Finals Brain

Finals Brain...

Fried.

I don't know my zip code HAHAHA. Oh thank you Master's Program....I may be able to dissect mounds of information and write 100s of pages about it, but I don't know where I live (at least when asked).

Rum Balls: Take I

So I love Rum Balls and I am actually known for mine, which are a family recipe. Last night I decided to just try any old recipe I found online....FAIL. I mean they were decent, but that's about it. I think the really secret to making good rum balls is adding MORE than just rum...like whatever you have...rum and brandy, rum and Drambuie, rum and anything strong than you like the taste of. Also, find a recipe that does not use corn syrup! Once I make our family rum balls I will post photos and do a comparison of the two recipes.

For now...can I just say how much I hate Automotive places. You go in for one thing and leave with at least 3 things fixed that you didn't know where broken! What a scam! I don't care if they are really broken, I go in thinking I am getting one thing fixed and $300-1000 later I leave.

Tonight's dinner

Tonight's dinner: sauerkraut pierogis, caramelized onions, kielbasa and rosemary sweet potato fries! Kinda have a potato theme going on. I can't tell you how excited I am for dinner...all of it actually and it is my first time making sweet potato fries, so wish me luck! Been inspired by a friend's Blog (corrected adddress: http://diariesofafoodie.wordpress.com/ . I will let you know how it all turns out :)

Hard Core Hiking

Hard Core Hiking!

Spent the morning Hiking with the Adirondack Mountain Club and Rochester Young Professionals. Yes I was hiking in December! An unseasonably warm fall and winter thus far, but I'm not complaining. Temperature was about 40-45 degrees F. We hiked The Devil's Bathtub, see map . Not a long hike, but definitely the first one I have done past October. Gloves, long underwear, hats, wool socks, a fleece, neck warmer and water bottle...and of course camera in tow. I hope we get a few more nice days, so I can get out and explore this park a little more. My good friend Felecia planned the event, which was preceded by a talk at EMS, gift bags from local merchants and bagels! I was one of over 40 happy hikers and spent the hike exploring with a good college friend! Good times.

Personalized Photo Advent Calendar

Today I made an advent calendar using my own family photos.

In Picassa, I created a photo collage with 25 photos (8X10).

I decided on landscape, but portrait style could be used as well.

Once I was satisfied, I printed the photo collage on glossy 8X10 photo paper.

Then I picked a photo for the calendar to display when the photo windows were closed (I chose a photo of our house).

Next I printed the photo of our house on glossy 8X10 photo paper.

Then, I allowed the photos to dry.

Next I took a sheet of tracing paper and a ruler and decided on different size openings for each photo and what side the photo doors would open.

I alternated the openings randomly R, L, and top.

I drew straight lines for where I would use the exacto knife and dotted lines to serve as folding lines.

Next, I cut out the windows and numbered each with a paint pen.

Finally, I tapped the photo with windows onto the photo collage.

Result: Personalized Photo Advent Calendar

(Due to privacy, I will not upload any pictures of this project - thank you for your understanding).

Thank you for Picassa for assisting in this cool project/gift for my family.

So what if it's a kid's game...

So tonight my beau and I spent an hour an a half tackling and beating Shaun the Sheep! http://www.shaunthesheep.com/games/homesheephome/ It's an amazing game, kinda like angry birds, but nothing explodes and no one gets hurt. I am kinda in love with this game and the sheep are so cute and make little noises.

So what if it's a kid's game...sometimes they know the best games! And when they go to sleep the adults get to play them :) LOL... remember that parent-friends of mine...you get to play the game once your kids go to sleep..."yes mommy bought you a Wii (and it's my turn!...er your bedtime!) :)

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving...What are you thankful for? I feel like I try to reflect on this more often than not. This year, I am thankful for my family, friends and to be in the final stretch of graduate school. My family, who I know is always there for me, has always been a support and source of joy, I love you. My friends who have stood my me, met me for coffee, rather than drinks, understood my crazy schedule and have sent me words of encouragement., I love you. To my friends I have not regularly contacted (or vice versa), I love you.

I am thankful for so many things and so many people. My heart is so full. I am thankful to have had so many wonderful times with so many of you and I just want to say thank you for being you.

Pepsi Challenge of Pumpkin Beers

So a few cool CATs decided to have a Pepsi Challenge of Pumpkin Beers! An excellent idea I am proud to say I was a part of.

Our favorite varieties were present to include Shipyard Pumpkin Head, Saranac Pumpkin Ale, Horse Heads Pumpkin Ale, Southern Tier Pumpking, and Woodchuck Private Reserve Pumpkin Cider. Of course we knew we would vote for our own personal favorites, so we needed an unbiased way of voting. So 3 CATs and 2 DOGS got together one rainy Saturday and put the pumpkin to the test utilizing a numbered system!

I winner is : Horse Heads Pumpkin Ale, 2nd place went to: Southern Tier Pumpking, and 3rd place went to Saranac Pumpkin Ale, sadly Shipyard PumpkinHead although wonderful, didn't make the top 3, ranking 5th, below Woodchuck Private Reserve Pumpkin Cider. Please note, it was unanimous how the beers were ranked and also please note that the raters admitted that they enjoyed each of the selections.

The results were exactly in the same order Beer Advocate listed them, although none of the raters had researched the beers prior to tasting. Of the 5 selections, there was an obvious winner, although the top 3 were tasted again to determine the winner.

Bottom line: if you are in a store or bar and see anyone of these 5 selections, smile.

Thesis

Dear Thesis,

If you do not kill me, you will only make me stronger.

Fondly Yours,

B.

It's almost time to submit my research study proposal/thesis in for approval. Looking back on my time spent working on it, I have had a lot of headaches, coffee and red ink. I think I am down to my final draft. It's exciting and stressful all at the same time.

...Back to it....catch you next time I need a study break.

September 11th

A somber day; every Anniversary of 9-11. Sophomore year of college I returned from my work study job in the Department of Community Service to see a friend of mine, Molly curled up on the couch, tears rolling down her face as she stared at the TV. I told her if the movie was so sad she should turn it off. "It's not a movie," she said, "it's the news." Dumbfounded all I could muster was, "What?" and the vigil on the couch grew every time someone walked by. Classes were canceled and we were left with not knowing what to do. Despite this crisis a good friend of ours woke up a year older with this as a present...for the rest of his life. What is it like to be a 9-11 baby? That year it meant birthdays from then on would be different or celebrated on 9-10 from now on. It seems trivial to make a big deal of 9-11 being your birthday, but is it? Isn't life filled with little things that make life happy, like looking forward to and celebrating your birthday?

Nothing was the same after that day. We lost our innocence and were awoken to the reality that we weren't alone. There were people to fear, despite the fact we left our dorm rooms unlocked and walked across campus at all hours alone, sporting only pajamas and a smile. The world changed for everyone that day, but specifically for a bright eyed 19 year old that just wanted to help people and volunteer for a living. The building I had been inside only a year prior during our Senior Class Trip now not only didn't exist, but was a place of terror, fear, and horrific things I cannot imagine.

We remember 9-11.

(and we continue to Celebrate 9-11 birthdays, only now on the 10th)

Happy Birthday Mattie and Rob