On being a domestic goddess

For those of you who know me- you know that I am lacking in the domestic skills department just a little bit. However, one of my big strengths is baking. I have been known to whip up a batch of some swirly brownies every once in awhile ;) Well.... that being said, while I might fall short in the cooking department, I normally don't have many mishaps when I bake....

Until about one year ago. I was going to see Krob for her birthday, and decided to make a batch of Sprinkles cupcakes- using mix bought from Sprinkles. Well, the mix happened to be chocolate peppermint... and lets just say- the cupcakes might have tasted a tad like toothpaste. Well, I didn't want to go to Krob's bday empty handed, so I thought I would bring the cupcakes to show her I had made them. Well, she decided to be polite and try one- mistake number 1 on her part. Moose also decided to shove the whole thing in his mouth- mistake number 2. While they were trying to be polite, my always sweet boyfriend (haha) decided to try one, and proceed to tell me how gross they were. I never said anyone had to eat one.

So this year for Krob's bday- I knew I had to redeem myself. Big time. Expectations were high. My domestic goddess title was on the line. So- I decided to bring out the big guns. Ryan's sisters gave me one of those huge cupcake pans for Christmas, so I decided to go big or go home- and make Krob the big cupcake. Here is the result:

End Result: 

This year was a SUCCESS!!!! All is right in the world when you have a ginormous funfetti cupcake :)

Sweet 16+Elite 8: Baylor Men's Basketball

As promised- here is my recap from my weekend in Houston. I drove up Friday after my lab with Mama Web, Rebecca and Blair (Ryan had to fly in later because he had work). We had seats in section 113, and if you've never been to the Reliant Stadium before- they aren't as close as they sound. We passed so many Baylor people on our way to Houston. This old man even honked when he passed us. Anyways, the game was SO much fun- we smoked St. Mary's!!!! Then it was on to the Elite 8- to play Duke!!!! Even though we lost, it was great to be able to go to support the Bears. Some of these guys have been playing since I was at Baylor, so it was SO neat to be able to see them finish out their season like this. It is a great time to be a Baylor Bear. Here are some of my favorite pics from the weekend:

I loved seeing the men play, but I loved the mini-Baylor reunion even more. Can't wait to see the Lady Bears play in the Final Four in San Antonio on Sunday!!!!!

Sic 'Em Bears x2

So... longer post coming later, but I couldn't miss out on the chance to watch the Baylor Bears play in the Sweet 16 in Houston. I toyed back and forth between going and not going, but decided work/school could come later- and that I HAD to watch Baylor play. After all, this is the first time the Bears have made it to the Sweet 16 in 60 years. Anyways, watching them play made my heart happy AND we WON!!!! So, we will be staying and watching the men play in the Elite 8 against Duke tomorrow.
Sic 'em and goodnight.

Cupcakes Make "Monday Fundays" More Fun

This semester, Ameera, Reshma and I have tried to make doing homework on a Monday much more tolerable. That being said, we get together Monday afternoons in a fun place- preferably with caffeine- to do our homework for Tracy's class. Since my mom is currently turning into a "grad-zilla," she has been hounding me to find a place to have my graduation cake made. In all the spare time I have (haha) I have been perusing Austin's plethora of sugary locations. I finally came across one the other day, conveniently located right by my apartment. I pass by Polkadots every time I go running, so I decided to hold a Monday Funday there- so we could test the cupcakes get our work done.

That being said, Reshma and I met there this past Monday, and it was DELICIOUS. We split a yummy blackbottom cupcake, and it was SO good.

I also decided to get one for the road- aka- get one and let Ryan sample it. Since they were out of Red Velvet, I decided to go a with chocolate peanut butter. I couldn't wait for him to get to my apartment to try it out, so I took matters into my own hands, and decided to sample it myself. It was delicious. Thanks Ryan for sharing :)

After sampling some of their cupcakes, I have officially decided on choosing Polkadots to make my graduation cake. I want my cake to be unique, so I'll be thinking of a design!!! Let the cake sampling and designing begin!!!!

Had to Share

I couldn't help but share this story. I clicked on a link Ameera had on her g-chat, read the story and knew I had to pass it along.

Here is the link: http://www.newsweek.com/id/78158/page/1

It's a great story about a life not focused on material possessions or wealth, but simply being happy with what you have. I can always use a reminder like this to remind me to be thankful for every day, and all of the moments (not things) that bring a smile to my face.

Sonic Sweet Tea

I love Sonic..... a lot. I try to go at least once a week to get my beverage fix. Who can beat their happy hour? It makes me the happiest of all. I especially love their sweet tea. Since I'm not in Waco anymore (sad days) and don't have access to Bush's Sweet Tea (the best around in my opinion), Sonic has been my go-to sweet tea establishment.

So, I found myself homeworking yesterday afternoon and decided I could use some sweet tea. I begged Ryan to go with me, and he agreed to support the habit (or just appease me to get me to be quiet). We headed off to Sonic- it was definitely after 5. I proceeded to get my sweet tea, and it was back to study.

I went along my merry way- studying away until 10 at night, sipping my sweet tea. Since school started back up today, I was in bed by midnight.....

At 12:30 I found myself in my dark bedroom, staring at the ceiling... I couldn't sleep.... so I read my magazine... couldn't sleep.... got on facebook.... couldn't sleep.... read some blogs.... couldn't sleep. You get the picture- I couldn't fall asleep until about 3 a.m. Greeeeaaaat way to start off a Monday morning let me tell ya.

The moral of the story: since I seem to be immune to coffee- it appears as if I am not yet immune to all of the sugar found in Sonic's sweet tea, which prevented me from sleeping. Lesson learned, from now on, I'll just stick to my sweet tea in the afternoons.....

On Psychics....

This past week I had the opportunity to go see a psychic. I was helping Ameera and Reno out with a story they are doing on psychics. And they asked if I would go get a reading done, so I figured why not? I wouldn't say I believe in psychics, but it was interesting to see what she had to say.

I was nervous going in- I wasn't sure what she would say- would she know some of deepest, darkest secrets? and Reno was filming the reading for the project. When I first walked in, she had me place my hands on top of hers, so she could read my energy. She said I was anxious and I was feeling sorry for myself. Interesting... I have been anxious lately- who wouldn't be? On top of looking for a job, my masters report, school and my internships- anxious is the word to describe how I feel. And yes, I probably was feeling a bit sorry for myself- I was feeling especially disgruntled about my lack of a spring break, so she hit my feelings right on the head....

Then, she did a past, present and future reading on me by using her cards. Thanks goodness she doesn't use the death card- I wasn't sure I was ready for that one. My past reading was very general, and thinking back, it could have applied to anyone. She said two things that were especially untrue in my case: she said I was coming out of a bad depression (especially far from the truth) and that I had a hard time trusting people (again, if you know me, you know I probably trust people too easily).

She was a bit eerily accurate in my present reading. She picked up on the fact that I don't feel quite right about the whole journalism thing. She said it. And yes, I do. It's hard to feel okay about a career where I might not be able to find a job, because there might not be any openings. So yes- I don't feel quite right about it, and she picked up on that right away. She also said that I am about to turn over a leaf in my life- again true, but very general. She knew I was a student, and that I would be graduating in May, so you could say that a new leaf will be turning over in my life soon. She also said there was anxiety in my present life- which as I mentioned before, is also true. But who isn't anxious? She picked up on the fact that there was a boy in my life- Ryan, and she was even able to do a mini reading on him- even though he wasn't there.

She picked up on the fact that Ryan is more sensitive then some of the others I have dated in the past. She even said he has been frustrated recently- and he has- he's been busy with school/work- but she said that things will improve for him soon. She also asked some pretty personal questions about our relationship....awwwwkward.

Then, she did my future reading. She said that I would be offered several jobs, but not to settle or take the first one. She said that all of my fears about the future would be assuaged, and that the tree card signified a new chapter in my life. True or not.. I'll take it.

Then, she said some things at the end that really surprised me. She said that I have good friends that are far away (yes I do), but she said I should sever ties with them-- ummm... I think not. I thought that was strange. My friends that are far away, are very near and dear to my heart, and there is a reason why we have kept in touch over the years... She also said I was a loner and preferred to be alone. Also an interesting interpretation, and very far from the truth. I love people and I love to be around people. I don't prefer to be by myself... ever.

After going to see her, my thoughts on psychics still haven't changed. While she did hit a few things right on the head, she was so wrong about some others- that I'm not convinced. Looking back, the things she said, could have applied to anyone. It was a fun experience, and one I wouldn't be against trying again. I think it's ok to go get a psychic reading every once in awhile for fun, but don't let it rule your life or help decide things for your future.

On being a journalist

One of the great things about being a journalist is that you are always learning something new. In the process of learning new things about people and things, you also learn new things about yourself. I think one of my favorite parts is going out and meeting new people- people that I might not have met anywhere else. Another great thing about journalism is constantly learning about different beliefs and values people hold- that might challenge my previous mindset. Too often, we are so set in our own beliefs, that we have a hard time accepting there are other ways of thinking that are just as valid as our own.

That being said, I am working on a story about midwives. I'll admit, when I think about midwives and people who use them, I think.. wait for it.... hippies. I think about people who are adamantly opposed to modern medicine- for a variety of reasons. Well, I've been interviewing people who have used midwives to deliver their babies. One woman I met yesterday helped me change my mindset. She opened the door- and looked normal. She wasn't the hippie I was expecting. In fact, she is anything but. She is extremely well-educated and seemed pretty freakin' savvy about a lot of things. She turned to midwifery because through her research she found it was the best alternative for her. It was about being educated, and making an informed decision. Her decision wasn't about rebelling against modern medicine just because...it was about an extremely high c-section rate in Travis County, it was about her desire to have her baby naturally because she has a strong reaction to medication... it was about wanting to enjoy one of God's most precious gifts the natural way.

And there is nothing wrong with that....I found it's about making the best, most educated decision for yourself. And that is why I enjoy journalism- because it challenges my conventional wisdom every time I talk to someone new.

Spring Break 2010

One of the perks of being a student should be the opportunity to have a spring break- right? Well, not in grad school, and especially not at UT. I kissed my spring break good-bye the minute I decided to graduate this May. In between working, a full class schedule, projects, applying for jobs and this little thing called my master's report.... spring break 2010 had no chance of happening. To look at it on the bright side, I have had the opportunity to enjoy 4 fabulous spring breaks at Baylor, and one great spring break on the beach last year. While I might not be headed to the beach this year, I am SO thankful to have a week to get work done. I'm getting a lot accomplished, and it feels good. So, in honor of spring break, here are some photos from the BEST spring break ever: Spring Break '08. Me + 5 of my great friends went on a cruise to Cozumel, Honduras and Progreso- and it was FAB!

Here's to the good ol' days, and even better ones to come.

Spring is (almost) Here

In honor of the upcoming spring season, I will share with you my latest obsession:

 Pink+ OPI = a happy heart!

The Perfect Austin Weekend

Spring break officially started as of Friday when I submitted my super boring paper on Age and the Digital Divide. More on what I'm doing with my spring break in a post- coming soon! So, I decided to kick off my spring break by literally avoiding all things technology, work and school related. Since I've been in grad school- I have found it hard to escape my obsessive compulsive checking of email. Once I made the addition of the iPhone to my life- forget trying to escape- it's impossible. While I was ditching technology for the weekend, I decided it would be best to also give myself two glorious days off to rest my brain a little. With the perfect 75 degree weather in Austin this weekend- my two days off were PERFECT.

Okay, so I'll admit it- I couldn't completely rid myself of the computer/email. Saturday morning, I found myself catching up on my laundry, going for a run and- you guessed it- working. I had to get the April calendar submitted for austinwoman Magazine. That only took about an hour or so, and I had plans to meet the girls for brunch on South Congress. The SXSW festival is going on here in Austin- and I have been known to see a few celebs every time it's in town. Last year, I was actually on a plane with the entire cast of "I Love You, Man" including Paul Rudd. He and I shared a moment as I got on the plane- I swear....

So anyways.... as I drove through downtown, which by the way was PACKED-everyone and their mom decided they needed to be outside enjoying the weather, I was wondering who I might see this time. I met the girls for brunch at South Congress Cafe- known for their AMAZING brunch. While we waited (and I will let Ameera explain why we had to wait so long) we got to shop. We dropped by the boot store- and I developed a major case of boot envy, until I saw that most of them had a $500+ price tag on them... so not worth it.

Once we were finally seated- I decided I need a mimosa- after all, it's brunch right? So I enjoyed one of these:

Then... you guessed it... Kiera spotted someone famous: Chloe Sevigny. In case you don't know who she is- she was in "Boys Don't Cry." We were starstruck- and it was great.

After brunch, Ryan and I played a game of tennis- where I won, of course. Haha.

Sunday

So I woke up on Sunday at 11. I freaked out- thinking I had taken this whole- relaxing for my break thing too far. 11 is just too late to sleep in- even on a Sunday. Then, I realized it was daylight savings time, and didn't feel so bad. I could see the sun peeking in through my windows, and knew it was going to be another beautiful day. Austin has some great hiking trails, and I haven't taken advantage of any of them yet, so Ryan- his sister Jennifer and her friend Ann Marie, decided to go on a hike to Mt. Bonnell.

On the way there- Ryan made me a take a detour- and showed me Lance Armstrong's house ( Don't ask how Ryan knew where he lived)- it was HUGE, and I wanted it. We finally pulled up to the mountain- and it was packed. So we hiked up to the top- and by hike- I mean climbed a lot of stairs, and had a photo shoot:

Once we reached the top, we found some more trails- which looked like they went straight down... Greeeeaaat. So... I found myself trekking (straight) down the mountain, and then (straight) back up. I felt legit. Luckily... I didn't fall off.. you would be proud.

Once the hike was over, we decided to go eat some lunch on the lake- so we made our way to Cain& Abel's on the Lake. Yummm. I die for their Southwest Wrap- delish. I had my Baylor hat on, and some man thought it would be appropriate to keep yelling Sic 'em bears at me... funny- but there is a socially acceptable way to do... Yelling a sic 'em bears across the parking lot is not one of them. awk.... While we were waiting, my friend Esteban (or Steve) from Baylor study abroad in Spain, called me, and proceeded to tell me I almost plowed him over in the parking lot. Great.... he was leaving the restaurant, and I was on a mission for a parking space. Needless to say, it was great to catch up with him...

What a great weekend- as you can see- my technology fast is over. Back to work... and maybe a little shopping :) A girl's got to treat herself every once in awhile!!!

On Responsibilities...

I have come to the conclusion that being a "grown-up" isn't all it's cracked up to be. I guess you could say I'm stuck in this really weird limbo right now. I'm still in grad school, but I can taste the freedom. I dream about it at night, think about it during the day and think about it some more in the shower, or when I'm working out. Fact is, I'm not there quite yet. And until I am fully employed and out of school, I have to be responsible. I've never thought of myself as irresponsible- maybe a little impulsive, but never blatantly irresponsible. I guess I've just been antsy lately, because I'm so on the brink entering this new phase of my life.

There is only ONE thing in the world that I want right now- just ONE. I would do ANYTHING to have this:

Who wouldn't want one? I've been waiting six long years for this. I was fine when I lived in California and had 24/7 access to my black lab at home. But the longer I'm gone, the more I want one of my own. Unfortunately, here is where the responsible, rational side of me is hindering my plans. Since I raised guide dogs for the blind- I know how much work a puppy can be- I also know that I tend to keep my plate pretty full. Those two things don't equate to a happy lifestyle for a brand new puppy. Not right now at least. So, I have been considering purchasing a golden retriever upon graduation- a little gift to myself, but again, I just can't do it. Not yet at least. I need to know that I will have the time to take care of it, and I won't know that until I get a job. Until then... I just have to wait impatiently patiently. *sigh*

The next part of my frustration stems from not exactly having a clear idea of my future. By nature, I am a planner. I am organized and know what is going to happen next. I am a list-maker, and I stick by that list. This whole- waiting to find a job thing- is REALLY cramping my style. It's a game, and you have to play your cards right. I would love to just know where my life will be four months from now. I have things I need to do- get a new apartment, get the aforementioned dog, go on vacation...

Well, the whole vacation thing- is what has me really frustrated. I have had not one, not two, but three vacations offered to me this summer- and I have had to turn ALL of them down. Why you ask? Well you see, I can't exactly tell my future employer that I will need to take several weeks off work right away to go play in Florida or Europe. It might make the difference between me getting the job- or not. And in this economy, I just don't think it's wise to tell a future employer that I can't start when he wants me to start, because I NEED to go on a vacation. Frustrating? Absolutely... Part of being a responsible adult? unfortunately YES.


So, while I would love to be vacationing here:

I acknowledge that since I have worked really hard, for a really long time- what is another couple of months before I make it to the beach? When you care about something (and I plan on caring A LOT about my career), you make sacrifices- you make it work. So yes, I'm disappointed that I can't have everything that I want, but what really matters is my career; it's what I've been waiting for my whole life.

The dog can wait, the new apartment can wait and the vacations can wait...

"May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future"

John Mayer

I first found out John Mayer was coming to Austin sometime in November, so Ryan got us tickets to go see him in concert for our two year anniversary!!!! So, after waiting patiently for 3 months- John finallllly came to Austin tonight!!! I will admit, this was my third time to see him in concert, and he has been GREAT every single time.

Michael Franti opened up for him- and he was really good. He was really into interacting with the crowd, and even invited some of the little kids up on stage- presh! He made a fan out of me!!

I will say this- I am not a fan of John Mayer's mouth- I don't think he is a nice person- or very attractive for that matter. I am especially not a fan of his recent interview with Playboy, which received a TON of negative press, and it also ranks high on my lists of celebs spilling TMI. All that aside, I am a HUGE fan of his music. Homeboy can SING- and play the guitar- really really well. While I am no guitar aficionado, I know good music when I hear it, and when half of Mayer's audience is male- you know he must be doing something right. I even saw Ryan enjoying the guitar solos....

I did take a live (illegal) video of him singing, but unfortunately, it was so loud inside, that my sound didn't turn out. Instead, I will leave you a picture- taken from my iPhone- so you will have to use your imagination!

I couldn't help but think while he was playing- that he is the prime example of someone who has been blessed with this great gift- and is using it to the best of his abilities. I was reminded of this verse:

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

James 1:17

On Another Note....

The Baylor Bears beat UT (again) yesterday. Ryan, his fam and I went to the game- and it was SOLD-OUT!!! So fun... Even though I go to UT, I will always be a Baylor Bear!!

Sic 'em

Yoga Revisited

So here is the long awaited update on my first time to do yoga. Ameera and Reshma had already been before- and promised that this was a good class for "beginners." I'm not quite sure if I fit the category for beginner- there must have been some prerequisite I missed- everyone in the class could at least touch their toes - much unlike myself. Let me remind you, I begged my friends to bypass the class they refer to as "sweaty yoga" to let me try out yoga at a normal temperature. When I walked in the room, I thought I had been tricked- by normal temperature, they really meant at least 80 probably hotter. Not an ideal temperature in which to exercise for a California girl like myself.  So, I tried to put my mat at what I thought would be the back of the classroom to avoid embarrassment as much possible- oh no... the teacher invited us to come forward, and before I knew it, we were in the 2nd row. AWKWARD.

I rolled out my yoga mat, which I had purchased especially for this occasion. Unfortunately, the only ones at Target had symbols on them- mine has a tree- save your laughter for later please:

 

Yoga is a quiet exercise, which allows you to focus on breathing. Some people are very good at it- others are very loud at it. Before the class even started, the woman in front of me (who looked like she had been yoga-ing for years) started what I will refer to as "loud-breathing." I'm not talking breathing that sounds like a loud sigh- I'm talking about deep-down guttural breathing. I felt like such a pansy with my normal quiet breathing!!!

So, the class started- the first instruction was to lie down on my back- so I was feeling pretty good about this one- maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. We did some more breathing- then... the stretching started. 

Long story short- we were asked to flex our bodies in ways that my poor body had never before flexed. I was sweating (I thought this wasn't supposed to be the sweaty yoga class) and my poor muscles were shaking. I took quick peeks around the classroom while in the "downward facing dog" position. In case you don't know what this pose is- it's when you get on all fours, and thrust your hips into the air while facing downward. I'm pretty sure you AREN'T supposed to peer through your legs at the person behind you. Oh well- I had to assess my lack of ability- and the downward facing dog seemed like the prime time to look at the person behind me. 

Ameera and Reshma were more flexible then they let on.... I looked at Reshma once- during our "pigeon pose" and she looked like a pro. While I was struggling to manipulate my body into the proper form- she was making it look easy. 

Needless to say- my favorite part of the hour long class was the end- not because I could put my body out of its misery, but because I got to take a quick nap during out final breathing exercise on our backs. I'm not sure you are supposed to nap, but the room was hot, I was tired and the lights were off- it had been a long week. 

This is NOT the traditional form of exercise I am used to. I run- outside- and listen to rap music while I do it. I have never before taken the time to breath, stretch and listen to "yoga music" to get in my daily cardio. All in all- I was SORE the next day. Muscles that I didn't know existed, were hurting- but I felt good. Needless to say, I would try it again- maybe this time, I will set my goals high, and try to touch my toes without bending my knees. With my life as crazy as it is right now, it was nice to take an hour out of my day- and really focus on other things besides graduating, finding a job, my masters report and all of the work I still need to do. Reshma and Ameera were great yoga partners- and we have plans to do it again soon!!!!

Apolo Ohno

In case you missed Apolo's appearance on Jay Leno- here it is. I have had the biggest crush on Apolo ever since the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake. So, I was so excited when I found out he would be back for this year's games.

A little relaxation...

Well.... Kind of. Life has been crazy- period. In between trying to do my master's report (on the nursing shortage), I have also been working/interning at two internships and going to school. I'm normally pretty good at handling the stress, but I've decided it's time to try out some yoga- it couldn't hurt, right?

So, Ameera and Reshma talked me into trying it out. This could get interesting people! I am SO not flexible and I have the tendency to have inappropriate laughter- where it doesn't belong. I'm concerned. They wanted me to try out a little something called "sweaty yoga." Oh balls- sweaty yoga?!?! Can you SEE me trying to do SWEATY yoga??? They stick you in a hot room, to sweat and stretch for an hour. hmmmm.... so I talked them into taking me to Vinyasa yoga- which is supposedly a good class for beginners. Much more up my alley. (I hope). I'm going tonight at 5:30, so I'll give you an update on my very first yoga class.

If it's anything like the time Kim and I tried out Pilates- it should be interesting.... I'm hoping for a small achievement- maybe something like touching my toes.

SING Weekend

This weekend Ryan and I went to see SING, but more importantly, we got to see Krob, Moose and Jfred. Sidenote: For those of you who might not know what SING is, go here. I had never been inside Waco Hall on the Saturday they announced the winners of SING, so this year, we decided it was time to get tickets for the last night. It was quite the busy weekend. I had to be up early on Saturday morning to meet the painters who were going to fix my ceiling. In case you haven't heard, my bathroom and kitchen ceiling had a little mishap, so they needed to be re-sheet-rocked and re-painted. The painters came bright and early at 8 a.m. Saturday morning- luckily, I had a chance to grab my coffee before they came! Then, I had to get a ton of work done before Ryan and I could head to Waco. When we finally made it to Waco, we had a chance to drive by my old duplex ( I loved 2014!!!!):

Then, we got to drive around Baylor's campus. It was great reliving some of those old not so old memories. Here is one of my favorite pictures taken on Baylor's campus. Kim, Krob and I took pics around campus before we graduated. We spent a whole day, posing in front of buildings we liked- here is the result:

Finally, we got to re-live the SING days. Practicing every night in January and February for two hours, painting the backdrop, open stages, dress rehearsals, SING faces, SING makeup- it was crazy... and I loved it. Here is my rendition of SING over the years: 

Needless to say- it was such a fun weekend- Zeta- you girls put in a lot of hard work this year! Can't wait to see it next year!