Uff! Today was a doooooooo-zay! I braved the 1-5 morning traffic foregoing my usual bus ride, opting instead to spend a hectic half an hour blasting country music in the Corolla. After finding free parking 20 blocks away from the UW, I hiked to class prepared to stick it out in the library for the rest of the afternoon. If only I would have paid more attention to the “NO PARKINGFROM 4-6PM” signs that lined 15th Ave on the way to class. At around 4:45 I finished the return hike to find…no car.
Apparently the city of Seattle takes their tow zoning very seriously. One call to Lincoln Towing and a 20 minute teary bus ride later, I found myself on a seedier side of town ready to fork over my debit card and get my car back. $140 later I drove away puffy eyed but ultimately thankful that I would get to relax with Ande over Mexican food in Edmonds.
I rebounded quickly. It’s hard to stay upset when a stranger on the bus (who’s watched you wipe snot on your hand for the last couple miles) touches your shoulder and says, “I hope you have a better day.” How can you complain when you know you have enough money in the bank to get the car back AND pay the parking ticket AND go out to dinner afterward? Sure, it’s enough to make you cut up a couple lemon wedges and shove them down the neck of a cold hefeweizen when you get home. But…things could definitely be worse.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Haacks left for a cruise on the Baltic Sea this morning and I already feel abandoned and alone! I’m amazed at how socially dependent I have become. It used to be that I’d savor every millisecond of “me-time” and even get grouchy if someone had the audacity to intrude upon my solitude. My sister is still sore about the one morning that she came to sit with me at breakfast in Saga. I rudely informed her that apart from my friends--Grapenuts and the New York Times—no one else was welcome at the table.
I do feel bad about that now, especially as I think about how nice it would be to share high-fiber cereal and liberal reading material with somebody other than Apple and Pacy tomorrow morning. I realize that I’m being melodramatic, but the past nine hours of “me-time” have left me feeling a little OCD and questioning my ability to relax.
Lately, my inclination to be productive at every waking moment of the day has resulted in a ridiculous amount of time spent in the kitchen. Take today for example: After getting home from kick-boxing and a trip to the market, I put myself to work. I doctored a whole wheat bread recipe that I found online, making sure to knead for three entire Lady Gaga songs, and set it aside.
In the hour and a half it took to rise, I wasted no time in scouring the pantry for granola suitable ingredients. Five hours later I had the granola in Tupperware, bread cooling on the counter, and the broiler ready for an asparagus accompanied dinner.
P.S. Sorry if I bore you with the cooking stuff, but there is a reason the blog's called "Starting from Scratch."
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Turn that frown upside-down...
I’ve been in front of this glaring computer screen for most of the day. I have my back to the windows that sit between me and the Puget Sound. The sun has just decided to make an appearance, reflecting off the dust particles and smudges on my screen rendering it even more glare-y. And here I sit, gloomily contemplating a day full of lame excuses.
I decided not to go to kick-boxing today because I was going to study for the finals I have scheduled for tomorrow. I decided not to work out period because my throat is showing all the signs of an impending cold. I’ve avoided going outside because it was too cloudy, and I’m not about to grace summer with my presence unless it has the decency to stop being a drizzly little bitch. Now, I’ve come full circle and started avoiding my study guides after calculating that I only need a 53% on the final to pass. Yes, it’s safe to assume that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
I think that tends to happen when you’re sharing a bed with Apple the Diabetic Pomeranian. She doesn’t realize that you’re planning on skipping your 9 AM kick boxing class and proceeds to force you out of bed before 6. Huh…sounds likes someone’s making another lame excuse for her bad attitude.
So, here’s to snapping out of it and looking on the bright side…the sun is out now, I’m a day away from never thinking about the Protractor Postulate again, I have a date with Ande to look forward to, I just charged my new iPod, AND even though I went for a run yesterday, my ankle is relatively unswollen. Yes. Thank God, thank blogging, thank positive thinking. I feel better already!
I decided not to go to kick-boxing today because I was going to study for the finals I have scheduled for tomorrow. I decided not to work out period because my throat is showing all the signs of an impending cold. I’ve avoided going outside because it was too cloudy, and I’m not about to grace summer with my presence unless it has the decency to stop being a drizzly little bitch. Now, I’ve come full circle and started avoiding my study guides after calculating that I only need a 53% on the final to pass. Yes, it’s safe to assume that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
I think that tends to happen when you’re sharing a bed with Apple the Diabetic Pomeranian. She doesn’t realize that you’re planning on skipping your 9 AM kick boxing class and proceeds to force you out of bed before 6. Huh…sounds likes someone’s making another lame excuse for her bad attitude.
So, here’s to snapping out of it and looking on the bright side…the sun is out now, I’m a day away from never thinking about the Protractor Postulate again, I have a date with Ande to look forward to, I just charged my new iPod, AND even though I went for a run yesterday, my ankle is relatively unswollen. Yes. Thank God, thank blogging, thank positive thinking. I feel better already!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Even Rocky had a montage...(name that movie)
This is my past week in pictures. Enjoy!
Top Down in Karin's convertible with Rylie and her boyfriend Paul.
Saturday morning at the market with Ande. Hooray for sun! I had to wear sunscreen :)
Making caramel and drinking coffee...I'm officially addicted again.
Taking care of Apple. Do you see her hernia? I'm almost touching it.
Canoeing (what a weird word) with Ande at the UW.
Quattro Formaggio Pizza and Beer at Big Time Brewery afterward. Heavenly.
My cookie experiment--Brandy Snaps with Baileys instead of Brandy. I decided I don't like crunchy cookies.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Make your own caramel!
For the Fourth of July I tried my hand at making a Caramel Pecan Cheesecake. The Cheescake dissappeared quickly but I was left to deal with a cup of leftover caramel. I ended up putting it in my coffee every day last week and IT IS TO DIE FOR!! It's super easy to make so I thought I'd share the recipe:
Better Than Starbucks Caramel Sauce
1 Cup White Sugar
1 T Water
3 T Butter
1/2-1 Cup Whipping Cream
Put the sugar and water in a sauce pan on medium high and wait for it to boil. It seems impossible when you compare the mountain of sugar and the little drip of water, but be patient! Once all the sugar has turned amber in color add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and while stirring add the cream a little at a time. You can adjust the amount of cream to how thick you want the caramel to be. Let the caramel cool and keep refrigerated.
1 Cup White Sugar
1 T Water
3 T Butter
1/2-1 Cup Whipping Cream
Put the sugar and water in a sauce pan on medium high and wait for it to boil. It seems impossible when you compare the mountain of sugar and the little drip of water, but be patient! Once all the sugar has turned amber in color add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and while stirring add the cream a little at a time. You can adjust the amount of cream to how thick you want the caramel to be. Let the caramel cool and keep refrigerated.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Summer decided to skip the Fourth of July celebrations in Seattle and opted for a fashionably late arrival on the sixth. I was more than a little miffed at having to endure a drizzly fireworks show, but over the past few days tank tops, country music, and surprise convertible rides (complements of the Haacks) have put all dreariness to rest. It’s incredible how summer days leave me reaching for rose-colored sunglasses and temporarily push all negativity out of sight. Too bad they don’t sweep away math homework as well.
Not much is new on this side of the state. Math proofs continue to be tedious, I’m missing friends and family like crazy, and I have a ton of free time on my hands. One new addition to my routine will be taking care of my friend Rylie’s Pomeranian--Apple. I don’t know how I’ve gotten myself into so many volunteer dogsitting positions this summer, but this case is particularly demanding.
Apple is not your average Pomeranian. She was rescued from a dumpster in New York City (I think) and has a plethora of health problems. She is about 14 years old, has 4 teeth, a bulbous hernia, a collapsing trachea, and diabetes. While other people might dismiss her as an especially unfortunate product of over-breeding, Rylie sees Apple as her guardian angel. Over the past few years, she has kept Rylie company in and out of countless surgeries and during a lonely move to Arizona. Rylie, in turn, is devoted to caring for the little creature and loving her as much as possible.
Perhaps due in part to my summer-induced euphoria, I find myself contemplating their relationship as a powerful example of respect for life. Personally, I’m quick to judge the worth of those around me based on physical or mental capacities. Perhaps the value of life has nothing to do with the world’s standards of productivity and success.
Not much is new on this side of the state. Math proofs continue to be tedious, I’m missing friends and family like crazy, and I have a ton of free time on my hands. One new addition to my routine will be taking care of my friend Rylie’s Pomeranian--Apple. I don’t know how I’ve gotten myself into so many volunteer dogsitting positions this summer, but this case is particularly demanding.
Apple is not your average Pomeranian. She was rescued from a dumpster in New York City (I think) and has a plethora of health problems. She is about 14 years old, has 4 teeth, a bulbous hernia, a collapsing trachea, and diabetes. While other people might dismiss her as an especially unfortunate product of over-breeding, Rylie sees Apple as her guardian angel. Over the past few years, she has kept Rylie company in and out of countless surgeries and during a lonely move to Arizona. Rylie, in turn, is devoted to caring for the little creature and loving her as much as possible.
Perhaps due in part to my summer-induced euphoria, I find myself contemplating their relationship as a powerful example of respect for life. Personally, I’m quick to judge the worth of those around me based on physical or mental capacities. Perhaps the value of life has nothing to do with the world’s standards of productivity and success.
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