just totally inappropriate!! my life is absolutely INSANE right now but im slowly getting myself together...and after some intense studying this weekend hopefully the weekly, fine daily, ok you caught me, hourly...panic attacks will cease ;) i got a little confused about my life and thought that i could have a social life AND do school and work...how wrong i was! haha so now i am vowing to get myself together, starting this weekend!! other than the constant feelings of anxiety, life has been pretty good. classes are going well...hard, but interesting! oh UPDATE: i wore my lab coat and goggles for the FIRST time yesterday and wooow did i look COOL! ahaha...but one awkward thing (obvi, its me) my goggles steamed up at one point and i didnt know what to do...if you take them off during an experiment, you will get points docked and be asked to leave (so ridiculously strict, right?? and the lab instructor is sooo funny...she is from russia and sort of sounds like miss piggy meets julia child and is super rule lady and not kidding around, so i def dont want to test her with removing the goggs at any point!!)...so anyway, i was blindly trying to read my measurements through the fog....hahah so awkward...and i didnt want to say anything to anyone because a) i dont really know anyone yet so really who would i say something to?? and b) bc the guy next to me had a paper towel sticking out of his goggles and when i asked him why he told me it was because he was sweating...and i laughed at him...soo then i couldnt admit to being all steamy, right?? anyway, i made it through the rest of the lab ok...im gonna need to get my goggle-wearing technique straightened out so that doesnt happen again! haha! ok, thats about it for now...more later!! xoxo

new york newww yooooork

2009-09-07T05:56:00.001-07:00

rats, piles of garbage in the streets, a dirty dirty subway that i just cant seem to navigate....ohh new york! while those things are totally true...i actually found that i DO like nyc. i mean, i always knew that it was fun to visit and all, but honestly, nyc scares me dude! yes ive lived in madrid, dc, and traveled all over the place...but for whatever reason, this city INTIMIDATES me!! but i went to nyc this weekend to visit my sister and as i was walking back from laying out in central park through adorable streets filled with little boutiques and cute cafes, for the first time, i thought...hmm.. maybe i actually could live here! it actually reminded me a little of europe...with the sidewalk cafes, all the ppl out and about just living and enjoying life (something i dont think we do enough of in the good ol' usa...spain has the market corned on enjoying life, in my opinion! but thats a whole other story...), and walking all over the place--from restaurants, to central park, to little cute grocery stores...it was surprisingly really cute (and not so intimidating)! AND i rode the SUBWAY for the first time...ALL BY MYSELF! proud?? haha I KNOW! i did have some crazy encounters on the subway and did see a big nasty rat...but what can i say, new york city is actually growing on me!! if my sisters here AND my best friend is planning on living here one day plus it has good shopping, good food, and broadway...could i one day call the city home?? hmm, we'll see....

metro tales

2009-09-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

i was back on the metro today...ive been driving recently, so its been a little while. looks like times have not changed and the metro is just as crazy as ever. not only did i have TWO giant bags...which is totally inappropriate for morning rush hour time...but i was also accosted by a crazy man! i was riding along, minding my own business when a crazy man barged onto the metro. i immediately knew he was a crazy man because he was all upset and muttering to himself (it seemed). It turns out, he was actually crazy AND aggressive and i was lucky enough to be standing right next to him :) he kept yelling (not like super loud, but because it was morning and no one else was talking, it was sort of loud) at the guy next to him, who was listening to music and either did not hear him or was ignoring him...but he kept saying, "stop touching me. i keep moving away and you keep moving. stop touching me. stop." all angry and aggressive. i was like, oh great, are we gonna have a problem here?? then, because he was a crazy shouting man, people were sort of staring at him and he got all upset at that. he started yelling at another guy going, "what are you lookin at?? what ARE you lookin at?? you with sugar in your hair" i know, what the?? the other guy just sort of looked away awkwardly and but the crazy man kept going, "why you lookin at me...all these women around and you lookin at me! fool. why arent you lookin at her" it was here that i somehow got involved as he pointed to me when he said it. i just weirdly looked away and pretended i didnt see him pointing at me, but then he started talking to me, "whys he lookin at me, dont you think you betta lookin than me??" i just shrugged and looked at the ground. haha awkward as ever. then he points at me and goes (SO LOUDLY), "you know who you look like?? caroline kennedy! anyone ever told you that before?? you look like CAROLINE KENNEDY! THATS WHO YOU LOOK LIKE! CAROLINE KENNEDY!" i was like, omg, stop! first of all, i look nothing like caroline kennedy, second, EVERYONE was then staring at me AND the crazy man! haha soo awkward!! i just laughed a little and was like, "nope, never heard that one" and goes, "REALLY!? you look just like her...wait..are you her??" haha i was like, wait...crazy man..are you kidding?? but i wasnt sure, so better to be safe than sorry, i decided to put his mind at ease and said, "no, im not". he goes, "good bc caroline kennedy was stalking me. all the kennedys were stalking me" and thaaaaats when it sealed the deal that the crazy man was in fact a crazy man...it also made me want to move further away from him. haha! i did finally get a seat and moved away from him, just in the nick of time too...because thats when he started talking about how things were so much better in Pluto (yes, i think he meant the planet)....

interesting morning! hah HAPPY FRIDAY!! have a great labor day weekend :)

xoxo

some things i dont like

2009-09-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

haha what a positive post! woops! oh well..there are some things that i dont like and its my blog, so i get to share them!

1. when ppl sign an email with "regards"...it doesnt sound professional, it just sounds harsh. dont do it ppl!

2. the word "comfy"...fine if youre 5 or if youre talking to a 5 year old, say it. if youre not--dont (especially if you are a guy...never ok)

3. when you say to someone, "i have a question" and they respond with "i have an answer", ew, annoying.

4. the over usage of the word "myself". i think sometimes ppl try to sound smarter by saying myself instead of me...but sometimes its actually correct to say "me", ok guys??

5. saying sorry for things we dont need to say sorry for...yep, i do this nonstop and i annoy myself and always wish i could take it back! ie. when i was coming out of the elevator today, two men came barging in and I said, oh, sorry! then they go, its ok and kept barging. im like, wait, what?? i take that back! im NOT sorry...YOU barged in instead of letting ME out first...elevator etiquette my friends! haha..whoa, i may have hit a hot button?!

6. going along with #5 is when you hold the door for someone and they dont say thanks or acknowledge you in any way...ellen does a bit on this too...youre welcome, your majesty! hah say thank you or at least make eye contact and nod, come on people!

7. the kid yesterday in my class who yelled BLESS YOU from the back of the room to the girl who sneezed in the front of the room...like, yes its nice to say bless you, but do you really need to interrupt the whole lecture AND draw attention to sneezy mcgee?? i dont think so!

8. people who try to make you pet their dogs in the street. you know, when you are walking by them and they let their dog come up to you and they are all smiley. its like, just because we are both walking on the sidewalk and passing each other, does not mean i need to a. like dogs and b. want to pet yours. i try to just nicely steer clear, but other times when they dont take the hint, i say im allergic...what??

hmm..i think thats about it for today. haha what a happy cheerful friday post!! if you have any weird things you dont like...feel free to share :)

first day of school!

2009-09-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

yesterday i had my FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! it was a really sweet day. started off with my dad making me a hearty breakfast, my mom packing my lunch, and both parents walking me to the bus stop-both parents waving and crying as i got off to start my first day! waaaaait...that was 20 years ago (omg 20 years...IM SO OLD!). yesterday was sliiiiightly different...woke up, started studying frantically for day 1 of chem (YES homework for the FIRST DAY..what the??) seeing as i didnt get my act together before yesterday...studied til the very last minute, threw on some clothes (fine, i picked out a cute outfit...gotta make a good impression on the first day!), grabbed a latte, and rushed to campus. when i got to campus i felt...SO OLD! i know i know, ive only been out of school for TWO years...but it feels like im starting over as a freshman!! i went to a relatively small school and now im on a BIG campus with a million people and its TOTALLY different! clearly with my questionable sense of direction, i used to get lost on my own mini campus...so this was a definite challenge. luckily i found the right parking lot (after i couldnt find it the first time around for orientation so i parked at an expired meter bc clearly i didnt have any change...yeahhh...awkward..) AND i found my classroom pretty quickly! i have to say, it was pretty fun being back in the classroom! my prof (thats what the cool kids say) was a total weirdo and really funny...in a dry, science-guy way! haha! oh right--in case you dont know--the school i am doing is a post-baccalaureate program to get my pre-med requirements, which means i am taking bio and chem plus labs for both...eulp, i know. anyway, there were ppl of all ages there (so i wasnt like a total grandma or anything) and the lecture was actually really interesting!! a successful first day!

PS just found out that i have to buy some materials for next weeks lab--among the many items on the list, the two of the more embarrassing ones are: a white lab coat and protective GOGGLES! haha imagine ME in goggles and lab coat...hmm..wonder if they make the coats in pink?? hahah soo awkward...ill try to get a picture! xoxo

the sneeze attack

2009-08-26T13:42:00.001-07:00

sneezes are just not a comfortable thing, lets all just get that straight right now. theres no good time to sneeze really. in the middle of a meeting?? nope. while driving?? nooope...can you say accident?? in the middle of eating?? DEF NOT, ew. sneezes are just plain awkward. but if they have to happen...then sneezing just once should do the trick. i was always so irritated by my dad and his crazy sneeze fits. he would sneeze like 20 times in a row and instead of feeling sympathetic, i would feel irritated! hah! sad, i know, but true. luckily, i have never had one of these sneeze attacks. actually, i dont sneeze all that much on a normal basis. but last night...was a different story. i went to bed around 12 and woke up suddenly at 2am with the biggest urge to sneeze. i was like, what the?? so i laid down and tried to ignore it and go back to sleep. but i think the sneezes were offended that i tried to quiet them and ignore their calls..because let me tell you...they came at me with a vengeance!! it was ridiculous! i think i was up for almost an hour...sneezing. thats it. just sitting in bed sneezing...oh that AND hating my life. i got up, washed my face, laid back down...they started again. got up again, paced, turned on the light, blew my nose, laid back down...they started again. no matter what i did, i just kept sneezing! it was AWFUL! i seriously didnt know what to do! i really wondered at one point if they would ever stop! i also kept wondering if enough time passed that i could just get up for the day because laying down was not working...weirdly, starbucks was also on my mind in my time of sneezes. haha only me! once i reasoned that they would stop eventually (also propped myself up with like 4 pillows to avoid the sleeping position, which seemed to be making the situation worse) and that it was in fact too early for starbucks, i guess i fell asleep...bc the next thing i remember is waking up and it being morning and me weirdly in a sitting up position on top of all these pillows with like kleenex all around me. haha ew, i know. sick dude. fricken sneezing attacks. that better have been my one and only!

ummm

2009-08-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

umm...am i going to die?? yes, i know eventually i will..im not five. but what i mean is..i just drank out of a water bottle that i havent drank out of for maybe two weeks. so today i was like, ew, old water...then promptly poured out the old water that had been sitting for two weeks and refilled out of the water fountain (side note: one time when i was filling it up from the water fountain, the janitor walked by and goes, "ew, thats city water." i was like, "omg am i going to die??" he goes, "not gonna die, but thats just nasty!" ...so now i always try to fill it up from the cafeteria, but sometimes im thirsty and there just isnt time, ok!?) anywayy, so im filling up my water bottle...totally parched from my lunch...and start drinking immediately. i finished about half the bottle and put it aside. later i reached for a drink and the water looked a littttle on the cloudy side. i was like, what the?? so i took a closer look at there were TONS of WHITE things floating in it!! i was like WHAT THE?? so i take an even closer look (yep, hopped inside the bottle) and saw that there was some sort of FILM (eulp) on the bottom of the bottle that was now coming off and floating in my water...the water that i had just chugged moments before...omg ew! now im thinking, what the HECK is that white film that was undoubtedly caused by the "city water" that i let sit for two weeks and more importantly am i going to die?!? omg siiick! thoughts?? ahh wish me luck people!!

BLT PIZZA!!

2009-08-23T05:20:00.000-07:00

HELLLOOOO!!! WHOA...soo sorry for my little disappearing act!! hope everyone is well and enjoying summer! here is one delicious dish that i have been meaning to post for-ev-errr (for-everrr--for-ev-errr--sandlot anyone?? haa..sorry) annywayyy...my favorite food of all time is pizza. i could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each and every day...but dont worry, i dont. or do i...sorry, off track again. anyway, as i said im pizza obsessed, so when my friend kate gave me her pizza dough recipe i was beyond excited!! it is the best, easiest, and fastest recipe ever!! you can obvi put anything you want on it and it will be awesome, but if you want to try one amazing homemade dont-feel-too-guilty pizza...try this:

NICOLE'S BLT PIZZA
serves 1-2

-Ingredients-
*Dough
2 1/4 cups of flour (i use half whole wheat and half white)
1 cup warm water
1 (.25 oz) package of dry active yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbls agave nectar (or honey)
*Pizza Toppings
1/4 cup goat cheese (you can use any kind of cheese obvi)
1 thinly sliced roma tomato
2 strips of crumbled tempeh fakin bacon (can use real, but why??)
1/4-1/2 cup of finely chopped lettuce (i used a spinach/green cabbage mixture and it was YUM!)
1-2 tsps mayo
drizzle olive oil
pinch of garlic powder (optional)
sprinkle of parmesan cheese (optional)

-Directions-
1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. prepare DOUGH (this actually makes 3 servings...i split it into three balls and use one for this recipe and put the other two in the fridge for later use...unless you are making it for more ppl or you want
leftovers...then make it bigger but obvi increase amount of toppings).
3. in a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. let stand until creamy, about 10 mins.
4. in a large bowl, combine flour and salt. then make a dent in the middle and add in the agave (or honey) and yeast mixture. stir well to combine. cover dough and set aside in a warm place for a few mins so it can rise.
5. while dough is rising, prepare your other ingredients. THINLY slice the roma tomato (as thin as you can...the thinner, the better because they sort of melt together so you dont need sauce!), grate 1/4 cup of cheese, fry 2 pieces of fakin bacon and then roughly chop or crumble with hands, then finely chop lettuce and mix in mayo to make a little salad.
6. roll out 1/3 of the dough on a flour dusted cutting board-or i just used the counter top-(clearly i dont have a rolling pin, so i just use my hands to shape it!). the dough will be pretty sticky, so you will want some extra flour around to control that sucker! if it is really sticky and you are getting frustrated and cursing me out...grab a little olive oil and put that on the dough or your hands while you work and it will make it better!
7. once you have your pizza crust rolled out, drizzle a little olive oil on and rub it all around. then sprinkle the crust with a little garlic powder. top with one even layer of the roma slices, the bacon crumbles, and finally the cheese. if you sprinkle a little parm on top, it will brown a little better.
8. place pizza on cookie sheet (sometimes easier to put it on cookie sheet before you add toppings, fyi...learned that the hard way...) and put in oven for about 10-15 mins (depending on how you like your piz)
9. remove from oven and top with lettuce/mayo mixture and you have yourself one amazing BLT PIZZA!!!

as always, everything is better with a glass of wine...so cut that pizza, pour a glass, and ENJOY!! let me know what you think :)

here's one more pic for you bc it was just that good! YUM!!

Almond-Orange Tofu

2009-08-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

so right off the bat i am going to acknowledge that this picture isnt so great! BUT this recipe is!! so try not to judge the picture too harshly, just try the recipe yourself and then send me a better looking pic :)

ok, now back to the topic at hand! this recipe comes from SPAIN (oh and before you are confused..you should know this is not an asian recipe...which is why instead of calling it just orange tofu, i call it almond orange...whenever i tell ppl about it they assume im making a chinese orange chicken type dish..nooope)! anyway, i learned how to make it from my spanish mama (the woman i lived with when i was there last year), except she made it with chicken (and so did i until i stopped eating meat)...so you can substitute the tofu with 2-3 chicken breasts, if you want, but my recipe is with tofu, obvi! anyway, this was a definite favorite of ours in spain...we ate it all the time! its cheap, easy, fast, and freezes well too!! alright here we gooooo:

Almond-Orange Tofu
serves 3-4

-Ingredients-
1 block firm tofu
2 small onions (or one large)
~7-10 unsalted almonds
~5-6 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like it)
juice from 3 oranges
salt
olive oil

-Materials-
med-large pot with lid
knife
cutting board
paper towels (to get moisture out of tofu)

-Directions-
1. cut tofu in 1/2 inch slices the long way and then cut each of those in half so you have squares (shape doesnt really matter--you can also keep them big). then spread out evenly over paper towel and put paper towels on top and press out some of the moisture. i let my tofu sit with a heavy pot on top for about 15 mins to get as much moisture out as i could (changing the paper towels once or twice).
2. while you are waiting for your tofu to be ready, you can prepare the other ingredients. onions-slice the onion in half, then into thin slices (so they arent rings, they are half rings). garlic-finely chop the garlic (or you can use a garlic press). almonds-smash or cut the almonds into small pieces. oranges-slice in half.
3. salt both sides of the tofu and fry it (high heat) with a little olive oil (you can do this right in the pot or in a separate frying pan). if you are using chicken, you just want to brown it, not cook it. with the tofu, its just a fast high heat fry to get the outside a little brown and crispy.
4. remove tofu from pan and set aside.
5. coat the bottom of the pot with olive oil (maybe a couple teaspoons?) and add the onions, garlic, and almonds AND a pinch or two of salt (i am not a huge salt fan, but mine was lacking because i didnt do this!!). slowly cook over medium heat until the onions are soft (not brown).
6. once the onions are nice and soft, squeeze the juice of the three oranges into the pot. turn up the heat and let bubble for about 5 minutes.
7. add the tofu, give it a stir, then turn down the heat and put the lid on the pot. let simmer for about 15-30 mins so that the tofu can really take in the flavors.
8. i just serve it by itself with a veggie on the side, but you can also serve it over rice!

ENJOY!!

ellen moment

2009-08-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

as you all know...i LOVE ellen and think she is seriously the best comic that ever lived...am i going overboard?? i dont thiiiiink so! ANYWAY, i was walking to the metro today and the guy next to me had a TOTAL ellen moment!! everyone is always in a rush in the mornings, clearly, because we are on our way to work. anyway, so we were rushing to the metro and i dont really like to walk right next to ppl though, so i was trying to step it up and pass the guy next to me. as i was doing this, he too sped up and then ever so slightly caught his toe on something and tripped...but then he started running...so i thought to myself...did he trip?? or is he running?? then after a couple of seconds he stopped running and resumed his fast walking and i thought...he tripped. haha TOTAL ELLEN MOMENT! i wanted to point and yell YOU TRIPPED (like ellen does)...but i couldnt! haha i have never actually seen someone do that! so funny! stopped to tie my shoe back there and after that little run..im back on schedule! hahah LOVE ELLEN!! happy wednesday people!

**if you are confused by this post and dont know what ellen moment i am talking about...im going to need you to find here and now--ellen's most amazing stand-up--and watch it now! k, thanks! xox

weird lunch

2009-08-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

i had lunch today with my friend and we ate outside at some little tables in front of our building. the tables seat four people, but we are obvi only two and she warned me that because we got a good table in the shade, random ppl will inevitably invade. so we are chit chatting and eating away when all of a sudden this random lady comes and sits down and goes "excuse me, you dont mind, do you?" of course we said, no no, no problem...although there were other tables around...she, for some reason, wanted to sit with us. whatevs. so then we went back to chatting and she suddenly starts mumbling (while looking in the opposite direction from either of us...like literally not even in our general direction) about some silverware that she forgot and then some other stuff that we couldnt understand and then finally she slowly moved her weird faraway gaze in our direction, clearly looking for a response. so my friend and i just looked at her sort of confused and she YELLS (all upset bc we didnt understand her): "I ASKED IF YOU WANTED ANY OF MY STEAK!" (she was eating a cheesesteak). we were like...ohhhhh..umm..no thanks? (ew) and shes like, "IM OFFERIN YOU STEAK! dont want to be rude eatin in front of you!" hahah SO WEIRD!! its like, she was sooo annoyed and upset because we didnt understand her mumbling about offering us some of her food while not even looking at us and then thought it was weird that we didnt want any of a strangers cheesesteak off their plate! haha! after we said no again, she slowly looked away from us again and continued eating. hahah can you even imagine if i would have said yes?? what would she have done?? given me a bite? let me pick some steak off the top of her cheesesteak?? haha SO random! after a few mins, a friend of hers came and joined and we were worried he'd start offering bites of his food too...so we left...

weeeird lunchin!

back to school

2009-08-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

most of you probably know that im going back to school next month! its sooo weird. i went to a pretty small school for undergrad and now im going to a really BIG school for this post-baccalaureate program and its scaaaaaary! i made my sister go to the campus with me yesterday bc i was too scared to do it alone! then when we couldnt find the bookstore, i made her ask! haha yep, im ridic! anyway, we finally found it and im like, omg..i forgot how to be a student!! how do you look for and buy books?? i dont have a list..which ones are mine?!? so i asked like 5 ppl for help and finally they just got my books for me! haha typical. well theeeen i looked at the side of the book and it didnt look perfect..it was like cracked a little and you know i like things perfect before purchase! anyway, i told my sister about the issue and showed her the crack. she rolled her eyes, ignored me, and kept looking at magazines. then i made her look again until finally she took the book back to the ppl and made them give me a different one! haha typical...again. anyway, we left the book area and i realized i needed school supplies! so weird!! so we headed to target for some back-to-school shopping!! remember how fun this used to be?? well...not anymore...again, i was like...wait...what do i do?? do i need number two pencils?? do i need a trapper keeper?? a rolling backpack?? a box of kleenex for my classroom?? haha yes, im nuts...my sister slapped me and made me focus and we decided i really only needed notebooks and poss folders...but the thing is, every single thing had like miley cyrus or zac efron on it! i was like...oookk, as much as i like mileys song the climb and as cute as zac is in high school musical...this simply wont do. my sister and i finally found some plain looking notebooks that wont get me laughed out of town during my big return to school and we got the heck out of there! anyway, this going back to school thing is going to be harder than i thought! what if i cant find my classes?? what if i have no friends and sit alone in the cafeteria?? haha kidding, theres no caf..but whatever...im still nervous! AHH!! wish me luck!!

ew dude

2009-07-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

ew, for the record, in case anyone is confused..you CANNOT brush your hair while sitting on a bus full of people. thats just not ok. especially if there is a person sitting DIRECTLY next to you. ew dude. the bus i catch to work arrived late this morning so there were tons of ppl waiting and it was a packed situation. we all piled on, sitting two by two and the next thing i know a girl a few seats in front of me starts brushing her looong hair practically in the face of the girl sitting next to her. ew!! the girl kind of turned her head to the side and looked a little awkward. the nasty brush girl was not even a nice discreet hair brusher...she was like a child! going to town, flicking her hair every which way. sooo not ok. i seriously would have vommed.

so this is just a general announcement...wildly brushing your hair in tight quarters with strangers=never an option!

have a great day :)

xoxo

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

2009-07-27T08:20:00.001-07:00

my newest breakfast sensation: pumpkin oatmeal pancakes! i first found the recipe here (at katheats.com) and made a few minor changes. they are SO good and really filling!! and it just so happens these guilt-free pancakes are gluten free and dairy free and reaaally YUM! i definitely suggest giving them a try :)

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

serves 1

-Ingredients-

1/4 cup canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie mix!!)

1/4 cup oats

1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg whites)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 small handful of golden plump raisins

-Directions-

1. mix all ingredients together in a small bowl

2. cook over medium heat like a normal pancake (makes 2-3 pancakes depending on size--i used a little olive oil for cooking)--dont try to flip it too early or it may fall apart a little!!

3. top with a little pure maple syrup or agave nectar OR your favorite fruit or nut creation!

4. ENJOY!!

TRY THEM AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!

policeman trickery

2009-07-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

i was driving home from yoga this morning on a road that is 35 mph and i looked in my rear view mirror to see a cop driving behind me. i dont have very good luck with those guys...so when i see them, i get a little panicky and really try to be the best driver possible (which yes, i realize i should always be...but its tough when you are putting on mascara and singing to the music and trying to watch the gps all at the same time!). so anyway, i put down my latte (what?? its fiiiine to drive a stick shift car with a latte in hand early in the morning when you are not quite awake yet..noo problem..) and focused on the task at hand. i checked my speed...right around 35...looking good. then all of a sudden, the cop started gaining on me! i was like, hey buddy, mind the speed limit! but he kept doing it and so i sped up a little, but pretty soon he was tailgating me..like super close, like maybe he was going to try to bump me or something! so i sped up a little more, but then got a little nervous, because there i was speeding with a cop literally on my bumper! then i thought..oh god, maybe he's tricking me!! maybe hes like forcing me to speed so that he can pull me over! omg. so i quickly slowed back to the speed limit and he came up super close to me again. it was a total catch 22!! luckily my turn came up, so i got the heck out of there! trickster cop or just a cop who doesnt follow the rules of the road?!?! YOU DECIDE!!

happy weekend :)
xoxo

a surprise in my bloob

2009-07-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

omg so i was eating some blueberries yesterday on my way home from work and guess what little treat was hiding inside one?? are you ready.....are you sure......it was a.....SPIDER! AHHHHHHH!! SICK! thank GOD i was paying attention while eating them!! i looked down at the bloob and noticed that there was some white on the top of it. i was like, ew, mold. but then i thought, i just bought these, why is there mold?!? so i decided to touch it..bc i wasnt convinced it was mold and because sometimes i make bad choices (note to self-never touch an unknown substance). anyway, so when i lightly touched the bit of white on the top of my blueberry, I SAW A COUPLE LITTLE LEGS MOVE AROUND INSIDE. i thought..no no, this must be my imagination. i just thought that maybe me touching the white, made the part underneath the white move so it just looked like something was inside...so, i again made bad choices and...I TOUCHED IT AGAIN! this time, i was SURE i saw legs move and got really scared and grossed out. i rolled down my window as fast as i could and popped that little sucker out, all the while shuddering and trying not to crash my car! the guy next to me (going the opposite way..so really close to me actually) saw me during this whole process and burst out laughing...omg! so rude..if he only knew the truth of what was inside my blueberries..he would not he laughing! wonder if the bloob hit his car on its fast exit from mine??

ew, it was sick. you better believe i will always eat blueberries with caution from now on...and i suggest you do the same!!

xoxo

Fakin Bacon BLT

2009-07-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

one of the things that i thought i would miss when i decided not to eat meat was bacon! ew, i know..bacon is fatty and bad for you and gross...but for some reason, i like it! whether its in a blt, crumbled on a wedge salad, or in a quiche...i am definitely a bacon fan! so when one of my friends brought fakin bacon to my attention i was instantly intrigued!! fakin bacon, by lightlife, is made out of tempeh (which i am a big fan of!) and has 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 100 calories per serving!

my amazing sandwich:

three strips of fakin bacon, pan fried in olive oil

1/2 a roma tomato sliced suuuper thin!

handful of mixed field greens

a little spread of light mayo

piled onto a toasted whole grain roll

DELISH!! and the whole thing only took about 5-10 mins to put together!! so if you are craving a BLT, but want to cut some of the fat and eliminate the nasty factor....you should DEF give this tempeh bacon a try!! even you meat lovers just might like it :)

xoxo

Shawty fire burnin on the dance floor...whooaaaa...

2009-07-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

its official, i have a problem. yep, i say this a lot and yep, it always true! i CANNOT get this song out of my head: fire burning by sean kingston. how awful is that?? like, all i want to do is hate this song and be irritated by it...but for some unknown reason i have had it in my head for four days now and get super excited every time it comes on the radio! hah! who am i?? i have tried listening to other songs to try to rid my mind of this song...but its no use. i even heard it on the radio yesterday and thought..whats wrong with me?? this song isnt even that good (unlike the climb by miley cyrus...which i also want to hate, but secretly like...). but i cant stop!! someone help me!! "she get it, pop it, lock it, drop it, that birthday cake. got a candle, need to blow that crazy flame away. now take my red, black card and my jewelry. shawty is cool like the fire, cool like fire......" yeeeep...thats embarrassing.....

same words, different meanings

2009-07-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

from time to time i come across words or sayings that only make sense to my generation and vice versa with someone from another generation. for example, today i was having lunch with my boss and my intern and the intern and i were talking about a little kids hair and we described it as "weird". really, its cute hair...but its A LOT for a kid to have and the color is a little extreme and when we met the child, she was really upset and so her hair was even more wild than usual, im sure. anyway, my boss could not understand why we called the hair weird and said it was not weird, but beautiful. my intern and i both cracked up at this and said it wasnt a bad thing, it was just, you know..kind a weird head of hair, but cute too and not weird like she was thinking, like bad. my boss said it was inappropriate usage of the word weird and the hair was, in fact, not weird. this made my intern and me crack up again and we just shrugged and blamed it on our generational definition! then i thought about it and realized, i have had this very same convo with my mom about a few words. for example, she and i have very different meanings of the words "hooked up". today, we all (ppl my age, i mean) know what these words means...but when my mom uses them, she really just means that two people met up. my mom and i know that we use the words differently, but still each and every time my mom uses the words with me shes like, "tom and nancy hooked up on saturday...oh well, you know what i mean..they didnt 'hook up' like you say, but you know, well they just got together" im like, i knoow mom! haha she clarifys each time! so funny! then my intern told me another example when she was talking to her mom and described someone as a "tool" and her mom just did not get the explanation. i tried to think about this and realized that all i can think of to describe a "tool" is someone who is a tool...makes it a tricky thing to define! haha anyway, anyone know any other words or phrases that us youngins use today that ppl from other generations just dont seem to get??

SUNBURNED!

2009-07-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

i got THE worst sunburn ever this weekend!! AWKWARD! i should definitely know better after my years of experience with sunburns! buuuuut i was an idiot, yet again, and got a little burn (slash a really big painful burn that ppl keep gasping at when they see...)! anyway, when i got into work today my boss looked at me and goes "oh noooooooo did you get some sun this weekend??" i was like, "yeah, i got a little sunburn" and she goes "well, you will pay for it later....with age spots." then she just shrugged and walked away. AHH WHAT?!?! so rude!! haha she is THE nicest boss ever..but like, you dont tell someone that! then i went to my friend for some sympathy and she said "she might be right :( " hahah omg! thats not what you tell someone either!! hah saaad! so now im sitting here, burnt to a crisp, AND worried about my future age spots.......happy tuesday?

xoxo

*UPDATE* i poured white vinegar all over my body while in the shower yesterday....weird?? i think so. buuuut someone (who shall remain nameless) told me it works to take out the heat of a burn...i guess it sorta worked?? dont know, but i DO know that i may or may not smell like vinegar today...not sure, i will have to see if ppl start avoiding me!? also put a paste of water and baking soda on a particularly bad spot..it was weird, but i kinda liked it....

awkward!

2009-07-10T10:41:00.001-07:00

as i may have mentioned before, i am in a book club! this month our book is the glass castle by jeannette walls. i picked up the book from the library and have been carrying it around for a few weeks and i have not even had time to crack it open!! well book club is coming up so i decided i better get going! so the other day i opened it for the first time on the metro and started to read....halfway through page one i realized......IVE READ THIS BOOK BEFORE!! hahah how awkward!! i am pretty much known for this type of thing. i am famous for sitting down to a movie and halfway through realizing ive already seen it (yep, halfway...im that bad) and now apparently i do the same thing with books! not only did i not remember reading it because maybe its a book from way in my past or something...you know, an acceptable amount of time to forget something, like maybe in high school or something....NOOOPE. i read it just LAST YEAR! right when i realized this i called my friend (who is also in the book club) and told her of my revelation and she goes, "oh crazy, but how did you like it??" i was like..."omg its AMAZING!! so great!! i talked it up nonstop after i read it!" shes like.."really? because you didnt even remember reading it. title didnt spark anything. the author either. sounds like you really loved it!" haha omg i swear..its SUCH a good book, i just have memory issues, i guess...maybe i should get that checked out! ha! seriously though, its so good that i thought since id already read it, i could just skip this month...but since i already had it with me, i started reading it again...and now i CANT STOP!! im already half-way through in two days of metro rides! anyway, my review is: read this book! and even if youve already read it and forgotten it completely like me, read it again!! its worth it :)

HAPPY FRIDAY PEOPLE!! xoxo

Fresh Pea & Leek Soup!

2009-07-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

so i am aware that it is summer and it may not be the best time for soup...but i mean, come on! you will be eating it in your air conditioned homes, not out in the blistering heat...so get over it and make some soup already! OR you can also eat this recipe cold for you anti-soup-in-the-summer people!! anyway, my sister was in town last weekend and i wanted to cook her something delish and easy (always the key) that wouldnt take all day, so i decided on some PEA SOUP! ok, i hate pea soup...for the record. but this particular pea soup has NO gross ham bone in it and doesnt taste sick, it tastes really fresh and yum! i found it a few months ago when i was watching the food network. its a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa....fiiine, some people think shes not the coolest of the food network chefs...but I think shes cute and she def makes some of the best and easiest recipes of the bunch!! you can try it and see what you think!! here it is:

Fresh Pea & Leek Soup
serves 6

-Ingredients-
2 10-ounce bags of frozen peas
4 c. really good vegetable stock (you can use chicken, but i dont eat meat!)
2 leeks chopped finely--only use white and light green parts
1 c. onion chopped finely
2 tbls. butter (can use olive oil, but come on..its only a little butta and its betta!)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
optional: tofutti sour cream (as usual reg sour cream is fine) and chives as garnish

-Materials-
immersion blender (if you dont have this, you can use any kind of blender, but a blender is a must bc this is a purée)
large pot
cutting board
knife
spatula or something to stir

-Directions-
1. clean and chop leeks. leeks are sandy little suckers, so you def want to clean it well or you will be chewing on sand while enjoying your soup. to clean: cut off the top leafy part so that you only have the long white and light green part left. then cut the leek lengthwise almost all the way through. spread it out with your hands and run it under the faucet while separating each little fold to wash out the sand. shake it dry or pat it dry with a towel. now return the leek to the cutting board and cut lengthwise into fourths then lay flat and finely chop (i like things finely chopped because im a little OCD and think they cook faster and more evenly that way...but bc it will be puréed, it doesnt have to be perfect!)
2. chop onion (same chopping rules apply)
3. add the butter to a large pot and let it melt over medium heat
4. once butter is melted, add leeks and onions and let them sauté until soft (but not brown). stir occasionally
5. once leeks and onions are soft, add vegetable stock. turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
6. add bags of peas, stir, and let boil until peas are soft (takes about 4-6 mins--taste one and when tender, take off heat)
7. in the last minute or so, add the salt and pepper and stir
8. remove soup from heat and once its cooled a little, purée with the immersion blender (or put it into your blender to purée). be careful bc it may splash a bit and the soup is hot!!
9. when the soup looks very smooth, pour into bowls and garnish with a dollop of tofutti sour cream and a few chives so it looks really fancy and serve. (again, you can also eat this soup cold!)

that will do it! this has become one of my "go-to" soups because its so fast and easy and it tastes so great!! happy cooking :)

Almond Butter Cookies :)

2009-07-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

hope everyone had a great 4th! i ended up making the salsa and it was a HUGE hit at the bbq!! you should def give it a try! i also whipped up some easy and delish cookies to bring to another dinner party. these almond butter cookies are sort of like the peanut butter cookies with the hersheys kiss in the middle (ew, hershey chocolate..not a fan)...but they are soooo much better! there are only five ingredients and they also happen to be gluten free (which means they dont have flour in them)--a little added bonus! here we gooo:

Almond Butter Cookies
makes about 24-30 cookies (depending on size)

-Ingredients-
1 c. barney butter almond butter (other brands are fine, but this is the best)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 dark chocolate chocolove bars (or any other chocolate, but this is, again, THE best)

-Directions-
1. preheat oven to 350
2. combine almond butter and sugar and mix well (dont use a blender, use a wooden spatula--my mom taught me well; cookies are always better this way!)
3. add egg and mix
4. add baking soda and mix
5. take a spoon and scoop out a little dough and roll into a ball (about the size of a golf ball, maybe a little smaller). then dip one side of the ball in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet (sugar side up). continue this until you have a full pan. (recipe will make 2-3 pans)
6. bake 8-10 minutes (watch them bc depending on oven they may cook faster--mine started to get brown on the bottom so i took them out earlier. they will be a little doughy when you take them out and will not be fully cooked as they will continue to cook a bit even out of the oven...i learned the hard way and have burned many cookies...so watch them!)
7. while the cookies are baking, get your chocolove bars ready! break apart the little squares (if you are using other chocolate, break into pieces or buy kisses (ew) or brachs chocolate stars work 2nd best to chocolove)
8. when your cookies are done immediately top each cookie with a chocolate piece. press down a little bit (not hard enough to smash the cookie!). then set them aside so they can cool. dont store them until the chocolate hardens up again.

thats it! super easy and really good! everyone at the dinner party loooved them!! ENJOY :) Here's one more picture so you can see the cute little chocolate square!! Look at that cute heart!
PS first time posting my own pics....pretty fancy, eh?!?

SaLsA!

2009-07-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

because its a holiday weekend and there will be lots of bbqs and parties...i decided i better post a really easy, really yum recipe that you may want to bring as your 'dish to share'!! i am a BIG salsa fan...sometimes i have a problem controlling myself at mexican restaurants...yeahhh..if you know me, you know (i ask for my own salsa, because i dont like to share!). this salsa is the fastest, easiest one i have made and it was SO GOOD!! here ya go:

Black Eyed Pea and Corn Salsa

-Ingredients-
1 can black eyed peas (drained)
1 can petite diced tomatoes (or fresh if you want..but it was GOOD with canned--cheaper and easier too!!)
1 can corn (drained)-can use bi-color kernel to make it cuter!
1/4 cup (or more, if youre me) finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove (crushed or finely chopped)
~ 6 rings diced jalapeno peppers (can use more or less depending on how hot you like it!)
couple pinches kosher salt (i only put a little bc i dont like salt..but it DOES need some)
*optional: 1/4 cup finely diced cucumbers (mom added it and loved it--i dont like cucumbers!)
*optional: cilantro
*optional: any other veggies you want to add in! make it your own :)

-Directions-
1. finely chop garlic, onion, jalapeno peppers, and any other veggies. put in a big bowl.
2. add the cans of corn, black eyed peas, and tomatoes.
3. give it a big stir, try it..modify with more salt or more peppers if needed...AND ENJOY!!!

THATS IT!!!! how easy!! RIGHT?? it was seriously delish! i ate it with both fish tacos and chips and it was awesome! you can also put it over chicken or eat it on crackers :) YUM!!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!

ELLEN

2009-07-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

"hello, you've reached the voice messaging system for ELLEN!" haha if you do not know what thats from.....you need to watch ELLEN's, HERE AND NOW stand up! she is sooo amazing!! anyway, i had a little ellen moment myself today. i was walking down the hall...feeling pretty confident. like my outfit today, hair looks pretty good, LOVE my shoes. then as im walking, strong and confident, feeling fine with my head held high, the edge of my shoe slips and does some weird slide and i lose my balance, nearly falling and rolling my ankle all in like a ten second span (which was like slow motion for me as i saw myself begin to fall). as ellen says "it only takes that one tiny trip to suck the cool right out of you"...and she is right! the situation was made worse because i was walking alone..so i couldnt laugh with someone or make fun of myself to save face...i just had to regain composure and keep walking like nothing happened. also, there were ppl walking behind me...so i knew they saw me, they knew that i knew that they saw me, and things just got awkward. when i got to the elevator and the ppl behind me walked up, we all just didnt look at each other and pretended it didnt happen. what an awkward way to start the day......

new job/hobby

2009-06-30T09:24:00.001-07:00

i am going to become the self-appointed "no smoking" rule enforcer!! jealous?! we got an email from work today that outlines the SMOKE FREE CAMPUS rules and at the end there was a little note included that, i think, calls my name! let me know what you think! the note read as follows:

Security will be monitoring smoking on our property. If you see anyone smoking on our property, there are cards available at both welcome desks that you can hand to someone smoking to remind them of our policy.

DOESNT THIS SCREAM ME?!?! hahah imagine! i walk up to some random person smoking...eh-hem...excuse me...then i show them my fake badge that i will buy at the party store and then hand them the card wordlessly and walk away. for some reason, ill probably be wearing sunglasses and a hat and also be holding a night stick of some sort. i will be both loved and feared. gosh, i think i found my calling......

haha weirdest idea administration has had yet......

i mean...

2009-06-30T09:03:00.001-07:00

i was just in the cafeteria at work and some guy accidentally dropped his burger and fries all over the ground and everyone laughed...like not just one person, everyone! i mean...you cant just point and laugh at someone when they screw up! haha so rude!! and the poor guy just stood there looking sheepish. then he shrugged his shoulders and goes, "uh...sorry about that" to the whole cafeteria while he looked down at his sad little lunch strewn all over the nasty floor. meanwhile, everyone just kept laughing away! it was like a movie or something...when someone does something embarrassing and everyone laughs and points and you think, that never would happen in real life...well, you'd be wrong my friend!

times are tough...

2009-06-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

i was driving home yesterday at around 12:30pm when i saw a man walking along the edge of the freeway under a bridge. i thought...what in the heck is that man doing walking along the freeway under a bridge!??! he was wearing a backpack and what looked to me like nice suit pants, nice shoes, and a shirt. then i thought maybe he was walking to get lunch on his break from work and weirdly took a wrong turn and ended up on the freeway!? not sure. anyway, i was sitting at the light and creepily watching this man when all of a sudden he stops at a corner, opens his backpack, and whips out a sign asking for food or money. im like WHAT THE?! literally he looked like a businessman on a lunch break....wait...was he?? are times getting so tough that he wanted to make a little extra money on his lunch break or have the rest of someones sandwich instead of stopping off at subway?!?!

darn this economy!!

vegetarian chili!

2009-06-28T08:28:00.001-07:00

hey hey...so i woke up to a text from my friend requesting my chili recipe :) i have never really liked chili...but weirdly got into it this past year when my friend taught me how to make it. it was pretty much the first recipe i learned to make in my new life of cooking. its really good and super easy (two things i look for in a recipe!)...i like to make a big pot and then freeze it in portions so i can have fast, easy lunches or dinners when i need them! i recently started making my chili with TVP (textured vegetable protein)--this is a soy based meat substitute that works really well in chili bc it looks like and has the same texture as ground meat. it has 12g of protein, 80 cals, and no fat in each 1/4 cup serving! TVP needs to be rehydrated with water--but i just put it straight into the chili because it will rehydrate in there as it cooks. if you are not into trying TVP, you can also use tempeh (another meat substitute ), which can also be used as a ground meat substitute. it has 19g of protein, 9g of fat, and 230 cals in each 4 oz serving (1/2 block). i use lightlife organic 3 grain tempeh but have not tried it in chili yet! anyway, enough about that...here we go:

Vegetarian Chili with TVP
~5 or 6 servings (depending on size obvi)

-Ingredients-
1 1/4-1 1/2 c. TVP (textured vegetable protein) or 1+ blocks of tempeh
1 can tomato paste
1 large can (or two normal cans) whole peeled tomatoes
2 cans beans (1 kidney, 1 other--i use pinto)
1 onion
1 pepper
couple stalks celery (if you like that in chili) or any other veggies you want to add!
2-3 cloves of garlic
olive oil
spices-chili powder, crushed red pepper (for some spice!), salt, pepper, oregano, cumin

-Materials-
large pot
cutting board
knife
can opener
spatula
containers to freeze it :)

-Directions-
1. finely chop all vegetables (including garlic, but very small, big chunks of garlic=ew)
2. put the garlic and some olive oil (1-2 tbls..might need to add more when you add the veggies if it looks dry) in the pot on medium heat for a couple of minutes. then add the veggies (onions, peppers, celery, etc) and let cook over medium heat until soft (but not brown).
3. once the veggies are pretty soft, add the can of whole, peeled tomatoes (you can either cut them up on a cutting board or just kind of crush them up in your hands while adding them one by one) including the juice in the can. stir.
4. add the can of tomato paste. then add one can of water (tiny tomato paste can). you may need to add more water, depending on how thick you like it or if it looks dry. you can do this at any time...you dont want it to get too watery, so go slow! however when i use TVP (because it needs to rehydrate, meaning it takes in a lot of water) i definitely add more. stir.
5. add both cans of beans (drained) and the TVP (if you are using tempeh...i would chop it up when you chop the veggies and add it around the time you add the veggies--before the tomatoes)
6. add spices (heavy on the chili powder...just a bit of all the others, i dont measure just sprinkle it in and try it after it cooks a while..def add more if you cant taste it enough!!) and let simmer (turn down heat) for at least 1/2 hour but up to 2 hours.

there you go! let me know if you try it and how you like it!! special credit to my mom for always answering my millions of cooking questions and to kate, who taught me how to make my first chili :) ENJOY!

xoxox

fish tacos

2009-06-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

ok ok, this might sound YUCK...but its totally trendy, totally delish, and totally EASY!!! so dont judge...just try it!! and if you dont want to make it...go to the cheesecake factory and try theirs! they are really yum!!

while i have decided to cut the meat, i am still eating fish! i think sometimes its a little boring, so i was looking for a way to jazz it up...so last night i decided to try to make fish tacos for the first time!

Fish Tacos
serves 1

-Ingredients-
4 ounces of fish (i used tilapia...but you can use your fav fish! add another 3-4 ounces for each additional serving!)
2-3 small corn tortillas
1-2 cups cabbage (i used green)
salsa (i made my own, but you can use jarred too)
tofutti better than sour cream (ok ok you can also use normal sour cream)
lime
olive oil
spices-chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin
optional: cheese (i didnt use it, but you def can!)
optional: onions (i didnt use them bc they were in my salsa)
optional: jalapenos (again, didnt use them bc they were in my salsa)

-Directions-
1. do all your prep work first so that the fish is still hot when you are ready to put your tacos together! start off by making salsa (ill put up the recipe sometime!) or just open the jar! then chop the cabbage (shredded cabbage--chop super thin) and cut a lime slice or two. then put a little tofutti sour cream in a bowl (maybe 1-2 tbls) and mix in a little salsa, some chili powder, and a little cumin to give it some flavor. then put three little corn tortillas on your plate (if they arent too soft, you may want to mic them a little).
2. fry the fish! season the fish with some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. then put a little olive oil in the frying pan and set it to medium (+) heat. put the fish in (seasoned side down) and season the other side the same way. cook the fish a few mins on each side until the fish is fully cooked (this takes very little time--take it out when you can easily break it apart with your spatula)
3. put it all together! first slice the fish (it can really just be broken apart easily with the spatula). split the fish up between the three tortillas. add a few spoons of salsa, cabbage, then the sour cream mixture to each one. finally, squeeze a little lime over the top and serve!!

i served the tacos with the salsa i made and some chips! you can also eat it with black beans or rice or both!! ENJOY!!!

tofu

2009-06-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

one of the biggest changes to my diet is that i am pretty much making the transition into a meat-free-me! its not really a huge issue because never really loved meat and i absolutely haaaate to cook it! ew. because of this (and my quest to stay nutritious and still eat protein) one of my newest ingredients that i am in LOVE with is: TOFU!!! i used to say that i didnt like tofu...but really i didnt like the idea of tofu and never really gave it a fair chance. when i got into sushi in college, i started eating miso soup and then i ate some tofu in thai food...but just recently i started making it on my own and i am in love! some of you have asked what i do to my tofu that makes it so delightful, so i will share my recipe:

Asian Marinated Tofu (baked):

makes about 3 servings

-Ingredients-
1 block of firm tofu
soy sauce
white wine
olive oil
garlic powder
ginger powder
toasted sesame seeds
crushed red peppers (optional)

-Materials-
paper towels
cookie sheet or frying pan or both!
big bowl
spatula
knife

-directions-
1. preheat oven to ~350 degrees
2. cut the block of tofu in ~1/2 inch slabs and extract as much water as you can (to do this, pat with a paper towel or cover with paper towels and put something heavy on top like a pot with a can in it or a cutting board with a book on top--this helps squeeze out the extra moisture--do this anywhere from a couple of minutes to about 15 mins)
3. while you are waiting for the tofu to be ready, get your marinade together in a big bowl (big enough to fit the tofu slices). i mix all of the ingredients together with no real measurements. if i had to guess i would say about 4 or 5 tbls of soy sauce and 2 of white wine, a splash of olive oil, a couple tsp of sesame seeds, and a few shakes of the dry ingredients. play around with it and see what you like!

4. add the tofu and move the bowl around so it covers tofu (i dont stir it because the tofu might break...which is not bad, but not ideal). you can let it sit for a few minutes or up to an hour, if you like. i do only about 15 minutes or so because i dont like it to get too soggy or it won't crisp up enough. you can flip the pieces around half-way through.
5. spray the cookie sheet (or put some olive oil on a paper towel and rub it onto the pan) and arrange the tofu in an even layer without letting the pieces touch. cooking time will depend on how crispy you like your tofu and how well-done. this is something i have played around with (both in timing and in oven temperature), but have had the best results setting it at 350 and cooking the tofu for about 15 minutes flipping half-way through. again, use your judgement--if you see they are getting dark or crispy and you want to take them out...take them out! obvi :)
**option: you can also fry the tofu in a pan. once you take it out of the marinade, cut each slab in half and then in half diagnally (so it looks like when you order it in thai food, like a right triangle...like the pic). then put a little oil in a pan set to medium heat. toss in the pieces and cook for a few mins on each side.

well, there you have it! i have made this a few times and LOVE it!! its super easy and so delish. because its not meat, you can also save the marinade and use it again! for my side dish, i like to saute some broccoli in the same marinade. i just toss in a couple tbls of marinade into a pan, throw in about a cup of broccoli and saute on medium heat until it looks delish. you can also put this whole meal over white or brown (ew, not me) rice! ENJOY!!

times they are a changin'

2009-06-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

as some of you may remember from my skinny bitch post, i have sort of taken a new approach to the way i eat. well, i have decided to include some of my new way of life into my blog so i can share it with those who are interested :) there have been a few things that have influenced me and have helped me a lot in my little food journey. first and foremost was going to spain last year. living in spain forced me to eat a million things that i would have never eaten in my life (meats, fish, seafood, tons of salad, different kinds of fruits and veggies, a variety of soups, etc). pretty much my whole life ive been suuuper picky and pretty limited in what i ate. but living with a spanish mama that did not understand the words "i dont like it" made me change pretty quickly!! while i was there, i also developed an interest in cooking...totally new to me! when i lived on my own for the first time in college i could count the number of times on one hand that i had warm food in a week...i only ate things like cereal, yogurt, turkey, crackers...cold things that didnt need cooking or even preparing. my dad is a chef and my mom is also an AMAZING cook, so i really did not have any real need to cook because both my parents were so great at it...and when they didnt cook, my sister gladly (most of the time) stepped in to make me something! so i guess what we can take from this is i was definitely a spoiled brat when it came to food!! that aside, spain changed me and i got the cooking bug! i often watched/helped my spanish mama cook and and took notes on her recipes and ingredients. we went shopping together a lot and to different outdoor markets and it was so fun! i also took note of the way she cooked and planned...she made big batches of many things at a time and then froze them in portions--which is genius and something i do allll the time now. my mom gets offended by this though because apparently this is how she cooks too (and did do my entire life)...but i guess i never noticed so i gave credit to my spanish mama....uh oh mama drama!! haha! anyway, when i came back to the states i started my new life of cooking and i really liked it!! i discovered that i actually like to follow a recipe and try new things (my new roommates thought i was like susie homemaker!! haha little did they know i was a total poser!). the next thing that shifted my interest in food and nutrition was my friend over at cooking with kate (check out her blog, she is amazing and i love her!!) who started a food blog and thus introduced me to the crazy world of food blogging! i have learned about soooo many cool new ingredients and interesting recipes from the food blogs, which has helped to keep things exciting and fresh as i started this healthy/different eating kick! lastly, i have been reading books like skinny bitch (ignore the name and read it, it will change your life!!) and fast food nation, researching online, watching the food network, randomly trying new ingredients, tapping into my inner chef, which my dad tells me is innate....oh yeah and calling my mom millions of times. all of those things combined have influenced a lot of my food-related decisions and have really changed the way i eat!

anyway, that was just a little intro into me, so now from time to time ill tell you whats going on in my food world with any new ingredients or new recipes that i try so you can try (and enjoy!) them too!! until next time......

fat girl moment

2009-06-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

so i had another one of my famous fat girl moments the other day that i wanted to share. i finished cooking dinner the other night and got it all served up, cooking dishes cleaned (yeah, i have issues...cant eat until i do the dishes first...weird, but true), everything set. i brought my plate to the table (no, i dont eat at a nice dinner table, i eat at a table in the living room in front of the tv, watching my soap or SYTYCD at the moment...typical american, sad, i know!) and set it down. then i noticed that there was a bit of my delicious meal on my finger.....so what did i do?!? did i learn my lesson from my past experiences/bad decisions?? nooooope... i licked that finger because why?? im greedy?? i couldnt let a morsel of food go to waste?? i didnt have a napkin?? for whatever reason..i admit it, i did it. i licked my finger...again. and guess what?? i got what was coming to me: IT WAS DISH SOAP!!!!!!! AHHHH!! SICK! when will i ever learn!?!? if super glue didnt teach me a lesson...maybe dish soap will?? it was not ok! never again...hopefully....

elevator tales

2009-06-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

daily elevator rides can definitely have the potential for awkward situations. ellen (who i am obsessed with btw...watch her stand-up, she is amazing) does a bit on elevators and how awkward they can be. its a tiny space, you are with a stranger, you stand in silence (which for me is always awkward silence) or someone tries to make awkward elevator small talk (which is tough because you never know how long each rider will be staying..so you must be smart in your choice of mini-convo and allow it to end quickly when necessary..nothing worse than the elevator doors closing and two ppl are trying to quickly finish their convo as the doors get closer and closer with one person on either side of the closing doors and all the other riders are secretly hoping one of them doesnt decide to throw a hand in causing the doors to pop back open, thus surely causing someone in the elevator to be late to a meeting or a lunch or a party or an appointment or...oops im babbling, sorry, ill stop)...etc. aaanyway, i was rushing for the elevator yesterday and just as it was about to close, it opened again. there was a security guard inside and she heard me coming and held it for me. so nice, right?? well as it turns, maybe she wasnt actually being nice, but just didnt want to ride alone! so the doors closed and i said thanks (for holding the door, obvi) and she smiles. then we start our ride and she starts fiddling with a candy or something. and then she turns to me and goes "i gotta eat a mint". hmm..i thought, well thats nice..but i didnt really ask. so i just go, "oh" and smile. then she continues..."yah, had me a submarine sandwich...you know...onions..." i was like, umm...i mean, what do you say to that?? haha i just laughed and go, "well then, i guess a mint is definitely in order". then it was my stop and as i stepped out i heard her cracking up as the doors close. haha totally weiiiird and totally the kind of situation that oddly enough, i find myself in very often!! clearly i didnt ask for any details of her eating schedule or her need for mints...but it really seems like sometimes ppl just have the need to tell me the weirdest thing...or maybe she just had really bad onion breath that, because of my bad nose, i couldnt smell, and perhaps she was just trying to explain it away as we were in a rather tiny space and i guess if it was as bad as she thought, it could have been offensive. hmm..dont know.

have a good one! xoxo

WHOOPS!

2009-06-18T08:30:00.001-07:00

OMG i TOTALLY thought today was FRIDAY!!!! i woke up just FEELING friday! i dont know why...maybe because my boss is going out of town and not coming in tomorrow?? but like, im still coming in...soo...im just a mess!! i just emailed my friend at work and said...HAPPY FRIDAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! and she wrote me back and goes, "lol you are a mess, its not friday haha!" see?!? omg SO EMBARRASSING!! she must think im insane!! the thing is, its not just like i feel like its friday, but know its thursday.....i really think it IS friday...omg, wait...do i have a problem.....

i think so...

HAPPY THURSDAY!

xoxo

the addiction

2009-06-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

as you all know, i have a little teeny tiny itsy bitsy, barely-there, may not even need to mention it sort of kind of addiction to...starbucks, specifically, non-fat lattes. ok, fine its a little bigger than teeny tiny, but whatever! anyway, ive really been trying to get control over it recently..both because my card is running out of funds and because lets face it, i have a problem! so i was all excited yesterday when i didnt have time for starbucks, forcing me not to get it. i called my mom and was like...omg i havent had starbucks in SO long!! i think its been over a week!!! and my mom goes...wow, great! yeah...wait...not since last friday when you got a latte and a chocolate donut? ugh. she had to go there, didnt she?? not only did she burst my bubble and remind me that it had only been like four days since my last starbucks fix...but she also had to bring up the fact that not only did i get my normal non-fat latte but also secretly (key word) got a chocolate donut too!! thats my shameful secret mom!! you dont bring it up! haha so sad!! i was SO excited about my progress with staying away from starbucks that i totally forgot not only am i making NO progress at all but i also forgot about my little donut treat last friday! AWKWARDDDD! looks like my little issue isnt going anywhere...so my new problem is my lack of funds...donations are welcome...

PS OMG HOW AMAZING DOES THAT LATTE LOOK!?!? dont you just want to go out and get one like RIGHT NOW!!! (no? just me??) also: you should totally drink lattes and other starbucks drinks from REAL glasses if you are drinking in...for one, it tastes and looks so much better and two, why waste a cup?! sorry..just a little public service announcement :) xoxo

near death experience

2009-06-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

i had a near death experience today when i tried to take my vitamin. i am new to the whole vitamin taking...just started last week. weeeelll see where it gets you...almost dead, thats where! heres the story: i got into the office this am and remembered that i needed to take my vitamin. i looked to my water bottle, which had a teeny tiny little sipling of old water in it from last week...ew, i know...anyway, i foolishly thought that would be enough to take the monster vitamin (novice mistake). so i popped the little bugger and drank the one drop of water that was left and then noticed (too late, i might add) that it was, in fact, not enough! that is when the choking ensued. i need to add that i work in the basement and there is NO ONE else here on tuesdays, except my intern...who was not here so there was no one around to even hear me let alone save me. so i sort of started to panic and cough a little. i thought....1. uh oh, not good--cant breath 2. should i try to vom it back up?! 3. or should i try to force it down?! 4. OMG IM CHOKING AND ALONE!! MAYDAY MAYDAY...so i grabbed my coffee (hot=bad choice, but only option) and forced it down! luckily i recovered and didnt die. whew! what a way to start the day!!

bathroom rant

2009-06-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

i have a little ish with about some ppls bathroom habits lately. well, the first one is when in a GIRLS bathroom there is pee all over the seat! what is that?? what in the heck were they doing in there for there to be pee all over the seat?! and if that DOES weirdly happen to you...do you not have the decency to wipe it off?? do you think I want to? i dont think so. rude! ok, now the one that i really meant to write about before i went off on that little tangent...what is with ppl leaving the bathroom, pressing the paper towel thing for a paper towel...THEN washing their hands. that is not ok. its like...you are the one that is creating the problem in the first place. if you got out of the bathroom, soaped and washed your hands...then with nice clean hands got your paper towel...we would all be happy. but noooo, you had to use your nasty bathroom hands and go touching the paper towel dispenser making it all germy for everyone else. what is with that?? perhaps its just the weirdos i work with who do this? dont know. does anyone else have any bathroom issues that they want to get off their chest?? feel free, we're all friends here :)

have a good weekend!!!!! xoxo

heard on the bus

2009-06-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

i was riding the bus today and two ladies were practically SCREAMING as they were having their morning chit chat. now, i dont blame them because if i had a friend to ride the bus with, i would def be chit chatting and i have def been known to be a scream-talker...so thats fine. buuuut if you are going to scream, then you must remember that everyone around you is listening (even if they dont want to, because you are screaming, they are forced and probably dont like you)! anyway, these ladies were screaming about this and that, weekend plans, job stuff...pretty standard gossip. and then one complimented the others dress. heres how the convo went:

lady 1: i like your dress. very pretty!
lady 2: thanks! i got it at dress barn (note-never admit to buying something at dress barn--awful name and embarrassing to say...make something else up or omit store name!)
lady 1: oh wow! ive gotta get over there (probably thinking..ew, dress barn!?). i like that style of dress, it really works for me.
lady 2: yah, i know...i like how it hangs and is not tight.
lady 1: oh, well you are pretty slim! you dont have to worry! (sounds normal so far, right?? wait til the next one..)
lady 2: no no, ive got this big tire that im trying to work off.........

ummm...there are many things wrong with this sitch: #1. if you have a tire-like belly--DO NOT bring attention to it!! #2. if you have a big belly...dont call it a TIRE! haha! not ok! and #3. if you would like to both call attention to your big belly and call it a tire...then do so in private with your bffs...nooooot to the entire bus! soo awkward!!

anyway, i got a little chuckle out of it this am! dont forget to watch sytycd tonight!!

have a good one :) xoxo

awkwarddd

2009-06-09T09:17:00.001-07:00

part of my job entails organizing the sale of a package that my boss created. i have been doing it once in a while over the past year and its usually not a big deal at all. but today it was a litttttle awkward! last week one of the people interested in buying the package was from outside of the US (which most of them are) and she said for security reasons they couldnt send a check in the mail but instead wanted to wire the money. well, i am clearly not the finance department so i had no idea how one would even go about that so i had to go all over the place trying to figure it out. fiiinally figured that out and gave them the instructions. then more time goes by and she writes me again and says, not good enough. they now need an invoice in order to be able to wire transfer the money. weeell...we dont have an invoice...BUT i remembered that the person who worked here before me once had to make one up for someone. she told me to just do the same if someone asked again. sooo here was my chance! i got it all gussied up and looking professional...well, how i imagine a real invoice might look! so i proudly sent it off last week and got the response today. here is what the woman said: "I am sorry, but we are still not able to pay. Our company does not accept the document you attached. The document you attached is not a real invoice." hahahahah OMG!!! HOW TOTALLY AWKWARD!! RIGHT?? hahah so embarrassing!! she saw RIGHT through my homemade invoice! aaaaawkwarrd! whoooooops!! but like, dude...what else can i do other than make one?! we dont have invoices! anyone got a good invoice template i can use?!?! haha!

its catching on...

2009-06-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

an email i got from my mom today:

"It’s national doughnut day. What the ?"

gotta love the "what the?"!! its TOTALLY catching on!! i knew this phrase would spread like wildfire if i just said it enough! haha! love it...use it! WHAT THE?!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

PS do you notice that this is LINK CENTRAL now?!? i learned a new trick and now i cant stop! haha internet tricks..what the??

soy yogurt update!

2009-06-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

here is my soy yogurt update: i went to whole foods the other night as i was out of my soy yogurt that i "love" so much. just as i was about to put the plain soy yog in my cart...i reconsidered (while having flashbacks of the gagging and force feeding and necessary added ingredients to make it tolerable) and grabbed the vanilla flavored instead. well i just tried it aaand.....ITS REALLY GOOD!! it tastes sort of like vanilla pudding...but still has that tangy taste of plain yogurt (that as weird as it is to admit..i really do like!!). i totally suggest if you are going to venture into the world of soy yogurt...you should def go for the vanilla flav...YUM!! sweet sweet victory over the soy yogurt world! haha!

PS its also thicker than either nonfat plain normal yogurt or plain soy yogurt...so much so that when i stuck my spoon in it, it just stood straight up! i was really impressed by this and thought it was cool, but my intern informed me it/i was weird...

allergies

2009-06-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

when i think allergies, i think nerds who have inhalers and cant be outside in the springtime and wear taped glasses and all that jazz...i dont think: me. clearly i need to change my thinking. for the first time in my life...i think ive got some allergies goin on. its sick. im like a sneezin fool...which, at the time of the swine flu, no one likes!! im all sneezy and snarfelly and carrying on while surrounded by ppl on the metro or bus or at work and its just plain awkward. i swear ppl keep moving away from me and looking at me like i should stop...probably how i look at other ppl doing the same thing on public transportation...im like, ew, wear a mask or a bag over your head dude..gross. haha AND NOW ITS ME!!! saaaad!

ew, allergies are sick. so if you are also suffering from itchy eyes and sneeziness---i feel your pain!!!

xoxo

force feeding

2009-06-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

while some are put off by the idea of force feeding, its something that i regularly practice and i see great results. take soy yogurt, for example. when i bought soy yogurt for the first time last week i zipped right past all the flavored varieties (fruit, chocolate, coconut, etc) and went straight for the plain. that might sound strange, but i like plain nonfat yogurt and eat it regularly without honey or fruit added in...(even when others turn up their nose at my sour treat) so i thought it would be about the same. wellll boy was i WRONG! i opened up the yogurt last week in my office and i have to tell you, i was a little nervous. it smelled differently than yogurt and it had a yellowy tint that was not too appealing. but i forged forward thinking i would surely love this plain yogurt alternative! first bite-gagged. second bite-gagged again and could barely swallow. the sour taste that i normally enjoy in plain yogurt is NOTHING compared to how sour this stuff is! yowza! but someway somehow through some force feeding techniques i have mastered throughout the years, i got that soy yogurt down. ohhh i forgot to mention one thing--instead of being a normal person and only buying an individual serving, i was so cocky that i would love it that i bought a giant container! stupid stupid. anyway, the next day i came armed with a little cereal square (wheatabix) to crush into it to help with the nasty taste. (i had discussed my hatred for my new snack with a few ppl who suggested fruit mixed in..but the only thing i have is blueberries, which i have to force down as is...so thats a no go for now). anyway, the cereal masked the taste a bit, but it was still SO SOUR that i could barely swallow it. eulp. sorry, flashback. sooo the next day i stopped at starbucks for a latte and saw honey packets...so i grabbed a honey packet and added that to the mix. with part of the honey packet (no, i dont like honey either..ew..) and the cereal mixed in..it was much more tolerable. i ate it with only mild disgust and no gagging. whew. well today im back at it and i MUST tell you: yet again, my force feeding paid off!! today i ate that plain soy yogurt with a cereal square crunched in it and no honey and....i actually liked it! haha! and that my friends, is why i advocate forcing things down until you get over your hatred and start to "enjoy" it!! happy eating!

fat girl

2009-06-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

i wanted to explain the fat girl comment in the last post. no, i dont have a problem and no, im not actually a fat girl...buuut i do tend to get myself into fat girl situations from time to time and when explaining those situations, no other name will do. i will explain where the name first started. it was christmas eve and my parents, who are both amazing cooks, decided to make a lobster cocktail appetizer..yum, right?? a lobster cocktail is mashed potatoes (homemade obvi) topped with lobster and then drizzled with lobster butter...all served in a martini glass. really cute. anyway, we were having a lot of ppl over and dont have that many martini glasses as none of us really drink martinis. soo my mom opted for the plastic glasses instead. we bought the glasses (no, it didnt look trashy, it looked cute..i swear) but we didnt want to have any mishaps with the bottoms falling off (you know, you have to like click the bottom into the top)...anyway, so our brilliant idea was to put a little dot of super glue to hold them in place. perf, right?? wrong. we passed out the cocktails and everyone was def impressed...it looked amazing. i took my cocktail and started eating it...until suddenly i felt something on my finger. i looked down and was like, oh no, a tiny little bit of mashed potato has fallen onto my finger. being the fat girl that i am, i thought..no no, this wont do..not a bit of this deliciousness can be wasted...so without hesitation (or shame) i quickly licked off the bit of fallen potato. THAT was when i noticed (in horror) it was noooooot mashed potato. no no, it was SUPER GLUE. somehow a little glue had seeped out onto my finger and because i couldnt waste a morsel of those darn potatoes, i now had SUPER GLUE on my tongue! tooootally a fat girl moment. lesson learned--if you lick bits of food off your hands (esp at a fancy christmas party) you are a fat girl and will probably be punished by getting super glue on your tongue and put to shame by laughing friends and family. thus, fat girl moments were born! have a great day :)

fricken mcdonalds

2009-06-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

helllooo again...sorry ive been MIA, but the truth is, nothing really interesting has been happening lately! oh well, such is life. ANYWAY, fricken mcdonalds. so last night i was at my house and i had a sweet tooth like none other. i usually try to ignore things like that and i also dont keep sweets in the house, so i really dont have the option. buuuuut last night it was so nice out, i thought wouldnt it be so cute to have some frozen yogurt?! but then i realized that i dont know any froyo places near my house. then i thought...mcdonalds frozen yogurt! brilliant! sooooo i get myself together, drive to mcdonalds...gag a little upon entering bc the thought of fast food makes me want to eulp these days...but quickly remind myself im only there for the frozen yogurt. the experience was not a good one, let me tell you. not only were there far too many ppl there so late at night mowing down on some big macs...but the cash register guy was totally rude! i asked him for a cone and he looked at me weird...so naturally, i repeated. then he asked me for money, i gave it to him and he just looked at it. so i quickly recounted, saw it was correct, and just sort of tap it. then he takes the money and goes and gets the cone and hands me a drippy mess. yes yes, i know i can be a little picky..but PALEASE! a drippy nasty cone?? i dont think so! so i go, ew. its yucky. and he goes, WHAT? i go..the cone is gross..im gonna need a cup. he looks at me and goes...cone does NOT mean cone and cup. i go: YOU GAVE ME A DRIPPY NASTY CONE! oooook...so im at mcdonalds on the late-night fighting with the check-out guy about a messy cone...nooot one of my finer moments. anyway, he finally gave me the cone and i headed back home...all the while thinking, hmm..this doesnt really taste like frozen yogurt. but after all that, i convinced myself i was wrong...but actually only ate half bc i had my suspicians....weeeeeellll...my mom confirmed it this AM...they no longer serve froyo at mcdonalds..its full-on ice cream. aaaaaaaand im a fat girl! fricken mcdonalds..i KNEW there was a reason i stayed out of that place!

**update: omg i just read online that the mcdonalds ice cream cone only has 150 cals...maybe im not such a fat girl after all...

ive got issuessss

2009-05-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

issssssssues (if you know gramboat, you know how im saying this...isssuuess issuues:) haha)! these are the things ive got! i am a total workaholic! i have my normal job during the week and then i also work on the weekend. i have a real problem saying "no" to people and so i end up working more than my allotted time fairly often. BUT i only work four days a week (for ten hours a day) at my normal job...so mondays are MY day! ive been told by my mom 1000 times to keep monday sacred. that everyone needs a day off. a day for themselves. just to relax! welllll clearly i have problems with this! when i sit at home doing nothing or doing stuff for myself..i feel guilty. i feel like im wasting the day and could be doing a million things..just not relaxing!! so i usually end up cleaning or doing boring errands or going to not-fun appointments like the dentist or the doctor! so i got a call today about ANOTHER job. i knew the call was coming. i had my answer planned out...no. its as easy as that..no. buuuut as it turns out, its NOT that easy. not when im on the phone, the pressure is mounting, i start to break into a sweat...AND BEFORE I KNOW IT, being the people pleasing workaholic that i am...... im offering up MONDAYS! ahhh! IM A NUT! its not official yet...but dont tell my mom that i think i just gave up my sacred day to take on a third job..... i need help.

dropping like flies

2009-05-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

the saying "dropping like flies" has taken on a new meaning for me. for the past couple weeks we have had tons of flies flying all over our office (so much so that i blogged about it) but now a few weeks later...there are no flies flying but there are flies lying. it seems like everywhere i go in this place, i see dead flies on the ground. im finally understanding the saying they're dropping like flies! but its so weird. its like, im wondering if i should be worried...what the heck is in the air that is making these flies drop dead?! i dont love bugs..in fact, i dont like them at all..wellll lately thats not entirely true. i do have a soft spot for bees, ants, and worms...what?! bees and ants are really really smart...and ants are like really hard workers! i look at them hard at work all in a line and im so proud of them! and worms...well, if i pass a worm that seems to be stuck in a dry spot on the sidewalk..i cant help but scootch it back to some nice moist soil. the alternative is just too sad...to die by drying up!??! horrifying! ok ok, yes, clearly i have issues...buuut you know, whats knew?! haha! anyway, ive found myself feeling sort of bad (and being a little scared about what im breathing in) for these flies that seem to have died mid-flight. poor little guys.

couch sleeper

2009-05-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

i am a total couch sleeper. if i had to choose between a bed and a couch, it would be a couch any day. my favorite thing to do is fall asleep on the couch and then be woken up or wake up late in the night and scoot to my bed. i dont know why?? it means broken sleep, it means moving after youre comfortable, and most importantly it was really irritating for my family growing up and all the friends ive lived with thus far...always having to wake me up and trying to make me move. i cant explain it, i just like it! haha! so i was on the couch last night watching dancing with the stars...embarrassing, i know. i dont usually watch it, but have caught the last couple episodes...anyway, so i fell asleep as per usual and my phone rang. another little issue i have is talking in my sleep and pretending im not sleepy and totally normal...another irritant for my family and friends! i will clearly be sleeping, then be woken up and start talking crazy talk all the while insisting im fine and fully aware of the situation and actually getting upset when i hear otherwise (and completely denying it the next day, of course). yet i always sound totally insane and am usually talking about nonsense. once i even waved at a balloon thinking it was my friend who left about an hour earlier. when my sister called me out on it i obviously got irrationally mad at her :) so ok, back to last night...i was sleeping on the couch and my phone rang. i reached over (in my sleep) and picked it up but didnt say anything. then i partially woke up to someone saying my name over and over and are you there..are you there?? hello?? by then i sort of came to...looked at the phone i was holding like it was a piece of space junk that just fell into my living room...i could hear my friend talking and knew full well who it was, yet looking down at the phone in my hand i was somehow totally confused. so i did what anyone would do (right?!)...quickly hung up the phone without saying anything at all. no explanation, no nothing! i just hung up on my poor friend! obviously she called me right back and i answer in as cheerful and awake voice as i can manage (although she definitely knew i had been sleeping)!! my friend immediately goes, "hi, sorry are you sleeping?" i go, "no, no, im fiiiine (like ross on friends...im fiiiiiiine). whats up??" clearly far too high pitched and still mildly insane sounding. she knew the truth. told me she would call me tomorrow and to go back to sleep....she saw right through me! hahah what can i say...i love the couch sleepin!!

benjamin button

2009-05-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

ok so i think that i might have actually seen the REAL benjamin button...no, im not kidding and no, i didnt like that movie. the reason i didnt like it was because i just couldnt get past the story..like, it was too unbelievable and i couldnt let myself go and get into it. i kept being like, ew dude. anyywayy...now that i had a run-in with THE benjamin button..i might be singing a different tune! i was at starbucks a few days ago (obvi) and while i was sipping my half-caf, nonfat, grande latte i noticed a mom and her son walking. the boy was pretty cute and it wasnt until her turned around that i noticed that he had...a bald spot. like, i kid you not...a total bald spot. perfect circle right in the middle...just like grandpas. i have worked with kids for a long time but i have neeeever seen anything like this! has anyone ever heard of this?? i was seriously in shock! i tried to get a closer look to see if he had wrinkles or thick glasses like in the movie..but no such luck. and it didnt look like hair loss from like a disease or alopecia or anything...because he had a full head of hair everywhere else...it was just a perfect bald spot. so, if no one's ever heard of this...then im thinking...i really did see the real-life benjamin button! i am now a believer and will now stop knocking the movie.

i need to stick to my guns!!

2009-05-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

lately i have been criticizing weird behavior and then doing that very same behavior soon after...do i have a problem!??! first i said it was totally weird that people go to the gym at like 6am (some even earlier!). i was like, oh those gym freaks who are there all early blah blah...theeeen before i knew what was happening..i BECAME one of them!! haha! then just the other day i was saying how it was weird to post comments on ppls blogs that you dont know...then today i did it. i read something and just felt like i had to comment! ahah! right after i did the deed i confessed to my friend and was like..i think i may or may not have a problem!! AHH WHATS NEXT?!?!? i need to get a handle on this :)

the bag lady

2009-05-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

i was just reading someones blog who was talking about lugging a bunch of stuff around each day and i can toootally relate. i literally feel like a bag lady most days!! i seriously have SO MUCH STUFF with me at all times..its not ok. i carry my gym bag, my purse, and a food bag (with breakfast, lunch, and a piece of fruit for snack)....some days i add in a yoga mat, a coffee, an umbrella, or a book and i literally can barely get my metro card out in time! yep, im the irritating person holding up the line to get into the metro juggling 10 million things trying to find the dang card! haha! sorry people! i seriously need to figure out a way to make things easier so i am not constantly lugging my life around!! any suggestions?!? (oh yah, here is a pic of me on my way to work...that anti-aging cream is really working!!)

SYTYCD!!!!!!

2009-05-14T06:47:00.001-07:00

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE starts IN ONE WEEK!!!!!!!!! THURSDAY, MAY 21st!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!! i am obsessed with this show and you should be too!! i have watched the past two seasons and even saw them live once!! it was so amazing..i was sitting at the edge of my seat the entire time, taking pictures and screaming like the psycho fan i am! hah! so fun! OH and before you ask, NO it is NOT like american idol!! the people CAN actually dance..whereas in american idol, many of them cant even sing! but sadly, YES they still do that irritating beginning where they show all the fools in auditions who cant dance. ugh, i hate that part! anywayyy...so amazing!! anyone who is anyone will be watching it :) will you??!

the blog world

2009-05-13T12:09:00.001-07:00

people are a little strange sometimes in the blog world..ok, ppl are just strange in general. but it seems that in this electronic age...ppl feel like they are somewhat hidden or protected by their computer screen. because you cant see them, they are allowed to say whatever they want...things they probably wouldnt normally say (especially to a stranger!). thus, the mean blog comment was born. what in the world would possess someone to make a mean comment?? its so weird. its like, no one asked..you dont know them...just dont say anything at all. its totally bizarre.

i thought of this most recently when one of my friends who writes a food blog wrote about a new bar (like a nutrition bar) that she tried...and some weirdo that she doesnt know wrote: "The Gnu bar is tasty, but pricey. Guess you got money to burn." hahah like, really??? that is the weirdest comment to make!! there is just no need to say anything at all! hah!

at least this comment was pretty mild, ive seen and heard of other really nasty ones and i just never quite understand it. i guess it all just boils down to the fact that people are really really weird.

nBbloggin

im baaaack...

the big lebowski

playing mom

men are from mars, women are from venus

starbucks

i have a problem

B&Bs

Roly Bags

dry mouth

SPAIN here i comeeeee!

how low can you go?

love hate relationship

NYC--part 1

the accidental "i love you"

starbucks

dreams

shakira is so so cool

BEAN CURD

MoVie REviEW!

commercials

hand washing

movie review update!

the little tootski

MovIe ReViewS

the disappearing act!

doooooooone

bad habits

fiiiiiinaaaaalsssssss

a second time for everything??

theres a first time for everything...

*folgers update*

moldy cheese

awkwarddd

obsessed

the best part of wakin upppp....

the power of the rubber glove

keen sense of direction

poker face

emergen-C

LARABAR

directions

Carrot Cake Oats :)

i dont get it

**amazing item alert**

Kale Salad!!

oatmeal

MIA

new york newww yooooork

metro tales

some things i dont like

first day of school!

the sneeze attack

ummm

BLT PIZZA!!

Almond-Orange Tofu

ellen moment

weird lunch

back to school

ew dude

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes

policeman trickery

a surprise in my bloob

Fakin Bacon BLT

Shawty fire burnin on the dance floor...whooaaaa...

same words, different meanings

SUNBURNED!

awkward!

Fresh Pea & Leek Soup!

Almond Butter Cookies :)

SaLsA!

ELLEN

new job/hobby

i mean...

times are tough...

vegetarian chili!

fish tacos

tofu

times they are a changin'

fat girl moment

folgers update

amazing item alert