What did you do last night to get such bad Karma? Trip an old person? Hit a child's ice cream out of their hand?

That was my roommate's response when I told her about my morning.  I woke up 45 minutes late but still managed to get to the metro at a reasonable time.  One station in, I step off the train to allow other riders to exit and, lo and behold, my ex comes rushing off.  The one that cheated on me. I don't think he saw me.  To top it off, I some how managed to cut my tongue on my yogurt container.  Don't ask why I was licking the top of the container.  It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

I'm sorry

I want to blog.  I really do.  I get ideas and I come here and I try to record them in a cohesive manner to share with the world.  Then the world gets in my way.  Work is busy.  My room looks like a fashion war zone.  When I get home, I inevitably have a headache from staring at the computer screen all day so the last thing I want to so is stare a little longer.  But I will persevere.  I promise.

Smitten Kitchen

Have your heard of Deb? She is my favorite. I would love to be her bff. Shout out!

I have made my way through (probably) hundreds of food blogs ever since I discovered my cooking obsession during spring break my 3rd year at UVA. Three of my friends were heading down to Florida and I had planned to go with them. It was going to be a blasty blast. We all drove up to my house the day before our 15-hour trip down, with the intention of picking up some stuff I needed as well as a friend who was meeting us in NoVA. Then, tragedy of all tragedies, my mom explained I had to choose between spring break in Florida and beach week with my sorority. Since beach week was more of a the-whole-school-goes-and-has-a-week-long-party-in-Myrtle thing, I chose beach week. More bang for my buck (it was only $40 since we crammed 15 people into a tiny house...that's another story). Anyway, I still had to drive my commrades back to Cville where they were leaving for the trip (I had driven them all to NoVA). The resentment at having to give up the trip kept me from driving back home so there I was, stuck at school. Thankfully, my boyfriend at the time was working there so he was stuck as well. I decided that, without anything else to do all day, I should cook a different, fancy dinner for two each night. It went swimmingly and I spent the rest of our year together cooking for him (sometimes happily and sometimes begrudgingly).

He is in the past but my need to cook, especially for those I love, remains. And it is fed by the many many food blogs I have found. Seeing what others create and hearing their stories of inspiration gives my ideas and offers a sort of second-degree support system when I am worried I won't be able to accomplish something.

Enter Smitten Kitchen. I found this blog way back when and it has been a favorite ever since. Some have come and gone, offering excitement at first then dwindling (I also forget about a few I really love which makes me sad but there are just so many to keep track of) but Smitten Kitchen has held strong. I have made a few things from her site (the chicken and mushroom marsala is a fave and leftovers are currently in my fridge) and bookmarked countless others.

So there it is. A glimpse at why I am the way I am. And a fabulous blog. Seriously. Go check it out. The cook something!

Spring has sprung....

...and I'm about to pop!

This weekend was a food fest like I have not experienced in a while (aside from the beautiful Italian Christmas feast I was included in a few months ago).

This past weekend housed both the beginning of Passover and Easter. That means I had a seder with my family on Saturday night (we had to skip Friday because mama wasn't feeling too hot) then I skipped on over to M's house for Easter dinner and a basket full of candy. There was brisket, soup, ham, lamb, pasta, pie, and birthday cake. Had I taken any pictures, I would share them (or maybe not since it seems I never share pictures on here. Sorry.) Everything was so delicious and I ended up driving home around 6pm and immediately passing out for 2 1/2 hours.

With a Jewish mother and Catholic father, I tend to dabble in both holiday worlds. I fully consider myself Jewish so the religious aspects of "dad's holidays" are fairly lost on me but I do enjoy the perks of Christmas dinner and presents, a King cake on Fat Tuesday and candy on Easter. The Jewish holidays hold more water to me and are times of prayer as well as celebration. I have always been taught more about them and I feel that, for me, understanding has brought belief.

That being said, I acknowledge that everyone has their own religious beliefs that they are entitled to. I don't think one religion makes more rational sense then another. I see them all as a set of beliefs put into place to help people. The idea of a higher power and the solidarity of belonging to a particular sect can be, at the minimum, a source of comfort, especially in times of sadness or difficulty. When observed, most religions hold the same basic moral standards and I find those to be the most important. So regardless of titles, religious ethics and moral standards are what link us together.

About a year ago, I had to have an important conversation with somebody in my life and it brought all these issues to light. I had never really taken a serious look at my religious beliefs or considered how they could (or should) affect my life decisions, especially if they didn't "match" what others close to be believed. My argument was similar to what I just said above. In the more specific matter of having children with someone of another religion, I believe it is more about specific teachings rather than grand labels. He did not feel the same way and that lack of faith in our future came to light in a terrible way. Ever since, this has been an issue I have had to consider and reconsider.

At the same time, I feel far too young to have to worry about that. I might use that as an excuse to avoid a few of my more "mature" issues.

Wine and Love....late again

So this is late but I am going to do it anyway. I have been fairly unmotivated in all aspects of life lately (including this blog) but it is high time to get back on track!

Wine and love is hosted by Nora. Want to join? Read this page for the meme instructions and grab the picture. The go to Walking With Nora to link up!

Wine, Wine, Wine

- I have gained 10 pounds. J and I did an official first weigh in almost two weeks ago and that is what I discovered. Immediately after that discovery (and a good dose of self loathing), we set a series of fitness goals and rewards over the next three months with weekly weigh ins and bi-monthly prizes if we reach our goals.

- Work has been a little slow going but busy at the same time. I'm having trouble staying focused and the fact that I am not in a field I am interested in has really been bothering me lately. It feels like I'm not really working toward anything or using my intelligence.

- I want to eat ALL THE TIME. I get home and I just want to snack on everything in the house. Need to get that under control ASAP.

- My culinary creations this week have not been very exceptional. One of my pizza's came out soggy and a farro salad was overpowered by balsamic.

- Money is tight as always.

- One of my friends at work will be leaving next week.

- I have been trying to figure out how to meet new people and I am fairly stumped. I don't want to meet people in a bar but I don't really have other activities I participate in. J is having a similar issue but she has club soccer and other sport activities that she does.

Love, Love, Love

- J and I set goals and so far it looks like we are going to make our first one coming up this Sunday (which means we get mani/pedis.

- My mom took me shopping this weekend and I got a few new tops and a couple new bottoms for work. I finally am not wearing the same pants everyday and I have come into work feeling cute everyday this week.

- I went to work at Lawrence's last Saturday to help out while Tim was out of town and it was a blast. Such a fun atmosphere there. And I left with a little extra spending money in my pocket.

- I made it through this week without buying lunch or dinner and I only bought breakfast once.

- J and I went for a run outside last night and made it just under 5 miles. I almost passed out while doing some light weight lifting after but I am still proud!

- A new receptionist was hired so I will be moving to a real legal assistant's desk next week.

- The weather has been super nice this week. Like, in the 60s and today it is supposed to get up to 73.

Are people insane?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/10/national/main4433994.shtml

A coworker just brought this issue to my attention. I realize now it is somewhat old news but apparently some states are raising the driving age to 17 or 18. I personally feel this is a terrible idea and I don't understand how a rational human being can consider is an improvement over current laws.

Here is how I see it. Kids go off to college at 18. To raise the driving age would send them off on their own with little to no gained experience behind the wheel. And what do kids start to do once they are away from their parents? They try things they were forbidden to try before. For most young adults, that means alcohol consumption and for some, drug usage. So who thinks it is a good idea to send kids off to college with no driving experience and new found freedom? They will drink and drive. That is just a fact. Yes, there are some very responsible individuals that don't drink or, if they do, stay away from the wheel. But the majority of 18 or 19 year old college students are not responsible. If they get behind the wheel and they are intoxicated, a year or two of driving experience will not make a huge difference but it will mean they know how to operate the car smoothly and their reflexes have gotten a chance to adapt.

I think the law (and parents) need to back off their children a bit. If you look at older generations, they restrictions were not as strict. Drinking age was lower, kids were acting more independently at a younger age. So why do they think tightening the leash will make their children safer? The truth is, you cannot watch your children every minute of every day and allowing they experience things and make mistakes will force them to learn responsibility. Coddling them by imposing harsh curfews and chauffeuring them around until they are shipped off to a campus that is much less supervised then you imagine will only leave them inexperienced and eager to act out.

Is anybody even reading this?

Ok ok ok. I know. I am terrible at keeping up with this blog. But I have an excuse...I promise! I have been sick lately. And eating a lot, which takes up most of my time. Like, I am not kidding. I get home and I eat until I go to sleep. The dent in my favorite couch cushion is proof of this. I have been in full on hibernation mode. I mostly blame J who has been busy or out of town for the past few weekends, leaving me to fend for my self in terms of social planning. When I am left to my own devices, I tend to opt out of interacting with others. Isn't it exhausting? Smiling, laughing, having fun? Psh, give me an unwatched TV series and a bowl of pretty much anything bad for me and I am good to go.

And then there is the blog. I am usually so busy reading the thousands of blogs I subscribe to that I completely forget that I have my own. But here I am because I love you and I have made a commitment. In sickness and in health (which I'm not sure which one I exist in at the moment), for richer and poorer (definitely in the latter on that), as long as we both (or I) shall live.

What to tell you about? Ah, here is something good. I had to get four fillings in the past two weeks. I know what you're thinking. Geez, this chick needs to brush her damn teeth and lay off the sugar. But no. I brush my teeth and I pretty much detest sugary candy (chocolate however, is a completely different story). These are the first cavities I have had since childhood-bordering-on-adolescence. AND two of them were around existing fillings! Totally not my fault! So anyway, back to the story.

Last week, I got my top two done, the ones around existing fillings. I get in the chair and the first thing I do is inform the dental hygienist that I DO NOT like needles. I had a tooth pulled when I was a child and I would not let the dude give me a numbing shot. Yeah, I am that girl. So she tells me that dentist can take a look and since its a small filling I might not need a shot. Now I get a little embarrassed and qualify my previous statement with "I mean, I won't be a baby about it. I'm 22...so if I need the shot, I will man up and take it......but if not, that would be great." Dentist takes a look and decides that because he is taking out pre-existing fillings, shots will be necessary. He does some cheek shaking voodoo distraction and it works like a charm. Then I feel like an idiot. Because shots are not that bad people. This is the same shame that I experienced after riding a roller coaster for the first time two summers ago (mind you, upon my return to Kings Dominion, having already ridden all the roller coasters in the park, I was still scared shitless and refused to ride half of them). The dentist does his thing, I leave, the numbness wears off after about an hour, and I head into work.

Now, here is where the story gets good. Wednesday morning, I had to go in to get two more teeth fixed because there was some decay (such a dire way of putting it) in between. This time, a technician numbs me instead of the dentist. She gives me two giant shots of evil whatever. Pretty soon, the entire left side of my mouth is numb. Then the left side of my tongue. Then my cheek. Then my ear. Doctor does his thing, makes a comment about how oddly numb I am, and tells me it should wear off in an hour. On the car ride home, my dad calls me so he can hear me garble my words and a lisp my way through a Novocain-ed conversation. He also assures me it will only last another hour or so.

Back in my apartment, I attempt to nap on the couch until the numbness subsides but wind up watching TV instead. About 45 minutes pass and I realize I am starving because I didn't eat before my appointment. But what does one eat when numb? I figured something liquid-y, like yogurt, would be a safe bet because it doesn't require chewing. This, my dear readers, was a terrible mistake. The tongue is much more important in the consumption of yogurt than I imagined, guiding it to the back of your mouth rather than allowing it to spill out of the corners. When your tongue and half your mouth are numb, do not eat yogurt.

I abandoned the idea of eating and waited another hour. Now I was 2 hours into the numbness with no sign of it ever stopping. I watched reruns of The OC, dreaming of the beautiful breakfast feast I could consume if my mouth would only function. I couldn't go to work yet because I am receptionist and I am sure plaintiffs do not want to call in and speak to somebody who can't, well...speak.

Another hour passes and by now I am fairly certain something has gone terribly wrong and I will just have to learn to live with a numb face. I eat a banana using what I will from now on have to refer to as "the good side of my mouth". I'm panicked and hungry and sleepy. Then....the numbness subsides. Slowly, I can feel my ear, then my cheek, then my tongue, until finally only a small part of my lip is still numb. I inhaled some eggs and left for work, rolling in four hours late and explaining to everyone the horror I had just endured.

So in the course of two weeks, the dentist went from slightly unlikeable, to not as bad as I thought, then right back to horrifying.

Oh, and by the end of the day I had a raging head cold. Yeah. Best week ever.

Just stopping by to say hello

Today was rough. So was yesterday. It's only Tuesday and I am already wiped. For some reason, it seems all of my attorneys come up with tasks for me at the same time and I am also helping out with another attorney's project today and tomorrow. Anyway, I thought I would stop by and give a little update on my life.

This weekend was fun. I mean, it was Super Bowl weekend so of course it was fun. And best of all....THE GIANTS WON!!!! As my newly adopted team, I am quite pleased with the way this season ended. Thinking about it, I have switched teams 3 times in the past 3 years and my chosen team has won the Super Bowl each year. First the Saints, then the Packers (temporary insanity induced by an ex) and now the Giants. I watched the game with my best friend and his family, since they are from New York and big Giants fans. there was so much food and beer and profane language. A lovely evening all around.

Yesterday morning, I had to go to the dentist and get two cavities filled. That was not very fun but also not as bad as I thought. I am such a baby that the dentist had to do a weird cheek shaking thing to distract me while he gave me the numbing shot. Afterward, I went to my parents house and where a batch of my favorite cookies were waiting for me.

I barely ran a mile yesterday and felt as if I was going to pass out. I am bypassing the attempted workout tonight because I can tell I would struggle. That is probably not the right attitude but oh well. I guess I'll have to get back on track a little more slowly.

Insert first year joke here

First year of college was my favorite.

(You all probably refer to your first year of college as "freshman year". But I went to UVA and because Jefferson believed that learning never ended, we say first year, second year, so on and so forth. Moving on)

First year of college was my favorite. I can see that now. I am out of school and looking back and first year was definitely the most jam packed with good memories. Most people say first year is too full of confusion and difficult classes and adjustment to be their favorite but I love it because of that. I remember moving in and exploring everything and it was all so exciting. By the time I graduated, everything felt so routine and so repetitive that I could not wait to get out.

First year was magical. I was making new friends and trying new things. And I loved my suitemates to death. One of my them convinced me to do ballroom dancing with her! During finals week, we set up a makeshift bed in out common room and spent 7 hours watching Veronica Mars DVDs. We were catty and judgemental and gossipy and loving and supportive and curious. We hadn't established ourselves at the school in various activities and sororities so we were our own unit (we actually referred to ourselves as Tri Mu once we did join sororities, to make those who didn't go greek feel included). So many different personalities that melded together.

Wine and Love

Wine and love is hosted by Nora. Want to join? Read this page for the meme instructions and grab the picture. The go to Walking With Nora to link up!

Wine, Wine, Wine

- Still no sourdough starter. This food challenge thing seems fairly doomed.

- I have no money...but whats new?

- I had to call this morning and make the first of two appointments to get 4 cavities filled. I know, I know...but it's kind of not my fault. Two of them are around existing fillings and one is between my teeth. I didn't think you could get a cavity around an existing filling. Isn't that the point of the filling?

- I am hungry all. the. time. I can't explain it. And I haven't been to the gym since Sunday.

- I have had such trouble getting out of bed this week. I don't think I have been up before 7:40 all week even though I need to be out of the house by 8:15.

- My room looks like a clothing bomb exploded.

Warm and Fuzzy Love

- I am now obsessed with Game of Thrones. Ruh roh.

- I made a bangin' batch of Chicken Marsala over the weekend that has provided lunches throughout the week.

- I had a lovely day date with a friend of mine on Saturday. We went to the National Gallery and then saw the new Michael Fassbender movie Shame. Homegirl has the same appreciation for minimalist art and dark movies as I do. Then we hit up Forever 21.

- I finally got around to buying steel cut oats and made a big batch to have for breakfast for the whole week. It all went swimmingly. At first, I found them too slimy but now I think I have perfected one way to eat them: layer oatmeal, then a little honey, then crushed walnuts and repeat until container is filled then sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Microwave and top with blueberries. Mmmmm. I look forward to experimenting with more options.

- Super bowl is this Sunday! I have some awesome food planned. Sadly, I am torn between where to go to watch AND I have a super early dentist appointment so I might end up driving home during halftime to make sure I am in bed at a reasonable hour.

- I found a couple of new food blogs I'm really into. I'll have to post about the long list of blogs I follow at some point.

- New Vampire Diaries episode tonight. Always a good time.

- Today is going by super quick!