This past weekend I was so absorbed by my own stress. I was feeling down because of work, strained friendships and all the cleaning and organizing that I wanted to accomplish. Graydon and I also started building a new shelving unit and became frustrated by the lack of instructions in the box. I was feeling so overwhelmed by the stressors that were facing me come Monday at work and the lesson we would have to teach on Sunday.
While we were figuring out our shelving unit, we got a call from Graydon's mom. It was not good news. Graydon's amazing grandmother had been taken to the emergency room. I have never been so amazed by Graydon as when I saw the immediate rush of concern flood over him and take an immediate hold of his priorities. "Let's go". We stopped building our shelving unit. We pet Lucy and gave her a bone. We grabbed some water, hopped in the car and arrived in Layton within 30 minutes.
Graydon and I were able to see Grandma Polly in the last moments of her life. While I stood there watching the family and Grandpa Charles near his sweetheart, I began admonishing myself for all the little things that I stressed over during the day. Who cares if the furniture didn't come with directions? Why should I worry about work when it will be there for me on Monday? Why in the world did I waste my energy on being offended? I grabbed Graydon's hand tightly and allowed all the memories of our 5 years together to rush over me. I thought of all the times we spent with his family and my family. I thought about the first time I met Grandma Polly at our high school graduation. I smiled as I thought about the immediate love she showed me even before I was a part of the family. The entire room was filled with an indescribable warmth. My heart felt like it would overflow with so much love even though we were so sad to see Grandma Polly go.
I am so grateful for the gospel and for eternal families. I cannot imagine an afterlife without my darling or my amazing family and friends. I know that the gospel brings happiness if we follow the teachings of Christ and live our life serving other people. I hope that I can live my life in a way that my own Grandma and Grandma Polly would be proud of.
Graydon says he imagines that our grandmothers have been able to meet our children. I hope they put in a good word for us :) I love Graydon so much and know that the love we share for each other can surpass any trial as long as we stay faithful in the gospel. Although I am so sad to have said goodbye to an amazing woman, I am so grateful for Grandma Polly's example and what she did for her family.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Finally...
Wow it feels so nice to be sitting at home knowing that I have a three day weekend! I haven't been up to too much lately besides work. Gray and I have been really busy with our own things going on. He is going to school this summer and working part-time so sometimes I have to hang out with Lucy while he does his homework and studies.
My job is going well. Although I haven't gone on a mission I imagine I experienced that same sort of thing when I felt like things were finally starting to make sense to me in a foreign place. Instead of waking up one day and realizing I could finally speak the language, I feel like I'm comfortable about giving recommendations and recalling policies/procedures. Outside work I have been reading tons of literature on U.S. Labor Laws and checking out books on HR stuff. Sometimes I read them at home when I'm bored and I think it has helped me A TON. This week at work I've kind of had to fend for myself a little bit but it was a good learning experience for me at the same time. I think this week is when I finally felt comfortable supporting terminations and giving supervisors advice when they asked for it. A month ago I think I would have quickly put them on hold while I asked for help. I am coming up on my 4th month there and it seems like it has passed so quickly.
Today I got my Blackberry setup and I felt so dumb because I forgot to get email service...I suppose it will be useless this weekend? I also feel weird because now I have two phones on me. I would've loved to just use my iPhone but I don't feel good about giving out my personal number to people. Not to mention I wouldn't want to let go of that number if I could help it. I've had my phone number since sophomore year of high school and I don't have any intentions of losing it! I don't feel official yet but I will tell you that once my email is all set up with my BB, I'm going to feel so corporatized!
I'm finally writing a blog about my job because it has been such a great opportunity for me. It has given me great confidence and the ability to meet new people. I am so happy about this great opportunity even when it has been soooo difficult at times. I used to feel really discouraged when I first started but with all the help that I've been getting it has been so much easier getting into the thick of things. It has been a great comfort to me to have so many people mindful of what I've been up to and so supportive.
Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of me. Especially Graydon. When I have come home stressed from work he is always reassuring and always on my side. I am so grateful for everything he does to help me when I feel like I've had enough. I know my new job doesn't seem like a big deal to many people, but it is always so nice to know that my family is proud of what I'm doing. I am so excited about my new career and can't wait to see where it takes me.
Thank you everyone for your kind words.
My job is going well. Although I haven't gone on a mission I imagine I experienced that same sort of thing when I felt like things were finally starting to make sense to me in a foreign place. Instead of waking up one day and realizing I could finally speak the language, I feel like I'm comfortable about giving recommendations and recalling policies/procedures. Outside work I have been reading tons of literature on U.S. Labor Laws and checking out books on HR stuff. Sometimes I read them at home when I'm bored and I think it has helped me A TON. This week at work I've kind of had to fend for myself a little bit but it was a good learning experience for me at the same time. I think this week is when I finally felt comfortable supporting terminations and giving supervisors advice when they asked for it. A month ago I think I would have quickly put them on hold while I asked for help. I am coming up on my 4th month there and it seems like it has passed so quickly.
Today I got my Blackberry setup and I felt so dumb because I forgot to get email service...I suppose it will be useless this weekend? I also feel weird because now I have two phones on me. I would've loved to just use my iPhone but I don't feel good about giving out my personal number to people. Not to mention I wouldn't want to let go of that number if I could help it. I've had my phone number since sophomore year of high school and I don't have any intentions of losing it! I don't feel official yet but I will tell you that once my email is all set up with my BB, I'm going to feel so corporatized!
I'm finally writing a blog about my job because it has been such a great opportunity for me. It has given me great confidence and the ability to meet new people. I am so happy about this great opportunity even when it has been soooo difficult at times. I used to feel really discouraged when I first started but with all the help that I've been getting it has been so much easier getting into the thick of things. It has been a great comfort to me to have so many people mindful of what I've been up to and so supportive.
Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of me. Especially Graydon. When I have come home stressed from work he is always reassuring and always on my side. I am so grateful for everything he does to help me when I feel like I've had enough. I know my new job doesn't seem like a big deal to many people, but it is always so nice to know that my family is proud of what I'm doing. I am so excited about my new career and can't wait to see where it takes me.
Thank you everyone for your kind words.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Asian Pork Tenderloin with Spinach and Bean Sprouts
Here is a recipe that I came up with after mixing and matching a couple different recipes.
WARNING: make sure you close all the doors in your house and open all the windows. We don't have a fan above our stove so the soy sauce smell lingers! It's delicious though.
Ingredients
1/2-1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed (we don't eat a lot of meat so I usually only cook with 1/2 lb. of pork and freeze the other half for another day)
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Sambal sauce (Thai chili sauce with seeds)
1 Tbsp. white or rice vinegar
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. of minced garlic
2 Tbsp. of minced fresh ginger or 2 Tbsp. of lemongrass in a tube (sounds weird but is super convenient)
1/4 lb. of spinach (stems removed)
1 cup of bean sprouts
half package of rice noodles
To make marinade:
Mix soy sauce, Sambal sauce, vinegar, orange zest, garlic, and ginger in a bowl.
Place pork tenderloin in the marinade for 5-10 minutes. Set aside. Meanwhile heat 2 Tbsp. of oil in a pan. Add marinaded pork tenderloin and sear for 5 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Drain oil and add marinade sauce to pan. Heat marinade until it boils for 1 minute (be sure it boils or else you will not cook out the pork juices). Remove marinade and set aside. Add spinach and bean sprouts to the pan. Add about 1 Tbsp of soy sauce for extra seasoning. Stir-fry spinach and bean sprouts until spinach wilts.
Meanwhile follow package directions for rice noodles. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes to cook.
When all cooking is completed, layer your dish starting with rice noodles on the bottom, spinach and bean sprouts next, and then pork tenderloin on top. Feel free to add more bean sprouts and spinach for another layer of tasty goodness.
One of these days I will put up a picture of my food. For now, enjoy!
WARNING: make sure you close all the doors in your house and open all the windows. We don't have a fan above our stove so the soy sauce smell lingers! It's delicious though.
Ingredients
1/2-1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed (we don't eat a lot of meat so I usually only cook with 1/2 lb. of pork and freeze the other half for another day)
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Sambal sauce (Thai chili sauce with seeds)
1 Tbsp. white or rice vinegar
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. of minced garlic
2 Tbsp. of minced fresh ginger or 2 Tbsp. of lemongrass in a tube (sounds weird but is super convenient)
1/4 lb. of spinach (stems removed)
1 cup of bean sprouts
half package of rice noodles
To make marinade:
Mix soy sauce, Sambal sauce, vinegar, orange zest, garlic, and ginger in a bowl.
Place pork tenderloin in the marinade for 5-10 minutes. Set aside. Meanwhile heat 2 Tbsp. of oil in a pan. Add marinaded pork tenderloin and sear for 5 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Drain oil and add marinade sauce to pan. Heat marinade until it boils for 1 minute (be sure it boils or else you will not cook out the pork juices). Remove marinade and set aside. Add spinach and bean sprouts to the pan. Add about 1 Tbsp of soy sauce for extra seasoning. Stir-fry spinach and bean sprouts until spinach wilts.
Meanwhile follow package directions for rice noodles. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes to cook.
When all cooking is completed, layer your dish starting with rice noodles on the bottom, spinach and bean sprouts next, and then pork tenderloin on top. Feel free to add more bean sprouts and spinach for another layer of tasty goodness.
One of these days I will put up a picture of my food. For now, enjoy!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Here you are my dearest sister(s)
Per request from my dear sister Michelle, I am writing a blog tonight. I'm feeling a little strange about it since I have gradually fallen away from social networking and blogging, but I'm excited that I have the time to do it.
What is hidden in the inner most caverns of my thoughts?
I can say that when I read my past blogs I sometimes feel a little sad. What was I thinking exactly? Was I taking my melancholy music too seriously or simply using it as a balm for some sort of quiet desperation? I don't know how I fit some of those thoughts together and where they came from. I am very glad that I am no longer in that state of mind. However, my new state of mind seems to have come with a price. I often complain to Graydon about not caring about the things I used to enjoy. "Like what?" "You know. Shows. Music." He usually gives me that incredulous look (note: he hates that word, too) and thinks that missing out on shows is the least of my worries.
But WHHY? Why can't I feel the same way when I listen to that music that I used to have so much passion for? I don't think I'm sad. I don't think that the music is horrible. Then WHAAAT? What is wrong with me?
Graydon and I have discussed this more than once. Like many people who have a passion for music, I tend to attach songs/albums to very specific moments in my life. When I listen to a song, I can name the year, season, and probably the outfit I was wearing. I also can revive different scents, emotions and facial expressions from listening to certain songs. For example: January 2, 2007. A horrible but memorable night for me. Graydon and I sat in a freezing truck, the smell of his new coat, the smell of my shampoo I used at the time and the way his face hit the light before we had to part ways for 2 years are vivid memories that come back to me when I hear those songs from that night. When I attach these memories to music, it makes it difficult for me to replay these songs or music that would remind me of those times. I have a hard time listening to my favorite songs of senior year in high school because I know that many of those friendships don't exist anymore. I have a difficult time listening to an album because it reminds me of a time when I was missing my sisters so much.
I still love music. I'm not sure why I'm so dramatic about it now: I think it's because things and people have so suddenly been removed from my life that it seems hard to continue on as if things are the same. Many friendships are now passed. Family members are distant. My once familiar and comfortable job is no longer mine.
I'm definitely looking forward to what kind of things I can do with my life. I already feel so empowered to make use of all these changes. It is refreshing to feel like I can truly be successful being Myself. I don't have to worry about what kind of music I listen to. I am truly looking forward to whatever comes my way.
I think that eventually i will be able to listen to those old songs without being so sad. For now I think I will just listen to whatever's on Dance Central. Whoop!
What is hidden in the inner most caverns of my thoughts?
I can say that when I read my past blogs I sometimes feel a little sad. What was I thinking exactly? Was I taking my melancholy music too seriously or simply using it as a balm for some sort of quiet desperation? I don't know how I fit some of those thoughts together and where they came from. I am very glad that I am no longer in that state of mind. However, my new state of mind seems to have come with a price. I often complain to Graydon about not caring about the things I used to enjoy. "Like what?" "You know. Shows. Music." He usually gives me that incredulous look (note: he hates that word, too) and thinks that missing out on shows is the least of my worries.
But WHHY? Why can't I feel the same way when I listen to that music that I used to have so much passion for? I don't think I'm sad. I don't think that the music is horrible. Then WHAAAT? What is wrong with me?
Graydon and I have discussed this more than once. Like many people who have a passion for music, I tend to attach songs/albums to very specific moments in my life. When I listen to a song, I can name the year, season, and probably the outfit I was wearing. I also can revive different scents, emotions and facial expressions from listening to certain songs. For example: January 2, 2007. A horrible but memorable night for me. Graydon and I sat in a freezing truck, the smell of his new coat, the smell of my shampoo I used at the time and the way his face hit the light before we had to part ways for 2 years are vivid memories that come back to me when I hear those songs from that night. When I attach these memories to music, it makes it difficult for me to replay these songs or music that would remind me of those times. I have a hard time listening to my favorite songs of senior year in high school because I know that many of those friendships don't exist anymore. I have a difficult time listening to an album because it reminds me of a time when I was missing my sisters so much.
I still love music. I'm not sure why I'm so dramatic about it now: I think it's because things and people have so suddenly been removed from my life that it seems hard to continue on as if things are the same. Many friendships are now passed. Family members are distant. My once familiar and comfortable job is no longer mine.
I'm definitely looking forward to what kind of things I can do with my life. I already feel so empowered to make use of all these changes. It is refreshing to feel like I can truly be successful being Myself. I don't have to worry about what kind of music I listen to. I am truly looking forward to whatever comes my way.
I think that eventually i will be able to listen to those old songs without being so sad. For now I think I will just listen to whatever's on Dance Central. Whoop!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Redo
I posted a couple songs that I recorded a few weeks ago. Here is one that I redid. No metronome this time. Ba ha.
Click to hear my take on Schuyler Fisk's "From Where I'm Standing"
Click to hear my take on Schuyler Fisk's "From Where I'm Standing"
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A little tribute
It has been a crazy past few weeks. I was so happy when this weekend finally came along. Although we stayed pretty busy moving Graydon's grandparents out, I feel like we still had a good time.
Speaking of time. I feel so weird right now. Things have changed so much in just a short amount of time. I can hardly believe that my routine has changed so abruptly. I know that this is a good change but I can't help but be extremely sentimental about all the wonderful times I've had working at the restaurant for the past 4 years. I still remember the first time I walked in there. Graydon was holding my hand, it was our last day together before he left on his mission. My entire family was painting the walls brown and beige and some family friends were taking down old decorations from the Chinese restaurant. I led Graydon through some upturn furniture, past old bottles of soy sauce and plates stacked along the tables. We glanced around a bit, I knew I didn't want to stay too long since I had so little time left with Gray. I told him it would be transformed when he got back from his mission.
I had been there almost every day since that moment. I remember scraping gum from under the booths and sobbing because I missed Gray so much. I remember serving my first table and not knowing a single item on the menu. I remember realizing that I needed to brush up on Thai because I didn't know what I was talking about most of the time to the cooks. The restaurant was my home. I spent my weekend nights serving only to return home to watch some rented videos before bed. Eventually I began making friends with our fellow servers. I am so sad that I will not have Erin to make fun of Studio 5 with anymore or to talk to her about having missionaries out.
I think the best part of the restaurant was being able to work with my family. I saw my mom every day and Michelle before Will-man was born. I loved having their support and being able to put my complete trust in them. My mom is the hardest worker I know and I want to be like her someday. I want to be confident in how I talk to people and have the same patience that she shows with difficult employees/customers/etc. I am so grateful that I was able to work with her for 4 years. I know I wouldn't have learned as much if I decided to work elsewhere. I am so glad I was able to acquire more than just knowledge of the food industry. I learned priceless advice about how to treat people, not only in a business setting but in a personal intimate setting. I learned how to cook, which is something that I know I will pass down to my children.
I know I'm acting like I'm never going to see the restaurant anymore. I will probably be eating lunch there ever day...but I can't help but feel so emotionally attached to this place that provided me comfort when I was the loneliest and money when I was definitely the poorest. It has always been there for me when I really had no place to go. I hope in someway I made some impact on it while I was there. I do know that it changed my life more than anything.
I'm starting my new job tomorrow. I really hope that I can use everything that the restaurant has taught me for this new position. I am definitely going to be out of my element for awhile but I am so excited for it at the same time! I am going to be working in a setting where I don't have to stand for 5 hours straight!
Anyway, this was my tribute to the restaurant. It is a magical little place and I will never take it for granted again. I am going to eat there tomorrow most likely...I'm already craving Thai food.
Speaking of time. I feel so weird right now. Things have changed so much in just a short amount of time. I can hardly believe that my routine has changed so abruptly. I know that this is a good change but I can't help but be extremely sentimental about all the wonderful times I've had working at the restaurant for the past 4 years. I still remember the first time I walked in there. Graydon was holding my hand, it was our last day together before he left on his mission. My entire family was painting the walls brown and beige and some family friends were taking down old decorations from the Chinese restaurant. I led Graydon through some upturn furniture, past old bottles of soy sauce and plates stacked along the tables. We glanced around a bit, I knew I didn't want to stay too long since I had so little time left with Gray. I told him it would be transformed when he got back from his mission.
I had been there almost every day since that moment. I remember scraping gum from under the booths and sobbing because I missed Gray so much. I remember serving my first table and not knowing a single item on the menu. I remember realizing that I needed to brush up on Thai because I didn't know what I was talking about most of the time to the cooks. The restaurant was my home. I spent my weekend nights serving only to return home to watch some rented videos before bed. Eventually I began making friends with our fellow servers. I am so sad that I will not have Erin to make fun of Studio 5 with anymore or to talk to her about having missionaries out.
I think the best part of the restaurant was being able to work with my family. I saw my mom every day and Michelle before Will-man was born. I loved having their support and being able to put my complete trust in them. My mom is the hardest worker I know and I want to be like her someday. I want to be confident in how I talk to people and have the same patience that she shows with difficult employees/customers/etc. I am so grateful that I was able to work with her for 4 years. I know I wouldn't have learned as much if I decided to work elsewhere. I am so glad I was able to acquire more than just knowledge of the food industry. I learned priceless advice about how to treat people, not only in a business setting but in a personal intimate setting. I learned how to cook, which is something that I know I will pass down to my children.
I know I'm acting like I'm never going to see the restaurant anymore. I will probably be eating lunch there ever day...but I can't help but feel so emotionally attached to this place that provided me comfort when I was the loneliest and money when I was definitely the poorest. It has always been there for me when I really had no place to go. I hope in someway I made some impact on it while I was there. I do know that it changed my life more than anything.
I'm starting my new job tomorrow. I really hope that I can use everything that the restaurant has taught me for this new position. I am definitely going to be out of my element for awhile but I am so excited for it at the same time! I am going to be working in a setting where I don't have to stand for 5 hours straight!
Anyway, this was my tribute to the restaurant. It is a magical little place and I will never take it for granted again. I am going to eat there tomorrow most likely...I'm already craving Thai food.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
'Is Facebook making us sad?'
Michelle told me about this article while I was taking a break from Facebook.
Basically, the article examines how Facebook might actually lower our self-esteem. Facebook allows people to evaluate the happiness and success of other people's lives while causing some users to feel as if their own lives are far less fulfilling than their friends'.
Argh. That was my first response to reading this article. Not because I found it completely out of touch with how I feel as a Facebook user, but because I found it entirely true in my own case. I never had a particular reason for my frequent Facebook breaks, but after reading this article among other Facebook psychological studies, I have realized I have been victim to this sadness.
My initial excuses for staying away from Facebook were the following:
a) I'm trying to use my free time for other things
b) Facebook is distracting
c) I use too much data on my phone when I'm looking at Facebook updates
I have come to realize those were all superficial reasons. I won't go as far to say that Facebook has depressed me. The article even says that Facebook isn't the cause of sadness in users but may only be a correlation. However, I would have to agree with what the article says Facebook is. It can be interpreted as a basic summary of one's assets: career, education, friends, social events attended, talents and other interests. We can post all our major achievements (new job!) and all our daily accomplishments (newly baked cookies!) and therefore make our tedious activities become noteworthy and interesting. All of which, may lead users to seeing everyone happier than their own selves.
I like Facebook for the ease of photo uploading and ability to keep in touch (or stalk) other peoples' lives. However, what happens to us when we get 'unfriended'? What do I feel when my friend doesn't reply to my comment but does to everyone else? Why wasn't I invited to this & that event? However much I tell myself that it doesn't matter, I have found myself crying over the aforementioned happenings. I have evaluated my friendships with people based on how they 'treat' me on Facebook. I have seen my exclusion from their Facebook has an evaluation of my relationship to them.
I think the reason why I wanted to write this blog is to explain that I am not exempt from these feelings. I will agree that I am a sensitive person, care very much about how others perceive me, and furthermore, try very hard to be a kind person. I hope that I have never made someone feel bad about themselves because of anything I have posted (or not posted) on Facebook. I also hope that I can try to not be offended from Facebook friends when there is no offense to be taken.
In conclusion, I have begun to approach Facebook differently. I know that to many people Facebook doesn't affect them, but to those who ever feel as if they are not measuring up, I hope that they will refresh their lives by stepping away from social networking for awhile. Read a book. Read a few books. Go on a walk. Do yoga. Try a new recipe. Change your daily habits by doing one thing differently each day. After that, tell your significant other/parents/friends (not via Facebook) what you did.
In the time I was off Facebook, I had some of the most rewarding and even most saddening events take place in my life. I feel that by not disclosing what happened (through my Facebook statuses), I was able to revel in my happiness more genuinely and even grieve in situations more sincerely. I am not disowning Facebook but rather admitting my own weaknesses. I think I need to remember that social networking is only an accessory and superficial explanation of me, not an evaluation of how successful of a human being I am.
Basically, the article examines how Facebook might actually lower our self-esteem. Facebook allows people to evaluate the happiness and success of other people's lives while causing some users to feel as if their own lives are far less fulfilling than their friends'.
We tend to see ourselves as the losers, Facebook appears to exploit an Achilles' heel of human nature. And women—an especially unhappy bunch of late—may be especially vulnerable to keeping up with what they imagine is the happiness of the Joneses.
Argh. That was my first response to reading this article. Not because I found it completely out of touch with how I feel as a Facebook user, but because I found it entirely true in my own case. I never had a particular reason for my frequent Facebook breaks, but after reading this article among other Facebook psychological studies, I have realized I have been victim to this sadness.
My initial excuses for staying away from Facebook were the following:
a) I'm trying to use my free time for other things
b) Facebook is distracting
c) I use too much data on my phone when I'm looking at Facebook updates
I have come to realize those were all superficial reasons. I won't go as far to say that Facebook has depressed me. The article even says that Facebook isn't the cause of sadness in users but may only be a correlation. However, I would have to agree with what the article says Facebook is. It can be interpreted as a basic summary of one's assets: career, education, friends, social events attended, talents and other interests. We can post all our major achievements (new job!) and all our daily accomplishments (newly baked cookies!) and therefore make our tedious activities become noteworthy and interesting. All of which, may lead users to seeing everyone happier than their own selves.
I like Facebook for the ease of photo uploading and ability to keep in touch (or stalk) other peoples' lives. However, what happens to us when we get 'unfriended'? What do I feel when my friend doesn't reply to my comment but does to everyone else? Why wasn't I invited to this & that event? However much I tell myself that it doesn't matter, I have found myself crying over the aforementioned happenings. I have evaluated my friendships with people based on how they 'treat' me on Facebook. I have seen my exclusion from their Facebook has an evaluation of my relationship to them.
I think the reason why I wanted to write this blog is to explain that I am not exempt from these feelings. I will agree that I am a sensitive person, care very much about how others perceive me, and furthermore, try very hard to be a kind person. I hope that I have never made someone feel bad about themselves because of anything I have posted (or not posted) on Facebook. I also hope that I can try to not be offended from Facebook friends when there is no offense to be taken.
In conclusion, I have begun to approach Facebook differently. I know that to many people Facebook doesn't affect them, but to those who ever feel as if they are not measuring up, I hope that they will refresh their lives by stepping away from social networking for awhile. Read a book. Read a few books. Go on a walk. Do yoga. Try a new recipe. Change your daily habits by doing one thing differently each day. After that, tell your significant other/parents/friends (not via Facebook) what you did.
In the time I was off Facebook, I had some of the most rewarding and even most saddening events take place in my life. I feel that by not disclosing what happened (through my Facebook statuses), I was able to revel in my happiness more genuinely and even grieve in situations more sincerely. I am not disowning Facebook but rather admitting my own weaknesses. I think I need to remember that social networking is only an accessory and superficial explanation of me, not an evaluation of how successful of a human being I am.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Asian Meatballs with Carrot Rice
This is a recipe I found on marthastewart.com. I have tried over two dozen of Martha Stewart recipes and I've come to find that the recipes are usually very simplified. I think it's great because it gets you acquainted with basics of cooking and allows you to create your own taste by adding your own spices and such. This recipe is Asian Meatballs with Carrot Rice. It's very simple and contains less than 600 calories.
Ingredients
1 lb. Ground turkey (or pork)
3/4 cups of fresh bread crumbs
4 tsp. Fish sauce
4 tsp. Sriracha chili paste
3 scallions chopped (white and green parts separated)
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Brown sugar
2 garlic cloves
Long grain or Jasmine rice
1 shredded carrot
Vegetable oil
Limes for garnish
Directions
If using fresh bread crumbs, add 3 tablespoons of water to bread crumbs in a bowl and let sit for five minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add ground turkey, fish sauce, Sriracha, white parts of scallion, parsley, salt, brown sugar, and garlic to bowl with bread crumbs. Knead with hands and form about 12-14 meatballs. Heat 2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil in shallow pan. Brown meatballs on all sides. Slightly grease baking sheet and put meatballs into oven for 10-13 minutes (or until meatballs are cooked through). Meanwhile, follow package directions for cooking rice. Add shredded carrots to rice.
After meatballs are finished, serve with rice, Sriracha, lime wedges and green parts of scallions. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 lb. Ground turkey (or pork)
3/4 cups of fresh bread crumbs
4 tsp. Fish sauce
4 tsp. Sriracha chili paste
3 scallions chopped (white and green parts separated)
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Brown sugar
2 garlic cloves
Long grain or Jasmine rice
1 shredded carrot
Vegetable oil
Limes for garnish
Directions
If using fresh bread crumbs, add 3 tablespoons of water to bread crumbs in a bowl and let sit for five minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add ground turkey, fish sauce, Sriracha, white parts of scallion, parsley, salt, brown sugar, and garlic to bowl with bread crumbs. Knead with hands and form about 12-14 meatballs. Heat 2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil in shallow pan. Brown meatballs on all sides. Slightly grease baking sheet and put meatballs into oven for 10-13 minutes (or until meatballs are cooked through). Meanwhile, follow package directions for cooking rice. Add shredded carrots to rice.
After meatballs are finished, serve with rice, Sriracha, lime wedges and green parts of scallions. Enjoy!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Birthday
I am the luckiest girl alive. I had a wonderful birthday. Flowers, gifts and fantastic food were just small tidbits of the fun I had with my family.
Gray is so kind and let me shop for clothes. He let me eat at my favorite restaurants. I am spoiled.
I am also looking forward to my Kindle which should be arriving soon. I have been reading a lot and I am excited to be able to read three books at once more efficiently. I ordered a Kindle cover on Etsy just yesterday.
And I still can't get over how much I love rainbow chip frosting. Put that on any cake and I am a happy girl.
Rock Band still isn't old. I have forgotten my passion for it.
February doesn't last for very long but I must say it has turned out to be one of my favorite months. Not because of my birthday but because Graydon and I were engaged two years ago on my birthday. We've come so far...we have a little dog named Lucy now!
It's been a stressful week or two but Gray made me feel especially important. I suppose that's how our birthdays should make us feel. Gray surprises me every day. I really hope I can catch up to him on his unselfishness.
Love you, Gray.
Gray is so kind and let me shop for clothes. He let me eat at my favorite restaurants. I am spoiled.
I am also looking forward to my Kindle which should be arriving soon. I have been reading a lot and I am excited to be able to read three books at once more efficiently. I ordered a Kindle cover on Etsy just yesterday.
And I still can't get over how much I love rainbow chip frosting. Put that on any cake and I am a happy girl.
Rock Band still isn't old. I have forgotten my passion for it.
February doesn't last for very long but I must say it has turned out to be one of my favorite months. Not because of my birthday but because Graydon and I were engaged two years ago on my birthday. We've come so far...we have a little dog named Lucy now!
It's been a stressful week or two but Gray made me feel especially important. I suppose that's how our birthdays should make us feel. Gray surprises me every day. I really hope I can catch up to him on his unselfishness.
Love you, Gray.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
What I've Been Working On
Here are a couple songs I've been working on. They are both by Schuyler Fisk. The first one is called "Hello", the second "From Where I'm Standing". I chose to learn these two songs because they're easier to catch on to and I absolutely love the simplicity of her voice. My singing isn't super on par nor is the guitar but I've only been playing for about 3 months.
There's a lot of noise in the background. Some of it is Lucy with her squeaky toy. The other one is a metronome I forgot to turn off. And there is a weird harmony type thing in the middle of the bridge on the second song. I couldn't figure out how to delete that part out. I think I recorded it while playing the old track. Oops. I also realized that when I tweaked the guitar effects on "From Where I'm Standing" it made it really off tune. It didn't sound that bad until I actually listened to the song on full volume.
So here are my first recordings on Garage Band.
I don't even know if these files will work but we'll see.
Click to hear my take on Schuyler Fisk's "Hello"
Click to hear my take on Schuyler Fisk's "From Where I'm Standing"
There's a lot of noise in the background. Some of it is Lucy with her squeaky toy. The other one is a metronome I forgot to turn off. And there is a weird harmony type thing in the middle of the bridge on the second song. I couldn't figure out how to delete that part out. I think I recorded it while playing the old track. Oops. I also realized that when I tweaked the guitar effects on "From Where I'm Standing" it made it really off tune. It didn't sound that bad until I actually listened to the song on full volume.
So here are my first recordings on Garage Band.
I don't even know if these files will work but we'll see.
Click to hear my take on Schuyler Fisk's "Hello"
Click to hear my take on Schuyler Fisk's "From Where I'm Standing"
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Easy MSG-Free Asian Noodle Soup
Okay so I've come up with an easy noodle soup recipe. I took a couple recipes that I've seen and made my own. It ended up being pretty tasty. Don't be afraid to add more fish sauce or lime juice for extra flavor. Check it out!
Ingredients:
1 package of rice noodles
2 cans of chicken broth (14.5 oz each) I like to use MSG free
2 tbsp. of fresh minced ginger
1 piece of lemongrass or 1 tbsp of Gourmet Garden lemongrass (it's in a tube, much easier)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp. of fish sauce
handful of snow peas
Condiments:
mint leaves
Thai basil
bean sprouts
lime juice
Sriracha
Directions:
Combine chicken broth, 3 cups of water, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot boil water and cook rice noodles according to directions on package. Slightly undercook noodles.
Add thinly sliced chicken breast and snow peas to chicken broth mixture. Allow chicken to cook for at least 5 minutes. Add slightly undercooked noodles to broth. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish dish with mint leaves, Thai basil, bean sprouts. Add fish sauce, lime juice and Sriracha according to taste.
Ingredients:
1 package of rice noodles
2 cans of chicken broth (14.5 oz each) I like to use MSG free
2 tbsp. of fresh minced ginger
1 piece of lemongrass or 1 tbsp of Gourmet Garden lemongrass (it's in a tube, much easier)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp. of fish sauce
handful of snow peas
Condiments:
mint leaves
Thai basil
bean sprouts
lime juice
Sriracha
Directions:
Combine chicken broth, 3 cups of water, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot boil water and cook rice noodles according to directions on package. Slightly undercook noodles.
Add thinly sliced chicken breast and snow peas to chicken broth mixture. Allow chicken to cook for at least 5 minutes. Add slightly undercooked noodles to broth. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish dish with mint leaves, Thai basil, bean sprouts. Add fish sauce, lime juice and Sriracha according to taste.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Everyone Knows the Secretest Code of Mine
Okay so I think I am pretty much obsessed with murder mysteries because we've been watching so much Bones. I checked out a book by Kathy Reichs (producer/novelist/forensic anthropologist) and it is incredible! No seriously. I just stopped on a chapter where Temperance Brennan is about to be a humongous gator's lunch!
I'm reading Break No Bones. I don't know if these novels of Kathy Reichs go in any particular order but I am getting completely absorbed into the language. I took an anthropology class my freshman year at the U and I loved it. I like its application in novels nowadays. And also on tv. Even if it is a little mindless and absolutely alienating watching Bones, I love it.
I don't know why I brought up my recent obsession with Bones & murder mysteries. I think it's because Bones is always trying to create a dichotomy between psychology and anthropology (science). Sometimes it gets a bit trite. I get a little annoyed when Dr. Brennan says that she is all rational, doesn't rely on gut and uses her scientific knowledge to make logical decisions. Sometimes this "anthropological rationality" makes her absolutely infantile and frustrating to deal with. Agent Booth constantly has to lead her around by the hand, correct her misunderstandings of jargon and furthermore remind her when she is being spastic and mean.
I like the novels by Kathy Reichs (Bones is based on her novels) because Temperance Brennan is a normal human being. Her talents are extraordinary, but what makes her exceptional is her ability to comb through details of a person's life that are not necessarily scientific fact. Other than just examining bones, she can connect events and recall stories. She uses her emotional attachments to people to re-evaluate complex pieces of evidence.
I want to be like the novel version of Temperance because she is uniquely intelligent, bold, and able to make rational decisions while accepting her "gut reaction". She's a problem solver. She likes to be the one with the answers but accepts the responsibility of having to solve it if the evidence is insufficient.
I used to think that I wanted to be a scientist. I wanted to be a dermatologist in high school. That was until I took all humanities courses and realized that I actually enjoyed English. However, I'm starting to think that I'm still a scientist in my own way. The first day of my Renaissance Studies Seminar we were asked to give a reason for why we were English majors. Most said it was because they wanted to write. Many were already writing novels. My answer, of course, was vague and not specific. It wasn't until my professor said that the reason we were there was because we loved to solve problems: problems in language, plot, characters, everything.
So. I am a scientist! I kind of wish I was a little bit more knowledgeable about math and science. But that's why I have Graydon : ). I think that I enjoy reading these murder mystery novels because it reminds me of this quote from Northanger Abbey:
And what are you reading, Miss—?" "Oh! it is only a novel!" replies the young lady…in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humor are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language.
So although novels (especially murder novels) might seem flippant, I enjoy the refreshing take on life, I truly agree that they display "the most thorough knowledge of human nature".
Yay murder mysteries!
I'm reading Break No Bones. I don't know if these novels of Kathy Reichs go in any particular order but I am getting completely absorbed into the language. I took an anthropology class my freshman year at the U and I loved it. I like its application in novels nowadays. And also on tv. Even if it is a little mindless and absolutely alienating watching Bones, I love it.
I don't know why I brought up my recent obsession with Bones & murder mysteries. I think it's because Bones is always trying to create a dichotomy between psychology and anthropology (science). Sometimes it gets a bit trite. I get a little annoyed when Dr. Brennan says that she is all rational, doesn't rely on gut and uses her scientific knowledge to make logical decisions. Sometimes this "anthropological rationality" makes her absolutely infantile and frustrating to deal with. Agent Booth constantly has to lead her around by the hand, correct her misunderstandings of jargon and furthermore remind her when she is being spastic and mean.
I like the novels by Kathy Reichs (Bones is based on her novels) because Temperance Brennan is a normal human being. Her talents are extraordinary, but what makes her exceptional is her ability to comb through details of a person's life that are not necessarily scientific fact. Other than just examining bones, she can connect events and recall stories. She uses her emotional attachments to people to re-evaluate complex pieces of evidence.
I want to be like the novel version of Temperance because she is uniquely intelligent, bold, and able to make rational decisions while accepting her "gut reaction". She's a problem solver. She likes to be the one with the answers but accepts the responsibility of having to solve it if the evidence is insufficient.
I used to think that I wanted to be a scientist. I wanted to be a dermatologist in high school. That was until I took all humanities courses and realized that I actually enjoyed English. However, I'm starting to think that I'm still a scientist in my own way. The first day of my Renaissance Studies Seminar we were asked to give a reason for why we were English majors. Most said it was because they wanted to write. Many were already writing novels. My answer, of course, was vague and not specific. It wasn't until my professor said that the reason we were there was because we loved to solve problems: problems in language, plot, characters, everything.
So. I am a scientist! I kind of wish I was a little bit more knowledgeable about math and science. But that's why I have Graydon : ). I think that I enjoy reading these murder mystery novels because it reminds me of this quote from Northanger Abbey:
And what are you reading, Miss—?" "Oh! it is only a novel!" replies the young lady…in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humor are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language.
So although novels (especially murder novels) might seem flippant, I enjoy the refreshing take on life, I truly agree that they display "the most thorough knowledge of human nature".
Yay murder mysteries!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)