Today I resorted to eating a frozen dinner. There were several reasons for this:
a) laziness
b) busy working on things and studying
c) laziness

Anyways, it was a Michelina’s Pepper Steak & Rice entree (although it really is more of a snack). I decided to check out the ingredient listing (which I really should have done before I purchased it, but oh well).

Over 35 ingredients. In that tiny little package.

Now, if you know me, you know that I love to cook, and I do it nearly every day. I have never, EVER needed more than 20 ingredients for a dish. Often I need only 10. It kind of blew my mind.

Also, even though it was a rice dish, it had wheat products in it (allergy, remember?), so that is no good. So much for quick and easy food! It looks like I’m going to spend a majority of my lifetime cooking.

Time for a poll: What is a dish that you love to eat but simply do not have the time, facilities, or skills to make?

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I feel snazzy today. All dressed up in my black suit, I feel like a high-powered executive.

Seriously though, there is something about wearing a suit that makes me more…responsible and motivated. Not as comfortable as jeans and a hoodie, but a lot nicer looking.

Current musical obsessions: the Garden State soundtrack and the Wicker Park soundtrack. Thanks to Shan for introducing me to Garden State (both the movie & music) and Lindsey for Wicker Park. I was needing a transfusion after listening to the radio too much.

Something confusing about my street: they insist on cleaning the streets twice a month or more in the summer, but in the winter they do not bother to plow. Parking is interesting, to say the least.

Some days, you feel like writing something substantial, deep, and thought-provoking. And some days…the sun is shining and all you want to do is smile.

Time for class!

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(Our school mascot. I don’t know what it is wearing.)

I have realized that I may refer to my classes once in a while this semester, given that some of them are rather amusing (or rather, the professors are amusing).

Sociology of Organizations: Taught by a sociology professor who is tall, wears dark red lipstick, and says “um” a lot.

Comparative Marketing: I still have not figured out exactly what this class is about. I think it has something to do with Globalization, which is rather cool. I get this impression from our textbook, “Globalization and Business”.

Product Management: About successful products. Taught by the same professor as Comparative Marketing. He is awesome. I referred to him in this entry.

Business Statistics I: One of the most boring classes I’ve ever taken. We’ve spent the first 2 weeks drawing bar graphs and histograms.

Entrepreneurship: I had the same professor last semester. He is rather awkward and makes bad jokes, but I always do well in his class. Got an A+ on a paper that I wrote in 2 hours.

In conclusion, this semester looks like it will be easier than last semester, and I actually like most of my profs! Now, if only I could do something about my insomnia…

Also, I would like to add that my “study” playlist on ITunes includes Dark Falcor’s “Constructs”. That is all.

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There are ways to make the food you love to eat, even if you have a gluten allergy. It isn’t very severe for me, as I can eat bread once in a while without problems. But I love being able to share the knowledge I’ve acquired with people who might need it.

I’ve modified my mother’s cheese sauce. It is really good, by the way. You can usually buy the special flours at large grocery stores like Jewel.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon tapioca flour
1/2 tablespoon potato starch flour
4 oz shredded cheese (Any kind, depending on what flavor you want. I use cheddar.)
1 cup milk

Melt the butter in a deep non-stick saucepan, stir in the flours as it melts. Stir constantly until mixed, then pour milk in. Continue stirring, then when milk is hot, slowly add cheese. As you stir, the sauce will thicken. When the cheese is completely melted into the sauce, it should be ready. Remove from heat.

Tastes great over broccoli (or most steamed vegetables), or over rice.

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Some people may not realize this, but I love lists. I write everything down. When a professor is droning on about histograms and normal deviation, I make lists of errands I have to run, emails I need to write…whatever! These lists were written in Business Stats.

Things I Love About My School:

1) The doodles on the desktops are either long political treatises or notes in Urdu. The same applies to the bathroom stalls.

2) I can still get a cup of coffee for under $2.

3) A cell phone is considered to be an extension of the human body, not merely an accessory.

4) Watching plainclothes cops search my 60 year old Marketing professor in the hallway before class…and then my professor stepping into the classroom and saying “The fuzz got me, sorry I was late.”

5) Listening to the same professor’s jokes twice a day (morning class and afternoon).
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Things I Love About My House:

1) Assigned chores every week and month. (“Who has the blessing of assuring the cleanliness of the kitchen this week?”)

2) The chalkboard on the wall (I get excited when there is a new message on the board…unless it is for the bills).

3) In-house washer & dryer.

4) Parties!!

5) Angela’s art projects on the dining room table.

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This is an interesting edge I’m trembling on.
There are corners to the universe here
that I never realized existed.
You (and I mean “You” in the multiple sense)
and I (and by “I” I mean me)
have an erratic way of articulating
the sentiments in our souls.
In the absence of true speech
we dance around the subjects
of our heavy hearts,
choosing instead to engross ourselves
in lighthearted deviations from the norm.

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We don’t know what it is, either. It appeared suddenly in the living room one evening, and of course was immediately experimented with.

Shannon tests it out.

Gavin & Shannon turn into an alien. “Are we done taking pictures yet?”

We rearranged the living room tonight. I’m proud of us.

School is hectic so far, but I love 2 of my professors so far. One of them tells awesome jokes and makes side comments to me (I sit in the front row so I don’t fall asleep).

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As I walked to my first day of the new semester,
the word that came to mind was “squishy”.
The weather was really quite nice,
and there was a steady dripping sound
as I walked down the street…
with the occasional “sloosh” as snow
fell off of awnings and roofs.
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I am feeling optimistic this semester! 16 hours, 5 classes. I’ve got so many plans and plots brewing in my brain.

Last night I went through boxes in my parent’s basement. Forgotten, dusty, cobwebby boxes. I filled two trash bags with junk, and repacked 4 boxes full of novels, yearbooks (K-12!), high school graduation things, posters, Louhelen pictures and memories, and my first teddy bear (she is a little worse for wear, but still soft and cuddly). I packed everything into the minivan and brought it to the city. I like having everything with me, easily accessible. It was really wonderful, looking through old things and smiling at notes.

New people: Richard & Nate. They rock. If you don’t know them, you should. That is all.

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This is for you, D-Rab:

MICE IN TROUSERS!

It is snowing here, really snowing, not just that little fluffy stuff that melts immediately. I want to make hot chocolate, start a fire in the fireplace, and if I can drag myself out of the house, go sledding.

And I know I’m feeling better when I suddenly get the urge to start cooking again.

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I actually haven’t taken a close look at them, because I have a rather queasy stomach right now and I don’t think that the doctor cleaned them very well. 4 wisdom teeth are sitting in a clear plastic box somewhere in the bottom of my purse.

I’m doing just fine, by the way. In fact, there was no swelling, drooling, or vicodin-enhanced mood swings. The strongest medicine I’m taking for pain is Advil. I started eating rice last night, and have decided that pureed food is not what it is cracked up to be. Seriously. The biggest annoyance right now? The nasty sinus infection that decided to attack me the day of my surgery…after I woke up, my throat hurt so much I could barely swallow. Combined with the fact that I’m definitely allergic to cold medication…well, it has been interesting. My mom and dad and little sister rock for taking care of me while I’ve been a bum. Thank you!!!

I’ve decided that the next time I tell my friends that they can take pictures with my camera at a party…I’m going to watch them more carefully. I have crazy friends. Nothing inappropriate, mind you…just…silly.

I woke up at 11:56 pm last night, just in time to hear people in the neighborhood set off firecrackers and yell. I then curled up in bed with a good fantasy book and eventually fell asleep. I’m a party monster, yes I am. Happy Gregorian New Year, y’all.

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