I'm just a little black rain cloud
Hovering under the honey tree
I'm just a little black rain cloud
Pay no attention
To little me!
Dum de dum dum de dum dum dum!
This is the song my father used to sing to me when I was a surly teenager, except he would adjust the lyrics according to the particular situation I was hovering over with my black rain-cloudiness.
Master of subtlety, my father.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
This I love.
I believe very deeply everybody has the potential to love reading. It's simply a matter of time and finding the right reading material to step them into the world of written stories.
After all, we're tied together by stories. We entertain ourselves with stories, keep each other up to date through our stories, teach each other with stories.
Stories define us.
Much better than any list of adjectives, however comprehensive, ever could.
Books are an under appreciated medium for telling our stories and I am all for any project that hopes to share the love of books and reading.
I believe very deeply everybody has the potential to love reading. It's simply a matter of time and finding the right reading material to step them into the world of written stories.
After all, we're tied together by stories. We entertain ourselves with stories, keep each other up to date through our stories, teach each other with stories.
Stories define us.
Much better than any list of adjectives, however comprehensive, ever could.
Books are an under appreciated medium for telling our stories and I am all for any project that hopes to share the love of books and reading.
My Life According to Pie
This is how I spent my time yesterday, from midnight to midnight.
Not such a bad day, eh?
Not such a bad day, eh?
Monday, February 27, 2012
I'm a Monday Lover and You Should Be, Too
It all comes down to energy, really.
Potential energy.
Potential energy, simply put, is the energy stored in a system.
Science mumbo jumbo, right? Let's try this.
Think of a spring. If you push on a spring, you are exerting energy to compress the spring. The spring can uncompress without you helping it to do so. That is because it has stored the energy you exerted to compress it. That energy, stored in the spring (i.e., the system) is potential energy.
It's crazy how much potential energy there is stored up all around you.
So much potential.
Mondays are filled to the brim with potential.
Potential for what? Well, that's up to you.
Potential energy.
Potential energy, simply put, is the energy stored in a system.
Science mumbo jumbo, right? Let's try this.
Think of a spring. If you push on a spring, you are exerting energy to compress the spring. The spring can uncompress without you helping it to do so. That is because it has stored the energy you exerted to compress it. That energy, stored in the spring (i.e., the system) is potential energy.
It's crazy how much potential energy there is stored up all around you.
So much potential.
Mondays are filled to the brim with potential.
Potential for what? Well, that's up to you.
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Nightmare Corner
There's a corner in my room. It's a nightmare. A triple nightmare since it's really three corners.
See, like this:
Like I said, triple nightmare corner. Do you know what happens in a nightmare corner that is really three corners? It grows stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Stuff you've never seen before, stuff that you don't even know what it is. That's what happens in a nightmare corner.
The only possible way to deal with a nightmare corner is to arm yourself, prepare yourself for the worst, and then dig in. A vacuum, a rag and cleaner (I'm obsessed with having clean baseboards; I blame my mother), and determination were my weapons. Avoiding school work gave me all the motivation I needed to get started.
Currently the nightmare corner is winning. Except it's no longer a nightmare corner. The triple corner that will haunt every organizer's nightmares looks all clean and shiny now. The problem is, all the stuff that used to be in the nightmare corner is currently parked in the middle of my room.
Like this:
These are some of the things I've come across while digging out my corner (and are now scattered about my floor; see image above):
PS There's a monster truck jam in Salt Lake tonight and I so wish I was there! :(
PPS Although avoiding school work may have been my reason for digging in to Treasure Corner, it now gives me all the excuse I need to not finish up. I think I might just go crazy if all that stuff doesn't get swept away sometime soon. In the meantime, my school work is looking ship-shape!
See, like this:
Like I said, triple nightmare corner. Do you know what happens in a nightmare corner that is really three corners? It grows stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Stuff you've never seen before, stuff that you don't even know what it is. That's what happens in a nightmare corner.
The only possible way to deal with a nightmare corner is to arm yourself, prepare yourself for the worst, and then dig in. A vacuum, a rag and cleaner (I'm obsessed with having clean baseboards; I blame my mother), and determination were my weapons. Avoiding school work gave me all the motivation I needed to get started.
Currently the nightmare corner is winning. Except it's no longer a nightmare corner. The triple corner that will haunt every organizer's nightmares looks all clean and shiny now. The problem is, all the stuff that used to be in the nightmare corner is currently parked in the middle of my room.
Like this:
These are some of the things I've come across while digging out my corner (and are now scattered about my floor; see image above):
- First driver's license. I was adorable.
- GRE scores. My verbal was a few hundred points above average; my math was just about average, which I remember finding disappointing when I first got my scores (three years ago?), but really that's not so bad considering my last math class was the first half of my senior year of high school and I didn't study for the GRE.
- An advertisement from Washington Mutual for 5.6% APR on a CD opened with at least $1,000. Remember when they were still around? This was just after I graduated high school. I opened one for a short term with the required $1,000. I opened another one for a much longer term with a much heftier chunk of change. All that money is long gone by now.
- A pile of French flash cards.
- My monster truck, Sudden Impact.
- The purse Kelly Belly brought for me from Seattle I don't even know how many years ago. I'm currently using it as I have several times over the years.
- My Christmas sock with the elves (knit by my father). I also have a Christmas sock with what looks like dancing Mexicans on it (knit by my grandfather) but that's tucked away under the porch.
- Article from the Daily Universe covering the death of President Hinkley.
- Article from the Daily Universe covering the new First Presidency.
- Box of sidewalk chalk.
PS There's a monster truck jam in Salt Lake tonight and I so wish I was there! :(
PPS Although avoiding school work may have been my reason for digging in to Treasure Corner, it now gives me all the excuse I need to not finish up. I think I might just go crazy if all that stuff doesn't get swept away sometime soon. In the meantime, my school work is looking ship-shape!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
In Which the Little Brother Plans a Two-Year Hiatus
This is the Little Brother.
It's a universal truth that he's the coolest kid around.
Not to mention debonair.
He made a decision recently. A big decision. He's going to spend two years serving the Lord. It was just yesterday when he came home and found this waiting for him on the table.
Now, if this Little Brother were this Big Brother,
he would have called together his family and friends (heavy on the girls) and would have had a big hollabaloo party to celebrate.
But he's not.
If this Little Brother were this Middle Brother,
he would have snagged that big, white envelope and gone for a long drive and come home only when he had discovered the secret for himself.
But he's not that either.
He's the Little Brother. He contacted the far-flung members of his family and this is the information he got:
He waited.
Patiently.
Turns out 3 1/2 hours is a lot of time to fill.
Even if you've got plenty of options.
It gave him time to really get to know his call on a personal level.
Finally, after just about giving up, the entire fam was together. Even the Bodens made it.
Hi, Bodens! I'm not quite sure who took this picture, but I'm glad they documented your presence. (Sorry, about the glare. You're just too ruggedly handsome, Dan. Even on webcam. We didn't want to make people jealous.)
The time had come.
His goofy smile right after he found out where and when he was going. Not staged. Now do you see why I love this kid?
You want to know where he's going?
There! And there's a sneak peek of his mission face.
This is how he feels about it.
Congrats, Little Brother! We're super happy for you! See, we even got the cakes to show it!
Mmmm.
What's that? You're still don't really know where he's going? Alright, alright.
Voila!
Good news is, he's a Spanish speaking champ!
It's a universal truth that he's the coolest kid around.
Not to mention debonair.
He made a decision recently. A big decision. He's going to spend two years serving the Lord. It was just yesterday when he came home and found this waiting for him on the table.
Now, if this Little Brother were this Big Brother,
he would have called together his family and friends (heavy on the girls) and would have had a big hollabaloo party to celebrate.
But he's not.
If this Little Brother were this Middle Brother,
he would have snagged that big, white envelope and gone for a long drive and come home only when he had discovered the secret for himself.
But he's not that either.
He's the Little Brother. He contacted the far-flung members of his family and this is the information he got:
- Me: home in 50 minutes
- J's: could be at the ma and the pa's house in about an hour (give or take a diaper change)
- Middle brother: at work but available for skyping; otherwise, home in a couple hours
- Bodens: available to skype just about anytime
- Kelly: completely unavailable and unreachable for 3 1/2 hours (blast those adorable violin students!)
He waited.
Patiently.
Turns out 3 1/2 hours is a lot of time to fill.
Even if you've got plenty of options.
It gave him time to really get to know his call on a personal level.
Finally, after just about giving up, the entire fam was together. Even the Bodens made it.
Hi, Bodens! I'm not quite sure who took this picture, but I'm glad they documented your presence. (Sorry, about the glare. You're just too ruggedly handsome, Dan. Even on webcam. We didn't want to make people jealous.)
The time had come.
His goofy smile right after he found out where and when he was going. Not staged. Now do you see why I love this kid?
You want to know where he's going?
There! And there's a sneak peek of his mission face.
This is how he feels about it.
Congrats, Little Brother! We're super happy for you! See, we even got the cakes to show it!
Mmmm.
What's that? You're still don't really know where he's going? Alright, alright.
Voila!
 |
| Image found here. |
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Birds and Boulders
I should be getting about 55-60 grams of protein. That is a lot of protein when you consider that I'm not much of a meat eater. I can go a couple weeks without eating any kind of meat and not notice.
There's some things you ought to know about protein.
Boulders are not easily heaved into the air. That being the case, I'm considering trying these.
There are m&ms in the break room. I'm eating vegetables. I think the protein content of the m&ms might actually be higher, seeing as they are peanut m&ms.
There's some things you ought to know about protein.
- Protein is important because it makes everything work. (I when I say everything, I mean everything. No protein, no you.)
- What's important about protein is the amino acids. Our bodies break down protein into the amino acids and then string them together again to make the particular proteins we need to function.
- Protein from meat has all of the amino acids we need.
- Meat comes with many other things that aren't so great such as saturated fats.
- There aren't very many sources of plant-based proteins that contain all of necessary amino acids.
- It's possible to get all of the necessary amino acids from plant-based protein if you make sure to mix it up (i.e., eat legumes and whole grains for your protein).
- Studies have shown that a good majority of you probably get 50% more protein than you need.
- I am not an expert on protein and probably don't know what I'm talking about.
Boulders are not easily heaved into the air. That being the case, I'm considering trying these.
There are m&ms in the break room. I'm eating vegetables. I think the protein content of the m&ms might actually be higher, seeing as they are peanut m&ms.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
I heart sprinkles.
As in I think anything is better with sprinkles. The flavor of a cake donut and its frosting doesn't matter much just as long as it comes with sprinkles on top. I would rather have a cupcake decorated simply with sprinkles than with a piece of fruit, chocolate pendants, or fondant whatever-it-is-you-think-is-cute. If you have less than a bucket of sprinkles tucked in your pantry, you are sorely in need of a sprinkles shopping trip.
I also firmly believe that sprinkles, whether purchasing, using, or consuming, can make any day a little brighter. Really. Their power is uncanny.
I hope very much to never own a goat (you all know how I feel about pets), but if I do, the goat will be named Sprinkles. No rock.
Another love of mine is funfetti cake—fluffy deliciousness sprinkled with bits of happiness.
Imagine my delight when I came across this. Homemade funfetti cake using jimmies (the best kind of sprinkles in my opinion). I currently have a bottle of gorgeous, metallic jimmies and I can't think of a better use for them than turning them into an amazingly delicious, funfetti cake.
Love + love = Triple love
(I know the math doesn't seem to add up, but trust me on this one.)
Moving on to something completely unrelated to homemade, fluffy deliciousness sprinkled with metallic bits of happiness (which is quite tragic; everything ought to be related to fluffy deliciousness or metallic bits of happiness, don't you think?), I have typed the word responsibilities nearly three dozen times in the last couple of days. Does that mean I'm using it too much? Why yes, it does. But that's not important. Responsibilities, you will notice, has four i's at the end with only a single letter between each i. I know this and yet I can't help missing that last, blasted i each time I type it. You'd think after three dozen times I would be able to get it right.
As in I think anything is better with sprinkles. The flavor of a cake donut and its frosting doesn't matter much just as long as it comes with sprinkles on top. I would rather have a cupcake decorated simply with sprinkles than with a piece of fruit, chocolate pendants, or fondant whatever-it-is-you-think-is-cute. If you have less than a bucket of sprinkles tucked in your pantry, you are sorely in need of a sprinkles shopping trip.
I also firmly believe that sprinkles, whether purchasing, using, or consuming, can make any day a little brighter. Really. Their power is uncanny.
I hope very much to never own a goat (you all know how I feel about pets), but if I do, the goat will be named Sprinkles. No rock.
Another love of mine is funfetti cake—fluffy deliciousness sprinkled with bits of happiness.
Imagine my delight when I came across this. Homemade funfetti cake using jimmies (the best kind of sprinkles in my opinion). I currently have a bottle of gorgeous, metallic jimmies and I can't think of a better use for them than turning them into an amazingly delicious, funfetti cake.
Love + love = Triple love
(I know the math doesn't seem to add up, but trust me on this one.)
Moving on to something completely unrelated to homemade, fluffy deliciousness sprinkled with metallic bits of happiness (which is quite tragic; everything ought to be related to fluffy deliciousness or metallic bits of happiness, don't you think?), I have typed the word responsibilities nearly three dozen times in the last couple of days. Does that mean I'm using it too much? Why yes, it does. But that's not important. Responsibilities, you will notice, has four i's at the end with only a single letter between each i. I know this and yet I can't help missing that last, blasted i each time I type it. You'd think after three dozen times I would be able to get it right.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
I know, I know, I'm supposed to be studying. Or sleeping. That would be nice.
I walked past the family room on my way to refill my study cup with ice and water. My brother and sister-in-law were watching The Colony.
I need to get me some after-apocalypse skills cause I'm pretty sure I would be useless.
"Yes, I realize the world is ending and your university was obliterated when the super volcano we like to call Yellowstone blew up, but if you let me edit your paper it will be your best paper ever! I'll just put the end of this stick in our survival fire to make some charcoal so I can get down to business!"
Hm.
I walked past the family room on my way to refill my study cup with ice and water. My brother and sister-in-law were watching The Colony.
I need to get me some after-apocalypse skills cause I'm pretty sure I would be useless.
"Yes, I realize the world is ending and your university was obliterated when the super volcano we like to call Yellowstone blew up, but if you let me edit your paper it will be your best paper ever! I'll just put the end of this stick in our survival fire to make some charcoal so I can get down to business!"
Hm.
I'm not supposed to be here. I'm supposed to be studying.
Untrue.
I'm supposed to be at the symphony. I ditched the symphony so I could study. I'm not studying. I'm here instead.
Don't worry; it's only a small break in my studies. In about another hour or so I should be done with the second course in my graduate program.
I feel like I should feel like a failure. After all, at the beginning of the fall I set out to see the Utah Symphony perform each of Beethoven's symphonies this season. And now I have failed.
It's not just Beethoven's 4th symphony I'm missing tonight. I'm also missing Rachmaninoff. Tragedy and failure.
But I don't feel like a failure. Nor do I feel missing Rachmaninoff is tragic.
It feels more like triumph—choosing to give up something I love for something that is more important.
I should have gotten this last couple of hours of study done nearly two weeks ago. I couldn't bring myself to do it, so I didn't.
I couldn't put it off anymore. Not I shouldn't put it off anymore; I couldn't. In the same way you can't put off drinking when you're thirsty or eating when you're hungry. You don't have to do these things, but they are necessary for general health and well-being and putting them off even for a bit leads to headaches, grumpiness, and loss of energy and focus. I couldn't put off doing this school work anymore
The thought of trying to squeeze these last few hours of study between art class this afternoon and the symphony this evening made my mind want to pop. So I snuggled in bed for a couple of hours (I had intended to take a nap but I ended up just listening to my heart beat in my ears), sent my papa with my ma to the symphony, and now I am studying.
So close . . .
Remind me why I'm getting an M.Ed.? I know there must have been a good reason, but I forget.
"The lightest side of the dark side is darker than the darkest part of the light side."
Something my art instructor said during art class. We were discussing form and value, lights and shadows. It may be a bit of nothing, but it feels like a something. Something much more than a small part of a lecture on basic drawing.
Also, I hate avocados.
I found out several months ago that all of my cholesterol levels are fantastic except that my good cholesterol is a couple points low. Almonds, olive oil, and avocados were recommended. I've been eating bits of avocado since and I came to the tragic realization today that I almost like the stuff. The avocado was delicious on the sandwich I made myself for lunch. Bleh.
Untrue.
I'm supposed to be at the symphony. I ditched the symphony so I could study. I'm not studying. I'm here instead.
Don't worry; it's only a small break in my studies. In about another hour or so I should be done with the second course in my graduate program.
I feel like I should feel like a failure. After all, at the beginning of the fall I set out to see the Utah Symphony perform each of Beethoven's symphonies this season. And now I have failed.
It's not just Beethoven's 4th symphony I'm missing tonight. I'm also missing Rachmaninoff. Tragedy and failure.
But I don't feel like a failure. Nor do I feel missing Rachmaninoff is tragic.
It feels more like triumph—choosing to give up something I love for something that is more important.
I should have gotten this last couple of hours of study done nearly two weeks ago. I couldn't bring myself to do it, so I didn't.
I couldn't put it off anymore. Not I shouldn't put it off anymore; I couldn't. In the same way you can't put off drinking when you're thirsty or eating when you're hungry. You don't have to do these things, but they are necessary for general health and well-being and putting them off even for a bit leads to headaches, grumpiness, and loss of energy and focus. I couldn't put off doing this school work anymore
The thought of trying to squeeze these last few hours of study between art class this afternoon and the symphony this evening made my mind want to pop. So I snuggled in bed for a couple of hours (I had intended to take a nap but I ended up just listening to my heart beat in my ears), sent my papa with my ma to the symphony, and now I am studying.
So close . . .
Remind me why I'm getting an M.Ed.? I know there must have been a good reason, but I forget.
"The lightest side of the dark side is darker than the darkest part of the light side."
Something my art instructor said during art class. We were discussing form and value, lights and shadows. It may be a bit of nothing, but it feels like a something. Something much more than a small part of a lecture on basic drawing.
Also, I hate avocados.
I found out several months ago that all of my cholesterol levels are fantastic except that my good cholesterol is a couple points low. Almonds, olive oil, and avocados were recommended. I've been eating bits of avocado since and I came to the tragic realization today that I almost like the stuff. The avocado was delicious on the sandwich I made myself for lunch. Bleh.
Friday, February 17, 2012
I'm doing something a little bit crazy.
I've been thinking of laser hair removal longingly for quite a while. I'm the all or nothing sort of person so it was either shave my legs only when it was absolutely necessary (once every two to three weeks in the summer; not at all between the months of October and April) or shave every day. I went with the minimalist approach. Who needs non-hairy legs more than a few times during the summer anyway? It was only a four or five years ago that I decided it was time to put on my big girl shoes and shave more often. Every time I take a shower I shave my legs. This has wreaked havoc on my already dry skin. This means that I not only shave every day but I have to smear lotion on every day, too (missing for a couple days or even moving to the every other day plan leaves my legs looking powdery white from the colonies of dead skin, and achy all over--no good).
Lotion is slimy and disgusting. Shaving adds an extra few minutes to every shower (not relaxing, hang out in the shower minutes, but boring, work minutes) and is an annoyance.
It seemed my only solution was to either return to the minimalist approach (I got used to having smooth legs all the time and was not super excited about giving it up) or getting rid of the hair altogether.
Enter longing for hair removal.
I'd done my research, I knew the costs, side effects, and potential problems, I knew the different philosophies and approaches to laser hair removal, and I knew where I ideally would have liked to get my laser hair removal done. But I didn't. I waited. I watched as others decided to do what I hadn't done, questioned them, and waited some more.
And then there was groupon; 75% off laser hair removal at the spa I had always intended to go to. I wanted it, I knew I was going to get it someday, and I didn't think I'd get another deal as good as this one. I popped on over and signed myself up.
Today was my first treatment. I decided to go without the numbing cream; it's an extra cost, apparently messes a bit with the effectiveness of the treatments, and the technician said it probably wouldn't be necessary based on my skin and hair type. The laser hurt a bit in some areas but mostly it didn't. My technician was super impressed with how I was handling it. That is until I started dry-heaving. Apparently laser treatments + an empty stomach = nausea. Lovely.
(Have I ever mentioned my overly sensitive gag reflex? It gets me into all sorts of embarrassing situations. I blame my father.)
The poor technician did a little, I'm not sure how to handle this and I'm actually quite worried about you dance. (As it turns out, dry-heaving is not a common reaction to the laser treatments). I explained to her the culprit was my empty stomach. She began rapid-fire listing the snacks they keep on hand, stopped herself midway through a word and said she'd just bring me a selection. Then she was gone. She returned in no time at all and ran off again for some water.
The rest of the time I spent snacking and chatting. The treatment, not including the extra time added due to the dry-heaving fun, only took about twenty minutes.
Seventeen more treatments and the razor and I will be parting ways forever.
This parting will be all sweetness and no sorrow.
I've been thinking of laser hair removal longingly for quite a while. I'm the all or nothing sort of person so it was either shave my legs only when it was absolutely necessary (once every two to three weeks in the summer; not at all between the months of October and April) or shave every day. I went with the minimalist approach. Who needs non-hairy legs more than a few times during the summer anyway? It was only a four or five years ago that I decided it was time to put on my big girl shoes and shave more often. Every time I take a shower I shave my legs. This has wreaked havoc on my already dry skin. This means that I not only shave every day but I have to smear lotion on every day, too (missing for a couple days or even moving to the every other day plan leaves my legs looking powdery white from the colonies of dead skin, and achy all over--no good).
Lotion is slimy and disgusting. Shaving adds an extra few minutes to every shower (not relaxing, hang out in the shower minutes, but boring, work minutes) and is an annoyance.
It seemed my only solution was to either return to the minimalist approach (I got used to having smooth legs all the time and was not super excited about giving it up) or getting rid of the hair altogether.
Enter longing for hair removal.
I'd done my research, I knew the costs, side effects, and potential problems, I knew the different philosophies and approaches to laser hair removal, and I knew where I ideally would have liked to get my laser hair removal done. But I didn't. I waited. I watched as others decided to do what I hadn't done, questioned them, and waited some more.
And then there was groupon; 75% off laser hair removal at the spa I had always intended to go to. I wanted it, I knew I was going to get it someday, and I didn't think I'd get another deal as good as this one. I popped on over and signed myself up.
Today was my first treatment. I decided to go without the numbing cream; it's an extra cost, apparently messes a bit with the effectiveness of the treatments, and the technician said it probably wouldn't be necessary based on my skin and hair type. The laser hurt a bit in some areas but mostly it didn't. My technician was super impressed with how I was handling it. That is until I started dry-heaving. Apparently laser treatments + an empty stomach = nausea. Lovely.
(Have I ever mentioned my overly sensitive gag reflex? It gets me into all sorts of embarrassing situations. I blame my father.)
The poor technician did a little, I'm not sure how to handle this and I'm actually quite worried about you dance. (As it turns out, dry-heaving is not a common reaction to the laser treatments). I explained to her the culprit was my empty stomach. She began rapid-fire listing the snacks they keep on hand, stopped herself midway through a word and said she'd just bring me a selection. Then she was gone. She returned in no time at all and ran off again for some water.
The rest of the time I spent snacking and chatting. The treatment, not including the extra time added due to the dry-heaving fun, only took about twenty minutes.
Seventeen more treatments and the razor and I will be parting ways forever.
This parting will be all sweetness and no sorrow.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
These are the 20 best foods you can purchase at your grocery store, according to livestrong.com. They "fight fat, build muscle, and prevent disease." Livestrong.com recommends building your diet around these foods.
I eat most of these foods on a pretty consistent basis simply because I think they are fabulously delicious. I've never considered myself a healthy eater.
Perhaps it's less important that I adjust my diet and more important that I adjust my view of my diet. Really, how can I eat a healthier diet if I don't have an accurate understanding of which foods make up my diet?
- Almonds
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Berries
- Bell peppers
- Black beans
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Butternut Squash
- Chicken Breast
- Edamame
- Eggs
- Flaxseed
- Garlic
- Onions
- Spinach
- Salmon
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Yogurt
I eat most of these foods on a pretty consistent basis simply because I think they are fabulously delicious. I've never considered myself a healthy eater.
Perhaps it's less important that I adjust my diet and more important that I adjust my view of my diet. Really, how can I eat a healthier diet if I don't have an accurate understanding of which foods make up my diet?
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
It's the season of chocolate and redness. Someone, somewhere found the perfect way to marry these two. It's called red velvet.
Pause. Now I'm all in a dither about how red velvet wormed its way in.
Please enjoy browsing these red velvet recipes while I research the history of red velvet.
Red Velvet Cake
Red Velvet Cupcakes in a Jar
Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
Red Velvet Ice Cream
Red Velvet Popcorn
Red Velvet Cake with Cheesecake
Red Velvet Cheesecake Milkshake
Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies
Red Velvet Truffles
Red Velvet Cake Doughnuts
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Red Velvet Crepes
Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
Red Velvet Pancakes
Red Velvet Fudge
Red Velvet Cake Roll
Red Velvet Cheesecake
And as long as we are exploring red velvet recipes we might as well throw a little ombre in there. (What is it with this ombre trend? I don't understand.)
Ombre Red Velvet Cupcakes
A Brief History of Red Velvet According to Wikipedia
As it turns out Wikipedia doesn't have much to say about the inception of red velvet cakes. It mentions a reference book from 1972 called American Cookery, but the information pulled form there is basically useless to me since red velvet cake has been around for much longer than that. The article does have something to say about the vinegar and buttermilk bringing out the reddish tints in cocoa. Interesting, but not a satisfying answer.
I did some more digging and came up with this. I don't know how accurate this history is, but it's certainly more satisfying. It also lends itself to my particular struggles with red velvet cake.
I understand the need for different varieties of chocolate cake. I have no problem accepting red velvet cake as defining a particular type of chocolate deliciousness. But it seems that these days anything swimming in red food dye with a vaguely chocolate flavor is considered red velvet.
Red velvet should be more than code for red chocolate.
Some of the classic ingredients of a red velvet cake are vinegar and buttermilk. According to the speculative history linked above, brown sugar may also have been an important ingredient in a red velvet cake.
Next time you're all fired up and making something 'red velvet,' do yourself a favor and make an actual red velvet something. Find a recipe with vinegar and buttermilk.
If you can do it, leave out the bottle of red food dye. Really, that's just ridiculous. Also, it will probably kill you. I'm sure some study somewhere says so. If you just can't do it, if you NEED to put in that red dye, I won't say a word just as long as you assure me that you've made a real red velvet.
I am happy to say that more than one recipe given above has both vinegar and buttermilk.
PS You can only type the word velvet so many times before it starts looking really funky.
PPS According to the speculative history of red velvet, devil's food cake used to be red devil's food cake and included brown sugar (she's got the ancient recipe books to prove it). Bet you'd be hard-pressed to find a modern devil's food cake that contains brown sugar. Unfortunate, really. Brown sugar, chocolate cake sounds fantastically delicious.
PPPS There's only one other strangely colored food as popular as red velvet: green eggs and ham. It's from a children's book. On the very, VERY rare occasion you may be offered green eggs and ham it is considered a novelty, a funky treat that takes you back to childhood. It's an experience. I'm all for red velvet cake being similarly rare (not the delicious chocolate cake part of it; just the red food dye part).
Pause. Now I'm all in a dither about how red velvet wormed its way in.
Please enjoy browsing these red velvet recipes while I research the history of red velvet.
Red Velvet Cake
Red Velvet Cupcakes in a Jar
Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
Red Velvet Ice Cream
Red Velvet Popcorn
Red Velvet Cake with Cheesecake
Red Velvet Cheesecake Milkshake
Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies
Red Velvet Truffles
Red Velvet Cake Doughnuts
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Red Velvet Crepes
Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
Red Velvet Pancakes
Red Velvet Fudge
Red Velvet Cake Roll
Red Velvet Cheesecake
And as long as we are exploring red velvet recipes we might as well throw a little ombre in there. (What is it with this ombre trend? I don't understand.)
Ombre Red Velvet Cupcakes
A Brief History of Red Velvet According to Wikipedia
As it turns out Wikipedia doesn't have much to say about the inception of red velvet cakes. It mentions a reference book from 1972 called American Cookery, but the information pulled form there is basically useless to me since red velvet cake has been around for much longer than that. The article does have something to say about the vinegar and buttermilk bringing out the reddish tints in cocoa. Interesting, but not a satisfying answer.
I did some more digging and came up with this. I don't know how accurate this history is, but it's certainly more satisfying. It also lends itself to my particular struggles with red velvet cake.
I understand the need for different varieties of chocolate cake. I have no problem accepting red velvet cake as defining a particular type of chocolate deliciousness. But it seems that these days anything swimming in red food dye with a vaguely chocolate flavor is considered red velvet.
Red velvet should be more than code for red chocolate.
Some of the classic ingredients of a red velvet cake are vinegar and buttermilk. According to the speculative history linked above, brown sugar may also have been an important ingredient in a red velvet cake.
Next time you're all fired up and making something 'red velvet,' do yourself a favor and make an actual red velvet something. Find a recipe with vinegar and buttermilk.
If you can do it, leave out the bottle of red food dye. Really, that's just ridiculous. Also, it will probably kill you. I'm sure some study somewhere says so. If you just can't do it, if you NEED to put in that red dye, I won't say a word just as long as you assure me that you've made a real red velvet.
I am happy to say that more than one recipe given above has both vinegar and buttermilk.
PS You can only type the word velvet so many times before it starts looking really funky.
PPS According to the speculative history of red velvet, devil's food cake used to be red devil's food cake and included brown sugar (she's got the ancient recipe books to prove it). Bet you'd be hard-pressed to find a modern devil's food cake that contains brown sugar. Unfortunate, really. Brown sugar, chocolate cake sounds fantastically delicious.
PPPS There's only one other strangely colored food as popular as red velvet: green eggs and ham. It's from a children's book. On the very, VERY rare occasion you may be offered green eggs and ham it is considered a novelty, a funky treat that takes you back to childhood. It's an experience. I'm all for red velvet cake being similarly rare (not the delicious chocolate cake part of it; just the red food dye part).
Poser
As in, I am a
I visited two corners over the weekend. Artist's Corner and Runner's Corner (do you think I would get thrown out of the corners if they knew I was visiting other corners?).
At Artist's Corner I talked with my mother about the benefits of large containers of powdered graphite and the reasons for the various levels of softness I was considering.
At Runner's Corner I purchased some super legit running shoes. It was a process. It started with the lady putting me in some running shoes and watching me run. They have a track that goes around the inside of the store. Apparently I'm a pretty neutral runner. She went in the back and brought out nearly a dozen pairs of shoes for me to try on. There's a sidewalk that circles the outside perimeter of the store. I ran around it six or seven times with a different shoe on each foot.
I felt super overdressed in my jeans and t-shirt. Pretty sure everyone there knew I was nothing but a poser. Note to self: dress down next time I hit Runner's Corner.
Also, happy Valentine's Day. I'm celebrating this momentous holiday by going to subway with my fam to get footlongs for dinner. Apparently they are all only five dollars during the month of February and my ma is uber excited about it.
Note to M.C.: I love you to pieces and I gave good, old v-day a shot, but it's just not gonna work. Maybe I'll try again next year but for now, v-day and I are definitely at odds with each other. Our disastrous attempt at heart-shaped cake pops may or may not have had something to do with it. :)
I visited two corners over the weekend. Artist's Corner and Runner's Corner (do you think I would get thrown out of the corners if they knew I was visiting other corners?).
At Artist's Corner I talked with my mother about the benefits of large containers of powdered graphite and the reasons for the various levels of softness I was considering.
At Runner's Corner I purchased some super legit running shoes. It was a process. It started with the lady putting me in some running shoes and watching me run. They have a track that goes around the inside of the store. Apparently I'm a pretty neutral runner. She went in the back and brought out nearly a dozen pairs of shoes for me to try on. There's a sidewalk that circles the outside perimeter of the store. I ran around it six or seven times with a different shoe on each foot.
I felt super overdressed in my jeans and t-shirt. Pretty sure everyone there knew I was nothing but a poser. Note to self: dress down next time I hit Runner's Corner.
Also, happy Valentine's Day. I'm celebrating this momentous holiday by going to subway with my fam to get footlongs for dinner. Apparently they are all only five dollars during the month of February and my ma is uber excited about it.
Note to M.C.: I love you to pieces and I gave good, old v-day a shot, but it's just not gonna work. Maybe I'll try again next year but for now, v-day and I are definitely at odds with each other. Our disastrous attempt at heart-shaped cake pops may or may not have had something to do with it. :)
Monday, February 13, 2012
I got an email from the cute, front desk lady at work.
"I have a delivery for you. Please pick it up when time permits."
I moseyed on down around lunch time (okay, so it was up, and I wasn't moseying, I was booking it because I had been scheduled for an all-day meeting just before the all-day meeting began this morning at nine and was using our break for lunch to find out what this was all about), and was surprised to find these waiting for me.
I apologize for the poor picture quality. All I had was the camera on my phone.
The sender? Why, my secret admirer of course. There's a brief note full of love and good cheer signed with a simple, "Your Secret Admirer."
I know the secret part of it is supposed to mean I don't know who sent them, and I'm not telling cause that just isn't any fun. But let me just say this: my dear SA is SEXY! Yowza!
Thanks, Honeybun! You're the best!
"I have a delivery for you. Please pick it up when time permits."
I moseyed on down around lunch time (okay, so it was up, and I wasn't moseying, I was booking it because I had been scheduled for an all-day meeting just before the all-day meeting began this morning at nine and was using our break for lunch to find out what this was all about), and was surprised to find these waiting for me.
I apologize for the poor picture quality. All I had was the camera on my phone.
The sender? Why, my secret admirer of course. There's a brief note full of love and good cheer signed with a simple, "Your Secret Admirer."
I know the secret part of it is supposed to mean I don't know who sent them, and I'm not telling cause that just isn't any fun. But let me just say this: my dear SA is SEXY! Yowza!
Thanks, Honeybun! You're the best!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
I played two truths and a lie at work recently. I have been moved into a different position and all of us on the new team were getting to know each other.
I have never liked this game. (1) I find it difficult to come up with two truths and a lie. (2) I hate guessing other people's lies. I don't know them. That's why we are playing a get to know you game. Except this game reinforces looking at people stereotypically since the only method you have to guess the lie is to scrutinize them as they are telling their two truths and a lie. Do they look like the type of person that would bust their leg while mountain climbing? (3) Nobody remembers anything about people from the game anyway so in the end, what is the point?
But it's cool.
These are the silly things about myself I came up with. Can you spot the lie?
I have never liked this game. (1) I find it difficult to come up with two truths and a lie. (2) I hate guessing other people's lies. I don't know them. That's why we are playing a get to know you game. Except this game reinforces looking at people stereotypically since the only method you have to guess the lie is to scrutinize them as they are telling their two truths and a lie. Do they look like the type of person that would bust their leg while mountain climbing? (3) Nobody remembers anything about people from the game anyway so in the end, what is the point?
But it's cool.
These are the silly things about myself I came up with. Can you spot the lie?
- I received several shots of cortisone in my wrists during high school to help with pain management.
- I own an iPad but haven't downloaded any games.
- I own maybe a dozen or so signed books from authors currently living but have not met them.
Monday, February 6, 2012
I've been searching for the perfect lemon meringue pie.
I've made maybe two dozen lemon meringue pies in the past two years. More lemon meringue pies than most people taste in their lifetime. Certainly far more than most people make. Pity. Lemon meringue pie is not only fantastically delicious, it is also quite easy.
I found my favorite meringue recipe maybe two pies back. It is from America's Test Kitchen baking cookbook. Except that I 1.5 or 2x the recipe (depending on how many stray egg whites I have floating around my refrigerator) and I always add extra vanilla. It tastes fabulous and has an excellent structure. Love.
I have yet to find the perfect lemon pie filling.
I was THIS close last night. (I have this odd habit of baking in the morning on fast Sundays when I don't go to church until the afternoon. Can't eat? Guess I'll just have to bake lots of delicious food. Yeah, doesn't make much sense to me either.) My pie was so close to perfect my mother fairly begged me to take a picture of it before I cut into it. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my camera. You'll just have to picture the perfectly browned tips and whorls of the meringue.
I looked up Alton Brown's recipe for lemon meringue pie. It was probably the best tasting lemon meringue pie I have ever made. There was only one problem: it didn't set up.
Picture this. A perfect triangle of meringue on top of a beautifully flaky pie crust (courtesy of my little bro), drizzled with all of the lemon stuff that was supposed to be between the meringue and the crust. Yup. It set so badly that it was drizzleable.
But it was still delicious.
Also, I might start advocating always cutting pies into six pieces. Biggest, most delicious piece of soup-pie I've ever had.
I think with a little tweaking (as in getting my pie stuff to stay in the pie shape it's supposed to be), I might just have the perfect lemon meringue pie.
I've made maybe two dozen lemon meringue pies in the past two years. More lemon meringue pies than most people taste in their lifetime. Certainly far more than most people make. Pity. Lemon meringue pie is not only fantastically delicious, it is also quite easy.
I found my favorite meringue recipe maybe two pies back. It is from America's Test Kitchen baking cookbook. Except that I 1.5 or 2x the recipe (depending on how many stray egg whites I have floating around my refrigerator) and I always add extra vanilla. It tastes fabulous and has an excellent structure. Love.
I have yet to find the perfect lemon pie filling.
I was THIS close last night. (I have this odd habit of baking in the morning on fast Sundays when I don't go to church until the afternoon. Can't eat? Guess I'll just have to bake lots of delicious food. Yeah, doesn't make much sense to me either.) My pie was so close to perfect my mother fairly begged me to take a picture of it before I cut into it. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my camera. You'll just have to picture the perfectly browned tips and whorls of the meringue.
I looked up Alton Brown's recipe for lemon meringue pie. It was probably the best tasting lemon meringue pie I have ever made. There was only one problem: it didn't set up.
Picture this. A perfect triangle of meringue on top of a beautifully flaky pie crust (courtesy of my little bro), drizzled with all of the lemon stuff that was supposed to be between the meringue and the crust. Yup. It set so badly that it was drizzleable.
But it was still delicious.
Also, I might start advocating always cutting pies into six pieces. Biggest, most delicious piece of soup-pie I've ever had.
I think with a little tweaking (as in getting my pie stuff to stay in the pie shape it's supposed to be), I might just have the perfect lemon meringue pie.
Friday, February 3, 2012
It is nearly Valentine's Day. I always found the holiday a little silly. (I feel silly just calling it a holiday.)
Yup, I'm a full-blown Valentine's Day skeptic.
My dear friend M.C. has a self-professed love of Valentine's Day. To celebrate, she's conducting a Love Fest. In her own words: "To prove to you how awesome Valentine's Day can be, I've come up with two weeks' worth of valentine ideas to help spread the love."
I've informed M.C. that she may just have to face the responsibility come the end of her Love Fest of changing my entire view of Valentine's Day. Either that, or I can be a happy Valentine's Day skeptic knowing I gave it a chance.
Day 1 of the Love Fest (Feb. 1) was to make a Love Fest 2012 cd of awesomeness. I meant to get it done that evening but didn't have a chance to do more than throw something like 30 songs together on a playlist. (Dratted sense of responsibility. Why did I think it was a good idea to go back to school?) I've spent the past two days paring it down.
Voila! My Valentine's Day 2012 CD:
Stereo Hearts, Gym Class Heros
Oh, It Is Love, Hellogoodbye
Beautiful Soul, Jesse McCartney
Crazy Love, Michael Buble
Love Like This, Natasha Bedingfield
Love Love Love, Avalanche City
If It's Love, Train
This Everyday Love, Rascall Flatts
If I Had You, Adam Lambert
Yup, I'm a full-blown Valentine's Day skeptic.
My dear friend M.C. has a self-professed love of Valentine's Day. To celebrate, she's conducting a Love Fest. In her own words: "To prove to you how awesome Valentine's Day can be, I've come up with two weeks' worth of valentine ideas to help spread the love."
I've informed M.C. that she may just have to face the responsibility come the end of her Love Fest of changing my entire view of Valentine's Day. Either that, or I can be a happy Valentine's Day skeptic knowing I gave it a chance.
Day 1 of the Love Fest (Feb. 1) was to make a Love Fest 2012 cd of awesomeness. I meant to get it done that evening but didn't have a chance to do more than throw something like 30 songs together on a playlist. (Dratted sense of responsibility. Why did I think it was a good idea to go back to school?) I've spent the past two days paring it down.
Voila! My Valentine's Day 2012 CD:
Stereo Hearts, Gym Class Heros
Oh, It Is Love, Hellogoodbye
Beautiful Soul, Jesse McCartney
Crazy Love, Michael Buble
Love Like This, Natasha Bedingfield
Love Love Love, Avalanche City
If It's Love, Train
This Everyday Love, Rascall Flatts
If I Had You, Adam Lambert
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