Days Go By

Today was the first of Intro to Beverage. That's what I'm calling it, anyway. We learned about coffee, coffee service and being jittery.

Half of the GYD (Garnish Your Degree, AKA Kids with Useless Degrees) people I was with last semester have the Cool Chef fo r Food Service Production. There's a new GYD who knows The Big Lebowski by heart and I've decided that every day I'm going to torment him by thinking up random scenes and having him do the lines and voices. Today he was kind of embarrassed but I think he'll get used to it. =)

Tonight at the gym I saw approx. 15 min of Top Chef without the sound. Its the episode that Anthony Bourdain guest-appears on. I wish I could've heard what he had to say. I hope that the guy with the hair like Ace Ventura, Pet Detective loses and I don't know why. His 'do was a bit too perfect and sculpted, like maybe he'd spent more time on that than thinking up an impressive menu.



Tonight and tomorrow its supposed to snow and I'm not sure about driving...i hope it does this less, rather than more, at least Mon-Thurs.

Grilling With Beer

My friend and fellow beer connoisseur, Lucy Saunders just published her latest book -


She gave me some to sell as a fundraiser for my summer culinary externship. I'm not charging any shipping:

I'm hoping to be at either Beer Bistro in Toronto ~


or Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, MI.




If I wasn't selling them, I'd love to get one for Christmas. =) I do accept Paypal and ship extra quickly!

Basketball Revival

I'm not one of those people who uses sports metaphors to describe the beautiful, sublime or bizarre.
Hmmm. Not sure where I was going with that. Tonight's game was fun. Maybe next time when I think *something* is impossible, I'll remember how I was brought up to be an optimist. And not even Mr. Pink will convince me to think otherwise.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=263290057

Happy Thanksgiving

Dinner went well, all the food was pretty tasty but I didn't crave any because of the time I put in. We were supposed to eat at 1 and were sitting down before 2. Pictures were taken and they should be funny.

Tonight is dinner at Dad and Peggy's. I can't imagine eating anything else....

You Ain't Know

I just ate popcorn in bed and it is now everywhere. i'm kind of too lazy to get up and find it all.

(not so) Big Doings

So I'm here in Lawrence and it's been a blast so far. Got in Thursday night and went out in Kansas City last night with Jo and Wenjun. I can't wait to see the pics from the Med School party.

Met up with Jo and Kris at Free State today for some tasty lunch and a beer. Right now I'm watching the KU/K-State game and wish I was there. KU definitely brought their game and held on to win. I was so sure they'd get smashed.

It's strange being back here. Always a mix of nostalgia and sadness that I can't explain. There's a ton of happiness, too but I understand that part of it.

Even though I haven't really done anything today, I feel like I've accomplished something because I got the Thanksgiving menu together. I'm not sure if 100% of this is going to get made,but I hope so, because it would rock my socks.

Em's First Thanksgiving Feast, in which she makes (almost) everything herself:

Roast Turkey w/Pomegranate Molasses Glaze, Lotsa Gravy
Mashed Potatoes w/Carrots, Leeks and Roasted Garlic
Sweet Potato Orange Cups
Cornbread Dressing (with Apples and maybe Sausage)
Butternut Squash & Squash Gratin
Cranberry Walnut Conserve
~maybe something pickled, maybe a salad too
Yeast Rolls of some sort
my Mom's Pecan Pie
Caramel Pumpkin Pie

What do you think?

To Summarize...

I called Nate's mom (Wenjun, you know who I'm talking about) to find out whether he got shipped out with the military. I'm gonna be upset if she doesn't call or email me. I wonder if he feels like his so-called debt to society has been paid...I hope he doesn't feel like still he owes anyone anything.

Dad got a new dog, Zoe or Z-Dog. Also a new rat, Violet. I'll be sure to post pics, mostly for my own benefit after I get back from Thanksgiving.

Thursday I leave for Kansas. Mr. Pink will arrive later.
Can't wait to see everyone and attempt my first Dinner (THE dinner). Everyone better cut me some slack. I will post some pictures because that's what culinary students do.

Hmm, what else. Plans for Christmas are still up in the air, but I will be going to the 'ville. And back when Baby Barron makes her appearance.

I feel like I should start getting Christmas presents. And its not even Thanksgiving yet. Great.

I'm on Facebook. And not on Myspace anymore.

Ok, I didn't vote. Time just got away from me and registering here. But I am aware of the issues and candidates. Which only makes a difference to me, I guess. Colorado is the first state I've lived in where my vote would've made an impact...my views are much more in line with the general population here.

I made some amazing chili today. Everyone scoffed when I was planning to add cocoa. A lot more flavor depth and color than yesterday's version.

So if you had your choice between dim sum, Syrian (the restaurant got rave reviews by a source a trust) or...something completely different, what would you choose? I'm already looking forward to the weekend's nice meal out.

This week is going so well ~ class is as laidback as it could ever be, thanks to the Chef. If I'm ever in a similar position (which I cannot imagine), I hope to be just like everyone's favorite JWU Chef.

No Longer an Owner....

the house FINALLY sold! woooo hoooo
Don't know any specifics...I mean, why would I? Its all good though. Not a bad first
experience.

Sadness - about a lot ot things

Yet, everything still remains.
My heart is broken
and I don't know what to do-
but I'll figure it out.
Slowly and surely
life will come together again.

I'm silent at strange times
with people I know and love
because suddenly, there's a void in my mind.
Words don't flow like they used to-
I don't know why.

I never wanted to be different like this,
I never intended any pain.
But I've hurt so many, trying to find myself
in misguided ways.

I don't want to lose myself.
Anymore.