Sunday, October 17, 2010

Take out

This weekend I had take out and leftovers.  I ran out of time to cook!  This week doesn't look too good either!  I did stock up on cereal, fruit and sandwich supplied however! Last week I did manage to try some pasta with tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella, and I concocted a stuffed pepper with chicken, rice and some left over veggies in the fridge!

I have two exams this week, each covering more material than I can manage!  One is in Economics and the other in Organizational Theory.  Org Theory is a class where we cover so much in class and in the 1,000 pages of extra readings, and I am still not sure how all the concepts relate! or perhaps it is that the concepts all relate to each other that it is too hard to find a logical process in the content!

So here I am, sitting at my laptop.  Procrastinating.  Listing to the same song I always listen to when I need to calm down.  Sweet Afton by Nickle Creek.  I listened to that song on my ipod while I was falling asleep on my Study Abroad trip in 2008.  Since then, it is my Go-To soothing song.

Also looking on of the pictures on the wall behind my desk.  Funny how things have come so far! :-) 

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Comfort Foods, Comforting Thoughts

        I know it has been a while since I have updated! I missed last weekends update becuase I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law in LA.  You should check out Alicia's blog for details about how great that trip was.  In fact, it was another comforting thing in my life. The trip was slightly unplanned, and I came home ready to not have to travel anytime soon.  However, I have learned recently just how special it is to have the siblings I have.  I miss hang out with them so much!
       Have NO FEAR however, I have been eating lots of good food recently.  Since my last post about keeping things simple, I reverted to cooking some comfort foods.  While I have spent an night or so cooking up something extravagant from my new "Serves One" cookbook or from the Food Network (including smoked salmon and pea pasta, and chicken tacos!), I ate some comfort foods too.  I started to get in this habit of waking up early on Saturday mornings.  I read somewhere that your body adjusts fast to sleeping in, that is why Monday Mornings stink so much!  So I wake up, and cook breakfast! I have made eggs, bacon, and sometimes grits or biscuits! YUMMY! Anyone in GA reading this should consider sending me some more grits...I am almost out.  I also baked homemade chocolate chip cookies and hosted an open house for the students who live in my building.  Chocolate chip cookies are such a comfort food and I think the residents loved them.  I also enjoyed baking them! I used to love baking :-) and I somehow manged to do it in my tiny kitchen.
      This week I started an internship with the United Way.  My program requires an internship to graduate, and I am really excited about all the opportunities I am going to have a the United Way! However, I now have even less time to myself, balancing working as a Graduate Community Director for 20 hours a week, being an MPA student for 10 hours, and interning for another 10! That is like a full time job.  Each has its own ups and down! I never thought I would be juggling so much so quickly after college! So the comforting thoughts I have been giving myself here: First, I got into Grad school, so the program thought I could gain from getting a Degree, and they thought I could succeed. Therefore I can!  Second, I got hired and approved to intern.  There are people out there who believe in me and believe that I have the passion and knowledge to achieve my dreams (or at least succeed). And Finally, God put me here.  He have a plan for me!  It is a comforting thought (“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105). I'm comforted to remember that I am here for a reason and I have a purpose!
    So there you have it! Comfort foods are yummy and comfort thoughts are even better!

We made s'mores in LA last weekend, that's a comfort food right? Taking you back to the good ol' days as a kid at summer camp right?  Well this is Stephen making s'mores...