Monday, July 27, 2009
Decisions and Changes
This past weekend, I made up my mind about somethings that are potentially big and life altering. Jeremy and I discussed it, and we both liked the ideas. The timeline's not set in stone, but we didn't find any glaring holes or issues with feasibility. I'm not going to elaborate any more on it because we're not sure any of it will work out the way we plan. A lot of it is contingent on something I'm working on now and which path we take. Needless to say, I'm actually more excited than scared because of how dramatically life will change. I'm going to embrace change instead of fretting about it and trust in God about the direction we're choosing.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Amazing
My husband amazes me. I have been with him through some very hard times where there was nothing I could do but sit on the sidelines and offer words of encouragement. I've also been there with him when things aren't just going great, they are going splendidly. Through it all, I'm wowed by his poise and his determination.
He decided several days ago that he was seriously considering graduate school. He told me his decision on Monday morning. In my mind, he'd decided this, and we were going to start looking into options and processes. In actuality, he'd found the programs and had started on the applications. As I sit here on Friday, he's filled out all the applications, looked into getting official transcripts and started thinking about the GRE. His goals for this weekend is to finish the essays, get the recommendations needed for each program, and take at least one practice GRE.
Normally, this frenetic pace of activity would be my mo. He's usually more laid back with a slower pace for life. Instead, he's taken it upon himself to do all this and remain motivated. He explained his reasoning to me last night, and I am totally behind him in his pursuits. I just never thought that he would want to go back to school after what it took to get him through school in the first place.
He decided several days ago that he was seriously considering graduate school. He told me his decision on Monday morning. In my mind, he'd decided this, and we were going to start looking into options and processes. In actuality, he'd found the programs and had started on the applications. As I sit here on Friday, he's filled out all the applications, looked into getting official transcripts and started thinking about the GRE. His goals for this weekend is to finish the essays, get the recommendations needed for each program, and take at least one practice GRE.
Normally, this frenetic pace of activity would be my mo. He's usually more laid back with a slower pace for life. Instead, he's taken it upon himself to do all this and remain motivated. He explained his reasoning to me last night, and I am totally behind him in his pursuits. I just never thought that he would want to go back to school after what it took to get him through school in the first place.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Traveling
It's been awhile since Jeremy and I have been on vacation, and I'd forgotten how nice it is to get away. We promised ourselves that once we were married, we'd travel and vacation more. That hasn't really been the case. Sure, we go out of town, but it hasn't really been vacations as much as going out of town.
While there are plenty of places I'd like to see in the US, I think I'm going to plan a mega trip to Europe. I can't decide if I want to take many 1 week trips or maybe devote say 3 weeks to the venture and see everything at once. Then there's the issue of going to cities that I've been to already but want to share with Jeremy. I'd like to go to Paris with Jeremy, but France is low on the list for him. Also, while I'd like to see historical sites, museums aren't high on my list.
So far, the destinations I'd like to go to include the UK (mainly London), France (Paris/Nice), Germany, Italy, and maybe some Eastern European countries. If this is all in one trip, it'll be a very exhausting, on the go trip, but I don't think we'd regret it. I know that if I'm staying in a city for a week, I tend to not go out and sightsee with the same urgency. I don't think I want to do a guided tour thing but rather hope on the train and see the sights. I wonder if I could get a bunch of people to travel with us or if it would be better to do this on our own.
While there are plenty of places I'd like to see in the US, I think I'm going to plan a mega trip to Europe. I can't decide if I want to take many 1 week trips or maybe devote say 3 weeks to the venture and see everything at once. Then there's the issue of going to cities that I've been to already but want to share with Jeremy. I'd like to go to Paris with Jeremy, but France is low on the list for him. Also, while I'd like to see historical sites, museums aren't high on my list.
So far, the destinations I'd like to go to include the UK (mainly London), France (Paris/Nice), Germany, Italy, and maybe some Eastern European countries. If this is all in one trip, it'll be a very exhausting, on the go trip, but I don't think we'd regret it. I know that if I'm staying in a city for a week, I tend to not go out and sightsee with the same urgency. I don't think I want to do a guided tour thing but rather hope on the train and see the sights. I wonder if I could get a bunch of people to travel with us or if it would be better to do this on our own.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Good Friday
I had the opportunity to have lunch with Jeremy today. He had the day off and we got to spend 30 minutes enjoying each other's company in the middle of the day. While we spend a lot of time together, it was a nice out of routine event.
Life's been good. Experiments have been working well, so it's been extra busy at work (which I really like). It does get very tiring though.
Life's been good. Experiments have been working well, so it's been extra busy at work (which I really like). It does get very tiring though.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Peace
After the last few days of limbo, I have found a semblance of peace over this basketball situation. I don't mind that the coach left for another school. I am happy for the good times we had the last several seasons. Had he simply just left though I would have remembered him for the great times and as a good coach. However, it seems like he strung the boosters and the school along in order to contact his recruits before he officially took the new job and barred from contacting them and used these same players as leverage to convince us to let him pick his replacement. Now instead of being thought of as the savior of the program, he's shown himself to be someone who cares very little of how he's thought of in the city. It remains to be seen as to where we go from here. I have certain coaches I'd like to see hired, and there are coaches that I would loathe to see fill the position. We'll also see how the players situation plays out. I don't want to see this program fade into mediocrity, but it is time for the administration to step up in a big way if they want the continued support of the avid fans. For now, I'm going to keep up with the news, but what's done is done.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
College Basketball
This post is going to be more of a rant about the state of Tigers basketball and Tigers sports in general, so feel free to skip it if it doesn't interest you.
The shitstorm that has been stirred up in the last few days has been epic. It started with the coach publicly stating that there is no way he's leaving the university for a more prominent program. Then, over the weekend, rumors started that he had in fact flown to said school to discuss terms with the officials there. Our AD came out and said the rumors were untrue and he never gave the other school permission to speak to our coach. On Monday, our AD states on record that he's given permission for the other school to speak to our coach.
I understand that this is the way of college athletics. If you are a good coach, you will be courted by every school under the sun. I also fully understand that $6 million is a lot of money and even though you are already a millionaire, it's a huge raise. That being said, there is a classy way to go about contract negotiations. The basketball program has once again reached the level of national recognition, and the coach had a lot to do with it. Do I think he's going to stay forever? Well, no, I'm not that naive. Had I found out yesterday that he was leaving, I would've wished him the best of luck, even though I was sick to my stomach over it.
However, in the wake of the negotiations with the other school, it came out that he was likely going to take not only the incoming recruits, but he was also working on getting releases for current players so they could all follow him to the new school. If you want to leave our program for a new one because it is better for you and your family, that's fine. It is however very classless to gut our program in the process. I understand that with any coaching change that some players decide to leave and go elsewhere. That's fine. If they don't want to play here, again, I wish them well. However, if you are using the current players as a threat to get your way, then that's lower than low. I don't care if it's done elsewhere. The behavior is wrong, and it shouldn't be something that's condoned, and if our AD even considers releasing the players to leave with the coach, he needs to get his head examined. We may as well just dismantle the entire program right now.
The negotiations are still ongoing. The big boosters have gotten together to negotiate the deal. While I applaud their efforts, this brings me to another issue I have. Last spring and fall, there was a huge fan initiative to get the university to build a football stadium on campus. Many donors were willing to give to see this happen. We were all told that there was no way $10 million could be raised over the course of a few years to fund this. Last night, 3 big donors got together and raised that amount to try to keep the coach. Now, I understand that our football program is not anywhere close to where it needs to be, but I'm sorry, football will more likely get us into a BCS league before basketball.
That all being said, Jeremy and I have come to a hard decision. We want to support Tigers athletics, but in these tough economic times, we really have to examine closely where our money goes. While I love the players and I do believe they go out and try their hardest, I have never been a huge basketball fan. These latest events surrounding the program have left a bad taste in my mouth and while I want the university to succeed and athletics to do well, we have to decide how best to use our money. I would like to keep our season tickets to basketball, and with a coaching change, that may not be too hard. However, we're thinking about minimizing our scholarship fund donations. Because he's just graduated, the university will match, so there's no reason to donate as much. Instead, the money we would've been donating to the general scholarship fund, we'll turn around and donate directly to the football program. I would like nothing more than to mail in a check each month designating the money specifically to football with a note saying that I am no longer supporting any other programs until the administration gets its but in gear.
The shitstorm that has been stirred up in the last few days has been epic. It started with the coach publicly stating that there is no way he's leaving the university for a more prominent program. Then, over the weekend, rumors started that he had in fact flown to said school to discuss terms with the officials there. Our AD came out and said the rumors were untrue and he never gave the other school permission to speak to our coach. On Monday, our AD states on record that he's given permission for the other school to speak to our coach.
I understand that this is the way of college athletics. If you are a good coach, you will be courted by every school under the sun. I also fully understand that $6 million is a lot of money and even though you are already a millionaire, it's a huge raise. That being said, there is a classy way to go about contract negotiations. The basketball program has once again reached the level of national recognition, and the coach had a lot to do with it. Do I think he's going to stay forever? Well, no, I'm not that naive. Had I found out yesterday that he was leaving, I would've wished him the best of luck, even though I was sick to my stomach over it.
However, in the wake of the negotiations with the other school, it came out that he was likely going to take not only the incoming recruits, but he was also working on getting releases for current players so they could all follow him to the new school. If you want to leave our program for a new one because it is better for you and your family, that's fine. It is however very classless to gut our program in the process. I understand that with any coaching change that some players decide to leave and go elsewhere. That's fine. If they don't want to play here, again, I wish them well. However, if you are using the current players as a threat to get your way, then that's lower than low. I don't care if it's done elsewhere. The behavior is wrong, and it shouldn't be something that's condoned, and if our AD even considers releasing the players to leave with the coach, he needs to get his head examined. We may as well just dismantle the entire program right now.
The negotiations are still ongoing. The big boosters have gotten together to negotiate the deal. While I applaud their efforts, this brings me to another issue I have. Last spring and fall, there was a huge fan initiative to get the university to build a football stadium on campus. Many donors were willing to give to see this happen. We were all told that there was no way $10 million could be raised over the course of a few years to fund this. Last night, 3 big donors got together and raised that amount to try to keep the coach. Now, I understand that our football program is not anywhere close to where it needs to be, but I'm sorry, football will more likely get us into a BCS league before basketball.
That all being said, Jeremy and I have come to a hard decision. We want to support Tigers athletics, but in these tough economic times, we really have to examine closely where our money goes. While I love the players and I do believe they go out and try their hardest, I have never been a huge basketball fan. These latest events surrounding the program have left a bad taste in my mouth and while I want the university to succeed and athletics to do well, we have to decide how best to use our money. I would like to keep our season tickets to basketball, and with a coaching change, that may not be too hard. However, we're thinking about minimizing our scholarship fund donations. Because he's just graduated, the university will match, so there's no reason to donate as much. Instead, the money we would've been donating to the general scholarship fund, we'll turn around and donate directly to the football program. I would like nothing more than to mail in a check each month designating the money specifically to football with a note saying that I am no longer supporting any other programs until the administration gets its but in gear.
Monday, March 30, 2009
It's Over
The title very neatly describes the events in my life recently that has culminated in a sigh of relief and a splitting headache.
My brother's visit ended Saturday, and to say I'm a little sad to see him go is understating it a bit. While I'm sure he felt the week was slightly underwhelming in the form of entertainment, it was more activity that either me or Jeremy are used to on school nights. Yes, we are old and boring, but hopefully we managed to not totally ruin his vacation. As Jeremy put it, his visit gave us another person to stare at. After we took him to the airport Saturday morning, Jeremy and I came home and absolutely crashed. I spent the better part of 2 days napping on the couch, trying fitfully to sleep through a migraine.
Another activity I am happy to say is at an end is unpacking. Yes, we are officially finished with the chaos that was box killing. Now, cleaning and laundry are unending tasks in my life, but at least, I no longer have to spend hours trying to find new places for things that seem to have homes in our old apartment. Which brings me to question that I've been pondering. Our apartment in Memphis was a 2BR apartment. Our current apartment is a 2BR. Somehow, we seem to have less room here even though the square footage here is larger. We had even gotten rid of a lot of furniture before we moved. I fully believe that there was a worm hole in one of our former closets that allowed for the storage and retrieval of little used items.
College basketball also ended this weekend, much to our dismay. We had hoped to travel to Detroit to watch the Final Four, but alas that was not meant to be. This leaves us fans also in limbo as to whether our coach will return next year. I hope that this current hoopla is his way of negotiating a better contract, but I am not holding out too much hope. Very disappointing.
My brother's visit ended Saturday, and to say I'm a little sad to see him go is understating it a bit. While I'm sure he felt the week was slightly underwhelming in the form of entertainment, it was more activity that either me or Jeremy are used to on school nights. Yes, we are old and boring, but hopefully we managed to not totally ruin his vacation. As Jeremy put it, his visit gave us another person to stare at. After we took him to the airport Saturday morning, Jeremy and I came home and absolutely crashed. I spent the better part of 2 days napping on the couch, trying fitfully to sleep through a migraine.
Another activity I am happy to say is at an end is unpacking. Yes, we are officially finished with the chaos that was box killing. Now, cleaning and laundry are unending tasks in my life, but at least, I no longer have to spend hours trying to find new places for things that seem to have homes in our old apartment. Which brings me to question that I've been pondering. Our apartment in Memphis was a 2BR apartment. Our current apartment is a 2BR. Somehow, we seem to have less room here even though the square footage here is larger. We had even gotten rid of a lot of furniture before we moved. I fully believe that there was a worm hole in one of our former closets that allowed for the storage and retrieval of little used items.
College basketball also ended this weekend, much to our dismay. We had hoped to travel to Detroit to watch the Final Four, but alas that was not meant to be. This leaves us fans also in limbo as to whether our coach will return next year. I hope that this current hoopla is his way of negotiating a better contract, but I am not holding out too much hope. Very disappointing.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Busy
My brother arrived safely, and we've been on the go since. After an exciting weekend of basketball, we have a full schedule of eating out and watching movies. It's nice to have someone visit, and it's unbelievably nice to have a clean apartment. We've actually done a really nice job keeping things organized on a day by day basis.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Ten Years
Last year, Jeremy and I decided that we were going to start celebrating only our wedding anniversary. We figured that it would be the more important date instead of the day we originally started dating. That being said, we realized a few weeks ago that in fact this dating anniversary was a big one. We have officially been together as a couple for ten years. Happy Anniversary, baby. I can't even imagine that length of time. It boggles the mind because I don't consciously feel that old.
We were talking the other day about college sports and we were remarking that we weren't old enough to actively be involved in booster clubs that get to host players and such because they are our peers. Only after we said that did we come to realize that we are now a decade older than most college students. Sure, I physically feel old sometimes especially when it's been a long day, but I didn't mentally feel like I was that old. It was a weird realization.
We were talking the other day about college sports and we were remarking that we weren't old enough to actively be involved in booster clubs that get to host players and such because they are our peers. Only after we said that did we come to realize that we are now a decade older than most college students. Sure, I physically feel old sometimes especially when it's been a long day, but I didn't mentally feel like I was that old. It was a weird realization.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Life is Good
Our friends in Memphis just welcomed their new baby girl into the world today. Congrats to them! We can't wait to meet her, but she'll be almost a year old by the time we see her.
Last night, Jeremy and I officially finished cleaning our apartment. It was actually easier than I had imagined even though it seemed a daunting task. I guess the marathon cleaning that we'd embarked on all month paid off. A little vacuuming tonight will finish everything off. We can't wait until my brother gets here tomorrow. This will be the first visitor we've had since we officially moved in.
The weather here is beautiful, and Spring seems to be officially here even though it's going to be a little chilly this weekend. I really needed the sun to come out. It has been very uplifting.
Tigers play their first NCAA game today. I can't listen to it today because of a meeting, but I hope they play well. Go Tigers!
Last night, Jeremy and I officially finished cleaning our apartment. It was actually easier than I had imagined even though it seemed a daunting task. I guess the marathon cleaning that we'd embarked on all month paid off. A little vacuuming tonight will finish everything off. We can't wait until my brother gets here tomorrow. This will be the first visitor we've had since we officially moved in.
The weather here is beautiful, and Spring seems to be officially here even though it's going to be a little chilly this weekend. I really needed the sun to come out. It has been very uplifting.
Tigers play their first NCAA game today. I can't listen to it today because of a meeting, but I hope they play well. Go Tigers!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Spring
Today will be an unseasonably warm spring day, and I wish I were out to enjoy it. On days like these, I really miss being in college. It is one of the only time when you can skip a day of school and not really worry about the repercussions and enjoy a beautiful day.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Cajun Meatloaf
I made a Cajun style meatloaf last night, and it was very yummy. It will definitely be made again, but with a few changes. I couldn't find regular ground pork so I ended up using sausage, and it although it was good, it didn't mesh with the beef. I would also probably halve the recipe. I now have this huge slab of meat in my fridge. We will be eating meatloaf for awhile. Unfortunately, because of the sausage and not enough breadcrumbs, the meatloaf doesn't hold together well enough for meatloaf sandwiches, but it is very good nonetheless.
Monday, March 16, 2009
It's Been Awhile
I haven't posted anything for awhile because I'd been in a funk physically, emotionally, and professionally. It wasn't anything earth-shattering, but had I posted, it would have been one whiny post after another and nobody needs that. Not to say that nothing good had happened in the last few weeks because that's not entirely true. The bad would have overshadowed everything.
That being said, I'm ready to begin writing about my life again. My brother is visiting next week, so it's lit a fire under our butts to actually finish the little things that we've been putting off. After spending a chunk of money getting the last things for the apartment, we are just about done. It is a nice feeling to look around and see everything the way I want it. The down side of the manic cleaning this weekend is the muscle pain that comes with climbing up and down the stairs a million times. My legs haven't hurt like this in a long time.
That being said, I'm ready to begin writing about my life again. My brother is visiting next week, so it's lit a fire under our butts to actually finish the little things that we've been putting off. After spending a chunk of money getting the last things for the apartment, we are just about done. It is a nice feeling to look around and see everything the way I want it. The down side of the manic cleaning this weekend is the muscle pain that comes with climbing up and down the stairs a million times. My legs haven't hurt like this in a long time.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Getting in the Groove
I haven't been very good at blogging lately because honestly, nothing significant has happened. I will say though that there is nothing nicer than payday.
When I first started grad school, it was the first real significant paycheck. I had worked previously, but the money didn't really amount to much since I wasn't working full time. Having a steady income with very few expenses was nice. When Jeremy and I got married, we felt like our income doubled. We were only paying one set of utilities and one rent, so it was like we got a raise while really making the same amount of money.
While we were anticipating the move, we started saving money like crazy in anticipation of having only one income. For awhile, it seemed like we were only living on one income even though we were both working.
Now, we both have jobs that actually pay money, and I look at our bank account and think, wow! It's actually kind of nice to have money in savings while not having to scrimp on every day things. While we're not just blowing the extra money on luxury items, we haven't had to worry as much about finances. We are also in a place where we can finally save for the future. Maybe we'll buy a house in the next few years. Maybe we'll go on an extensive vacation. Maybe Jeremy will go back to school. Regardless, it's nice to be able to put away money and still live comfortably.
When I first started grad school, it was the first real significant paycheck. I had worked previously, but the money didn't really amount to much since I wasn't working full time. Having a steady income with very few expenses was nice. When Jeremy and I got married, we felt like our income doubled. We were only paying one set of utilities and one rent, so it was like we got a raise while really making the same amount of money.
While we were anticipating the move, we started saving money like crazy in anticipation of having only one income. For awhile, it seemed like we were only living on one income even though we were both working.
Now, we both have jobs that actually pay money, and I look at our bank account and think, wow! It's actually kind of nice to have money in savings while not having to scrimp on every day things. While we're not just blowing the extra money on luxury items, we haven't had to worry as much about finances. We are also in a place where we can finally save for the future. Maybe we'll buy a house in the next few years. Maybe we'll go on an extensive vacation. Maybe Jeremy will go back to school. Regardless, it's nice to be able to put away money and still live comfortably.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Elevators
I've had several bad encounters with elevators, but none were as harrowing as yesterday. I got to work around 8:30 and got in an elevator to go up 4 floors. As the elevator started going up, it just stopped suddenly and quit moving. I tried calling for help with the call button, but nobody picked up and I was unsure that it even worked. Thank goodness that my cell phone had signal and a coworker was in the lab. She went and found the security guard and the both of them got me out of the elevator. It wasn't a fun way to start the day to be sure.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Paella
For some reason, I've been craving rice. At first, I thought I was craving Chinese food because I would need to get a certain dish at my now favorite Chinese restaurant. Now though, I think it's just the rice. Yesterday, for some unknown reason, I really wanted to find a restaurant with paella. No reason. Nothing reminded me of it. It just all of a sudden hit me that paella would be good. Tomorrow, Jeremy and I are off to find us some good Spanish food.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Current Events
I've been reading several newspapers a day lately, and the general theme I see is outrage. Outrage about the economy, outrage about politics, and outrage about sports figures. Regardless of what issue du jour, the outrage always boils down to what "our children's generation." The economy must be fixed for our children, we need change because our children deserve better, our kids need better role models. Our kids need more and better from the government.
The school districts here are pushing for more sex education. On the news the other day, a mom driving her 19 year old daughter to college brought up how much sex ed her daughter received in high school, and her daughter told her they were only taught abstinence. The mother was shocked and outraged that her daughter wasn't taught safe sex. While I agree that kids should learn about alternatives to abstinence in school, it's about time parents take some responsibility as well. If you don't talk about sex with your child until they are 19, the problem lies as much with you as the school. While I agree abstinence should be emphasized, let's be honest. Teenagers will have sex. It happens and while I don't personally condone it, I'd want my child to be as knowledgeable and protected as possible. That responsibility falls to me as a parent. Yes, it's embarrassing for both parties, but that's why you're the parent.
Another article I read spoke on the outrage parents are feeling about the Michael Phelps/pot and A-Rod/steroids issue. It made a point that the parents that are all outraged about this should take a long look at their kids. No child is so insulated that they are unaware of drugs, and the kids that the parents seek to protect no longer exist in this society. My problem with the outrage is that parents are looking to public figures to be the role model for their kids. When I was growing up, I didn't hope to emulate a sports star or an actress. I wanted to grow up and be successful like my parents. They were my role models. I think the fact that public figures are fallible makes a great conversation starter. It allows parents to show their kids that a) people make mistakes and b) drugs aren't the answer. Instead, these athletes are criticized for being human and not perfect.
I am not implying in any way that raising children is an easy task. I know it's daunting to have to teach and mold a child into an adult. However, asking others to raise your kids and not taking responsibility seems like a cop-out.
The school districts here are pushing for more sex education. On the news the other day, a mom driving her 19 year old daughter to college brought up how much sex ed her daughter received in high school, and her daughter told her they were only taught abstinence. The mother was shocked and outraged that her daughter wasn't taught safe sex. While I agree that kids should learn about alternatives to abstinence in school, it's about time parents take some responsibility as well. If you don't talk about sex with your child until they are 19, the problem lies as much with you as the school. While I agree abstinence should be emphasized, let's be honest. Teenagers will have sex. It happens and while I don't personally condone it, I'd want my child to be as knowledgeable and protected as possible. That responsibility falls to me as a parent. Yes, it's embarrassing for both parties, but that's why you're the parent.
Another article I read spoke on the outrage parents are feeling about the Michael Phelps/pot and A-Rod/steroids issue. It made a point that the parents that are all outraged about this should take a long look at their kids. No child is so insulated that they are unaware of drugs, and the kids that the parents seek to protect no longer exist in this society. My problem with the outrage is that parents are looking to public figures to be the role model for their kids. When I was growing up, I didn't hope to emulate a sports star or an actress. I wanted to grow up and be successful like my parents. They were my role models. I think the fact that public figures are fallible makes a great conversation starter. It allows parents to show their kids that a) people make mistakes and b) drugs aren't the answer. Instead, these athletes are criticized for being human and not perfect.
I am not implying in any way that raising children is an easy task. I know it's daunting to have to teach and mold a child into an adult. However, asking others to raise your kids and not taking responsibility seems like a cop-out.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
One Step Forward
Last night we officially finished putting together the office. Now, our apartment isn't totally put back together, but I can say that I no longer have to stress about it. Overall though, we've accomplished a lot. We have to hang a few more things on the walls and there are a few more knick knacks to find a place for, but overall, it's more maintenance now than unpacking. It's a relief. I know that we've been here for almost six months now, but we were in a catch-22 of sorts for the first four months. We couldn't unpack until we bought some furniture that we decided to leave in Memphis. We couldn't buy furniture until Jeremy found a job, but once he found a job, he wasn't at home with plenty of time to help unpack.
The apartment is finally starting to feel somewhat like home though. We're not the neatest people in the world, so it still seems kinda cluttered, but we're slowly getting to a point where we don't need to come home and worry about chores. I am looking forward to the day when we can come home, eat dinner and relax on the couch.
The apartment is finally starting to feel somewhat like home though. We're not the neatest people in the world, so it still seems kinda cluttered, but we're slowly getting to a point where we don't need to come home and worry about chores. I am looking forward to the day when we can come home, eat dinner and relax on the couch.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sloth
Sometimes I have so much stuff to do at home that nothing ever gets done. That was kind of this weekend in terms of chores. Jeremy and I fully enjoyed our Valentines Day festivities. We didn't end up going ice skating because we spent 2 hours at dinner. It was very yummy and it wasn't as expensive as I was expecting. We didn't drink though, so that probably cut down on the cost quite a bit.
Sunday though, I spent being lazy on the couch. I caught up on all of the shows we'd recorded in the past week, but the bed in the office wasn't put together. I just didn't have the motivation to do it. Jeremy said that he'd help me with it this week though, so maybe we'll get it done before the weekend. It should be very straight forward.
While I was being lazy, Jeremy had a very productive weekend. He cleaned up the living room and even vacuumed. I really appreciated that since it was entirely his own idea and I had nothing to do with it.
Sunday though, I spent being lazy on the couch. I caught up on all of the shows we'd recorded in the past week, but the bed in the office wasn't put together. I just didn't have the motivation to do it. Jeremy said that he'd help me with it this week though, so maybe we'll get it done before the weekend. It should be very straight forward.
While I was being lazy, Jeremy had a very productive weekend. He cleaned up the living room and even vacuumed. I really appreciated that since it was entirely his own idea and I had nothing to do with it.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Future
This weekend is going to be a busy one, with lots of fun and lots of work. Tomorrow, we have an action packed day. I've been looking forward to every minute of it all week. We're headed off to Ikea again to finally purchase the bed for the office/guest room. We've finally gotten the room cleared out enough to actually get the last piece of furniture. There are still little bits and pieces of things that I haven't figured out where to put, but overall, the room is done.
We've been working really hard on finishing the room because we're hoping to have various guests come over in the coming months. My brother who was going to visit in February will likely come visit us for a week in March. That is provided he doesn't get the job he wants. Either way, he'll probably be applying for grad school at CMU, so he may be spending some time with us before it's all said and done.
Jeremy's mom and stepdad may also come and visit us in the spring, so it'll be nice not to have to rush and clean for them. After this weekend, if they were to just drop by, I won't have a heart attack/panic attack.
After Ikea, we'll come home and watch the Tigers basketball game. They're in Hattiesburg this weekend, and the game should be fun and loud. It'll be a good Valentines Day activity. After the game, we'll go eat dinner and then go ice skating. I'm looking forward to the entire event.
Sunday should be a nice, relaxing day with nothing much to do. Regular chores like laundry and finishing the office are all that's on the list. It'll be a nice change of pace.
We've been working really hard on finishing the room because we're hoping to have various guests come over in the coming months. My brother who was going to visit in February will likely come visit us for a week in March. That is provided he doesn't get the job he wants. Either way, he'll probably be applying for grad school at CMU, so he may be spending some time with us before it's all said and done.
Jeremy's mom and stepdad may also come and visit us in the spring, so it'll be nice not to have to rush and clean for them. After this weekend, if they were to just drop by, I won't have a heart attack/panic attack.
After Ikea, we'll come home and watch the Tigers basketball game. They're in Hattiesburg this weekend, and the game should be fun and loud. It'll be a good Valentines Day activity. After the game, we'll go eat dinner and then go ice skating. I'm looking forward to the entire event.
Sunday should be a nice, relaxing day with nothing much to do. Regular chores like laundry and finishing the office are all that's on the list. It'll be a nice change of pace.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Vaccines
In the last few days, the subject of the MMR vaccine and autism have come up repeatedly. It started with the articles about how the original paper linking MMR vaccines to autism was fabricated, or at best greatly exaggerated. Then I read about the courts denying a claim that the MMR vaccines were responsible for autism.
Personally, I think autism needs to be studied, but I don't think the increases in autism are due to vaccinations. I agree with public schools requiring vaccinations. I don't disagree that parents have the right to choose whether or not they want to vaccinate. If however I have a baby and you chose not to vaccinate, my child will not be exposed to either you or your child until my child has been vaccinated.
Personally, I think autism needs to be studied, but I don't think the increases in autism are due to vaccinations. I agree with public schools requiring vaccinations. I don't disagree that parents have the right to choose whether or not they want to vaccinate. If however I have a baby and you chose not to vaccinate, my child will not be exposed to either you or your child until my child has been vaccinated.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Comedy Club
We're going to go see John Heffron tomorrow night. We love living so close to a comedy club that actually gets good headliners. It's going to be a lot of fun.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Muscle Pain
I went to bed last night with a sore back and woke up this morning with a sore neck. Maybe by tomorrow I will be pain free again. Cleaning sucks.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Drained
The apartment is almost put back together. I hate that when you clean and organize you have to pull everything out just so everything can be put in their place. Hopefully we'll be able to organize the rest after work, but if not, we'll definitely be able to finish everything by the end of the weekend. I cannot wait to get everything done.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Exhausted
Finished killing boxes today but it looks like the boxes got their revenge. They threw up their contents before they died. Hopefully next weekend will see the apartment totally clean.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Cleaning
My goal today was to finish organizing and cleaning the office. While I made good progress, I noticed something that makes no sense. Why is it that when you clean, you always make a bigger mess than when you started? Since I'm watching a basketball game now, I probably won't get a bunch more done tonight. Hopefully though, I will manage to get everything done by the end of the weekend. I cannot wait until everything is where it should be and I don't have to worry about cleaning after work.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Valentines Day
I've noticed a new trend watching commercials and observing people in stores. Valentines Day as a child was filling out cards for the entire class, getting chalky heart candies, and decorating boxes to hold the cards you get from you classmates. I don't remember parents getting their kids anything. In my entire elementary school, I don't think one person ever got a special card from parents much less a present.
Hallmark has a commercial for a Hannah Montana recordable Valentine's Day card. In it, the mom had given the card to her young daughter. Really? At the supermarket yesterday, I noticed several parents buying Valentines Day cards that were definitely for kids along with $50 gift cards to Toys 'R Us. Again, really? Since when did this holiday become one where it's another gift grab by kids? Do toy manufacturers need another holiday to commercialize? Is Christmas, Easter, and Halloween no longer enough?
Hallmark has a commercial for a Hannah Montana recordable Valentine's Day card. In it, the mom had given the card to her young daughter. Really? At the supermarket yesterday, I noticed several parents buying Valentines Day cards that were definitely for kids along with $50 gift cards to Toys 'R Us. Again, really? Since when did this holiday become one where it's another gift grab by kids? Do toy manufacturers need another holiday to commercialize? Is Christmas, Easter, and Halloween no longer enough?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Nerves
I've been doing presentations for various classes all my life, and only since grad school have I started to get this nervous about presentations. I'm totally prepared for this, and I know the material better than anyone, but I my hands won't quit shaking and I am so incredibly nervous. What is up with this?!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Time in a Day
There doesn't seem to be enough hours in a day. By the time I get home, I probably have a good two hours of actual productivity before I'm completely wiped out. I never get a chance to get everything I want done finished. I did manage to make dinner last night for both yesterday and today, so at least that's one less thing I have to worry about tonight. Now, I just have to put away a mountain of clean laundry. I really miss having someone come and clean the apartment. I know Jeremy and I have discussed hiring a cleaning service again, but we have to get the place somewhat organized before then. This weekend, Jeremy has an event he wants to attend that I am completely uninterested in, so he'll be out of the house for several hours. Plus, my presentation for work is this week, so I no longer have to worry about working on that. I think I'll take the weekend off from work and finally finish the projects around the house. Well, at least that will be the goal.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Saving for the Future
Recently, I have been keeping up with journals and blogs of several families who have either lost children to cancer or are in the middle of battling cancer. Many of these kids won't stand a chance. They go through the pains of treatment (chemo, radiation, bone marrow transplants) only to go into remission and then relapse.
While there is no way to prevent childhood cancer, I have been wondering how I would respond in a situation like this. I'm not going to be the neurotic mother who thinks that her child has every disease known to man. I wouldn't go to the doctor obsessively to get tested for the possibility of cancer. I do think though that I am going to be somewhat proactive.
One particular blog started me thinking about cord blood banking. This little girl was diagnosed with AML, and because she was adopted, her immediate family did not provide an adequate match for her to receive a bone marrow transplant. Because she was adopted from China and her parents were of minority decent, the chances of finding her a match was even slimmer. Even though they did manage to track down her birth parents, it was became impossible to continue the process because she relapsed before they could type her siblings. I know the issue of stem cells are a hot button issue, but in our case it would make a lot of sense. Jeremy and I would have an inter-racial child. If anything were to happen, we would have to rely solely on the generosity of other donors in order to find a match. Even then, the probability would be slim. We discussed the possibility of banking cord blood, and even though it is expensive, it would be something that I'm willing to save up for now. Since we're not planning children anytime soon, we'll have plenty of time to save up money to do this even though payment plans are available. Even if it were never used, we would at least be working in every way to give our kids every advantage we could.
While there is no way to prevent childhood cancer, I have been wondering how I would respond in a situation like this. I'm not going to be the neurotic mother who thinks that her child has every disease known to man. I wouldn't go to the doctor obsessively to get tested for the possibility of cancer. I do think though that I am going to be somewhat proactive.
One particular blog started me thinking about cord blood banking. This little girl was diagnosed with AML, and because she was adopted, her immediate family did not provide an adequate match for her to receive a bone marrow transplant. Because she was adopted from China and her parents were of minority decent, the chances of finding her a match was even slimmer. Even though they did manage to track down her birth parents, it was became impossible to continue the process because she relapsed before they could type her siblings. I know the issue of stem cells are a hot button issue, but in our case it would make a lot of sense. Jeremy and I would have an inter-racial child. If anything were to happen, we would have to rely solely on the generosity of other donors in order to find a match. Even then, the probability would be slim. We discussed the possibility of banking cord blood, and even though it is expensive, it would be something that I'm willing to save up for now. Since we're not planning children anytime soon, we'll have plenty of time to save up money to do this even though payment plans are available. Even if it were never used, we would at least be working in every way to give our kids every advantage we could.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Patience
I suppose this post, rather than about being patient, is more about my growing impatience. I've noticed recently that the littlest things tend to set me off. Things that usually wouldn't faze me because I don't care will now send me into a tizzy that lasts several hours if not several days.
Case in point, I was told about a basketball coach being fired after his team beat out the opponent 100-0. When I first heard about the story, I was under the impression that the other team had girls who were disabled in some way. I was more upset that the game was scheduled if that had been the case. However, as it turns out with some more careful researching, these girls went to a special school because they have learning disabilities. Now, I know there are plenty of pro-athletes with ADHD or dyslexia making their academic lives more difficult. However, just because you have a learning disability does not mean you are incapable of playing sports. I understand the outrage was due to sportmanship, but the girls on the losing team took it in stride and didn't whine about it. Instead the administrators on the winning team now feel like this somehow reflects badly on them.
This is only one of several instances where I've climbed up on my soapbox and ranted and raved, and I'm getting hit from all sides. It's not only news stories that are getting me riled up. I told Jeremy that I was praying for patience and he told me that in doing so, God would really test me and my resolve. So far, I've failed that miserably. I understand that the world doesn't revolve around me and I don't create the rules. I try to take a deep breath when I hear something that I know will irritate me, but so far, the measures I am taking are not working.
I suppose part of the problem is I care about the issues that get me worked up. My sister said these were the things I'm passionate about, but it goes deeper than that. I look around and this isn't the society that I would want my kids to grow up in. More than that, this isn't the place I want any kids to grow up in, but since I don't make the rules up and I can't expect everyone else to change, I can only work on myself. I will have to keep striving to be more patient and have faith that it will eventually happen.
Case in point, I was told about a basketball coach being fired after his team beat out the opponent 100-0. When I first heard about the story, I was under the impression that the other team had girls who were disabled in some way. I was more upset that the game was scheduled if that had been the case. However, as it turns out with some more careful researching, these girls went to a special school because they have learning disabilities. Now, I know there are plenty of pro-athletes with ADHD or dyslexia making their academic lives more difficult. However, just because you have a learning disability does not mean you are incapable of playing sports. I understand the outrage was due to sportmanship, but the girls on the losing team took it in stride and didn't whine about it. Instead the administrators on the winning team now feel like this somehow reflects badly on them.
This is only one of several instances where I've climbed up on my soapbox and ranted and raved, and I'm getting hit from all sides. It's not only news stories that are getting me riled up. I told Jeremy that I was praying for patience and he told me that in doing so, God would really test me and my resolve. So far, I've failed that miserably. I understand that the world doesn't revolve around me and I don't create the rules. I try to take a deep breath when I hear something that I know will irritate me, but so far, the measures I am taking are not working.
I suppose part of the problem is I care about the issues that get me worked up. My sister said these were the things I'm passionate about, but it goes deeper than that. I look around and this isn't the society that I would want my kids to grow up in. More than that, this isn't the place I want any kids to grow up in, but since I don't make the rules up and I can't expect everyone else to change, I can only work on myself. I will have to keep striving to be more patient and have faith that it will eventually happen.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Big Game
This is the first year we're not watching this game with a bunch of friends, but we're still having a blast. Not as much food, but we have chips and dip and other yumminess. It'll be a great game.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emporer
Jeremy got me the box set of all The Mummy DVDs for Christmas. Even though I had seen the first two movies, we didn't watch the third one until just now. My suggestion is that if you've never seen the movie, do not bother. I love Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, and Brendan Fraser, but the movie was unbelievably horrible. This will not be a movie I rewatch.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Women and Mothers
It seems to me lately that the subject of womanhood in society and what is expected of the modern woman has come up more and more. While I haven’t felt any pressure on either being a SAHM or a working mom, many people I know have felt this. Jeremy and I have discussed and agreed on how we are going to approach raising kids, but the subject has gotten me thinking.
Growing up, it would have seemed odd for me to encounter a stay at home mom. I’m not saying that none of my friends had parents that stayed home, but I really can’t name any. It just didn’t seem that common at least in my group of friends. Both my parents worked, and sometimes, they worked long hours and on weekends. I don’t ever remember feeling like I didn’t get to spend enough time with them or wishing that one parent didn’t work so they could stay home with us. In fact, we relished the times they were at work because it allowed us to veg out on the couch and watch TV rather than having to do homework or study. The time we did spend together as a family was good quality time doing things together. We went on plenty of vacations and really travelled the world.
Jeremy’s mom stayed home with him while he was growing up. She did all of the things that a mom does on TV. She did the carpool thing, she did the PTA thing, and she probably did the whole milk and cookies thing after school. In Jeremy’s thinking that was the norm, and he wanted that for his kids.
When we started discussing marriage long before we were ready to get married, we came upon the topic of kids. Even though I never really wanted kids, I figured that if we got married, we would eventually have kids. He really wanted one parent to stay at home be it me or him, but he thought that was important to the child’s development. He was fairly adamant about it until he got to know how good outside childcare could be. A friend and former coworker had her child in childcare while both her and her husband worked. He realized that these caretakers were actually teachers that taught and interacted with the children rather than plopping them in from of a TV all day. It was at this point he started coming around.
I know that if we were to have kids, I would in no way ever be able to stay home 24/7 and care for the kids. Being a SAHM is incredibly challenging, and I would say one of the hardest jobs out there and I salute the women who are able to accomplish this. It is not me. For one, I know I don’t have the patience to deal with a child for that long. Yes, the casual observer would think that I am great with kids and I seem to have an endless supply of patience, but usually I am around a child for no more than several hours after which I can return the child to their parents. I never have to deal with naptimes, or bedtimes or any other cranky times that afflict young children. So yes, I can roughhouse and play and be silly with the best of them because I don’t have to deal with the issues that come from having a child incredibly wound up. Secondly, I really did not obtain this much school just to stay at home with my kids. The fact is I continued my education because I wanted to have the rewarding career. In fact, I really like what I do, and I would definitely want to continue with it.
I suppose what really got me thinking was the logistics of the SAHM. I look at the life I had as a child, and I want to give my children the same opportunities that my parents afforded me. These opportunities require more than the time we spent together. There is a certain level of security I want to provide my kids as they grow. My parents always made it known that they would pay for our college education. They felt that a college degree was an absolute requirement so they were prepared to help us financially. Now, this wasn’t to say that we wouldn’t be working or getting scholarships, but money would never be an issue. To that end, we also took a lot of classes outside of school. We took summer school classes as a means to get ahead and skip classes during the school year allowing us to take more advanced classes as they came along. We also took SAT/ACT prep classes starting fro the time we were in middle school. The importance being that doing well in school does a lot to ensure your future. As kids, we were also very well travelled. We went to Asia and Europe and all over the US on family vacations. If the vacations were short and relatively inexpensive, we’d have two vacations that year. If it was a long, exotic trip, we’d only have one vacation that year, but we’d spend more time wherever we were.
These are the things that I want to provide my kids. Yes, they’re ambitious goals, but I want to provide the basic that my parents gave me that allowed me to be the person I am today. I want my kids to have the best education available. I’ve long maintained that if we were living in a place with a bad public school system, I would send my kids to private school regardless of cost. I wouldn’t be able to do that without working. Sure there is the argument of homeschooling, but I again would be unable to do that. The purpose of education is to teach your children a broad spectrum of knowledge to prepare for their future as adults. In doing so, you’re not creating little clones but rather thoughtful people who can formulate their own views and ideals. I would be unable to teach things that I personally don’t believe in and that would be a huge disservice to my kids. I want them to go to college and I want them to be able to interact in a world where people have all sorts of different views, none of which are truly similar to mine. I want to be able to pay for college because I don’t want them to feel the financial pressure which is a leading reason for dropping out. I want to travel as a family and see the world. Not only would this be quality time spent making memories, but it is also fun and exciting to go places and see new things.
I suppose while I see the benefits of staying home to raise kids because you are the best person to do it, I don’t see how I personally would be able to. My priorities are my priorities because that was the environment in which I was raised. I commend my parents for doing such a good job and making the sacrifices they did to provide those opportunities for us. Do I wish that one parent had stayed home with us growing up? Not at all. I actually appreciate my parents more because I can see why they both worked to provide for us. I think had my mom stayed home, I wouldn’t have had as fond of memories of the family times we did spend together.
Growing up, it would have seemed odd for me to encounter a stay at home mom. I’m not saying that none of my friends had parents that stayed home, but I really can’t name any. It just didn’t seem that common at least in my group of friends. Both my parents worked, and sometimes, they worked long hours and on weekends. I don’t ever remember feeling like I didn’t get to spend enough time with them or wishing that one parent didn’t work so they could stay home with us. In fact, we relished the times they were at work because it allowed us to veg out on the couch and watch TV rather than having to do homework or study. The time we did spend together as a family was good quality time doing things together. We went on plenty of vacations and really travelled the world.
Jeremy’s mom stayed home with him while he was growing up. She did all of the things that a mom does on TV. She did the carpool thing, she did the PTA thing, and she probably did the whole milk and cookies thing after school. In Jeremy’s thinking that was the norm, and he wanted that for his kids.
When we started discussing marriage long before we were ready to get married, we came upon the topic of kids. Even though I never really wanted kids, I figured that if we got married, we would eventually have kids. He really wanted one parent to stay at home be it me or him, but he thought that was important to the child’s development. He was fairly adamant about it until he got to know how good outside childcare could be. A friend and former coworker had her child in childcare while both her and her husband worked. He realized that these caretakers were actually teachers that taught and interacted with the children rather than plopping them in from of a TV all day. It was at this point he started coming around.
I know that if we were to have kids, I would in no way ever be able to stay home 24/7 and care for the kids. Being a SAHM is incredibly challenging, and I would say one of the hardest jobs out there and I salute the women who are able to accomplish this. It is not me. For one, I know I don’t have the patience to deal with a child for that long. Yes, the casual observer would think that I am great with kids and I seem to have an endless supply of patience, but usually I am around a child for no more than several hours after which I can return the child to their parents. I never have to deal with naptimes, or bedtimes or any other cranky times that afflict young children. So yes, I can roughhouse and play and be silly with the best of them because I don’t have to deal with the issues that come from having a child incredibly wound up. Secondly, I really did not obtain this much school just to stay at home with my kids. The fact is I continued my education because I wanted to have the rewarding career. In fact, I really like what I do, and I would definitely want to continue with it.
I suppose what really got me thinking was the logistics of the SAHM. I look at the life I had as a child, and I want to give my children the same opportunities that my parents afforded me. These opportunities require more than the time we spent together. There is a certain level of security I want to provide my kids as they grow. My parents always made it known that they would pay for our college education. They felt that a college degree was an absolute requirement so they were prepared to help us financially. Now, this wasn’t to say that we wouldn’t be working or getting scholarships, but money would never be an issue. To that end, we also took a lot of classes outside of school. We took summer school classes as a means to get ahead and skip classes during the school year allowing us to take more advanced classes as they came along. We also took SAT/ACT prep classes starting fro the time we were in middle school. The importance being that doing well in school does a lot to ensure your future. As kids, we were also very well travelled. We went to Asia and Europe and all over the US on family vacations. If the vacations were short and relatively inexpensive, we’d have two vacations that year. If it was a long, exotic trip, we’d only have one vacation that year, but we’d spend more time wherever we were.
These are the things that I want to provide my kids. Yes, they’re ambitious goals, but I want to provide the basic that my parents gave me that allowed me to be the person I am today. I want my kids to have the best education available. I’ve long maintained that if we were living in a place with a bad public school system, I would send my kids to private school regardless of cost. I wouldn’t be able to do that without working. Sure there is the argument of homeschooling, but I again would be unable to do that. The purpose of education is to teach your children a broad spectrum of knowledge to prepare for their future as adults. In doing so, you’re not creating little clones but rather thoughtful people who can formulate their own views and ideals. I would be unable to teach things that I personally don’t believe in and that would be a huge disservice to my kids. I want them to go to college and I want them to be able to interact in a world where people have all sorts of different views, none of which are truly similar to mine. I want to be able to pay for college because I don’t want them to feel the financial pressure which is a leading reason for dropping out. I want to travel as a family and see the world. Not only would this be quality time spent making memories, but it is also fun and exciting to go places and see new things.
I suppose while I see the benefits of staying home to raise kids because you are the best person to do it, I don’t see how I personally would be able to. My priorities are my priorities because that was the environment in which I was raised. I commend my parents for doing such a good job and making the sacrifices they did to provide those opportunities for us. Do I wish that one parent had stayed home with us growing up? Not at all. I actually appreciate my parents more because I can see why they both worked to provide for us. I think had my mom stayed home, I wouldn’t have had as fond of memories of the family times we did spend together.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Primetime TV
Lately, there have been so many shows on TV that I am loving. The problem is, I'm totally running out of time to watch them all. I am so glad that we have a Tivo.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Snow Days
It snowed and sleeted last night. When we checked the radar, there was a big swathe of weather starting from North Texas, over the Mid-South, all the way up to Pittsburgh. It was interesting because I had never considered that the same weather front that affected us in the South would travel to where we are now. I always assumed the path wouldn't head right over us. This is interesting because Memphis weather could always be determined by a phone call to my parents in Dallas. Whatever weather they had experienced in the past day would inevitably hit Memphis. Weathermen should take note of this phenomenon. It would increase the accuracy of your predictions. Now, apparently this may hold true here as well. We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the spring and summer.
Of more note is the fact that the weather and temperature is actually colder in both Dallas and Memphis than it is here. I thought it was supposed to be colder here. I suppose the duration is longer, but I'm not say bone-chillingly cold by any means.
Of more note is the fact that the weather and temperature is actually colder in both Dallas and Memphis than it is here. I thought it was supposed to be colder here. I suppose the duration is longer, but I'm not say bone-chillingly cold by any means.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Okay But Not
Life's been good lately, only it's been not. It's hard to explain, but I feel a sort of lethargy that I haven't felt in a long time. It's not a physical thing, it's more mental, like I know what I need to do but I don't want to do it. I look around the apartment, and there are tons to do. Instead, I sit on my computer and play games or watch TV. I plan to do things over the weekend, and then I spend all weekend in bed with a migraine or throwing up or whatever other illness strikes. I'm beginning to think it's psychosomatic. I remember feeling like this in college. I remember the getting out of bed only to perform necessary functions and then crawling back into bed. Maybe it's the winter here and the lack of sunlight. While it's bright during the day here, it's been overcast for awhile. Maybe it is a vitamin D issue. I really need to snap out of it because I'm not me.
Monday, January 26, 2009
New Year, Part II
Happy Chinese New Year everyone. I hope the year of the ox brings peace and prosperity. I have some deeper thoughts that I'll reserve for another day as today should be all about new beginnings and happiness.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Breakfast for Dinner
That's what we did tonight for our Chinese New Year's Eve celebration. Bacon is slowly but surely growing on me. I wonder why it took so long?
Saturday, January 24, 2009
That Sucked
Last night Jeremy and I went to a comedy to see Brad Williams. He was hilarious, and it was definitely worth it. On the other hand, the price I'm paying for having 2 cosmos is not. Seriously, I've had more to drink than that before with no ill effects. I've also had cosmos before, so it wasn't like this was the first ever. I on the other hand spent pretty much all day with a headache and that was after throwing up this morning. We're thinking that the drink had a special recipe with a different liquor than normal, and that's what disagreed with me.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Economy
Everywhere you look these days, someone is saying something about the economic slowdown. The media is panicking about it and spreading fear. I think this contributes to people who have disposable income not spending. The last few months were stressful for us because Jeremy was without a job. Technically, this job is a temporary contract, but we feel pretty good that he'll get hired permanently. Thus far, this economy really hasn't affected us to any great extent. We are spending less and watching our money really carefully. We don't eat out but once a week, and we try to conserve where we can.
Yesterday, the economic issues hit home. My brother who's still in college got laid off from his internship. The company he was working for, although probably not as affected by the economy, is trying to save for the future, thus cutting jobs and laying off all their interns. This turn of events affects not only him, but my parents as well. He was using the money he was making to not only apply for residency, but he was also using it to pay for school. Now, he's going to have to scramble to find another job because apparently it isn't enough that you live there, you have to show income. It really sucks for a 20 year old whose trying to graduate. This affects my parents because now they'll have to help him out. Yes, he could get a loan, but not for this semester. He'll have to wait until next semester to get the actual money. Is the economy going to get better soon? I have no idea. I hope so, but I'm cautiously optimistic at best. I have a feeling we'll be feeling the effects of this downturn for years.
Yesterday, the economic issues hit home. My brother who's still in college got laid off from his internship. The company he was working for, although probably not as affected by the economy, is trying to save for the future, thus cutting jobs and laying off all their interns. This turn of events affects not only him, but my parents as well. He was using the money he was making to not only apply for residency, but he was also using it to pay for school. Now, he's going to have to scramble to find another job because apparently it isn't enough that you live there, you have to show income. It really sucks for a 20 year old whose trying to graduate. This affects my parents because now they'll have to help him out. Yes, he could get a loan, but not for this semester. He'll have to wait until next semester to get the actual money. Is the economy going to get better soon? I have no idea. I hope so, but I'm cautiously optimistic at best. I have a feeling we'll be feeling the effects of this downturn for years.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Velveeta
I need to learn to use Velveeta in soups instead of shredded Cheddar. Although I would rather use real cheese, real cheddar doesn't melt well in soups. Lesson learned. I made the cheddar broccoli soup last night, and while it tastes okay, the cheese has made the entire endeavor clumpy and the soup looks less than appetizing. The immersion blender works well though, and I would recommend it to anyone. It is a blender of sorts though, so it can get a little messy if one tries to blend soup too close to the surface. Dinner tonight will be hot soup and sandwiches.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Cooking Week 3
So being a bit under the weather this weekend, we didn't do the cooking that we had weeks prior. However, we had so many leftovers from the previous week that we managed to eat all weekend and Monday as well. This is largely thanks to Jeremy though who threw together a broccoli chicken casserole at the last minute from some chicken that we had froze. It was very good.
We did manage to go grocery shopping on Monday night, and I did cook some this week. Last night, I made spaghetti with a twist. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, and instead of making my sauce from scratch, I bought the jar sauces. However, I added about half a jar of alfredo to the meat sauce so it would be cheesier. It was very good. A friend and former coworker of mine would get her spaghetti like this from the cafeteria at work, and it is actually really good. It's like a 6 cheese marinara without all the work.
I think I'm going to make some cheddar broccoli soup tonight to eat the rest of the week. I've never tried to make it before, but I have this nifty immersion blender that I got as a wedding present that I've never gotten a chance to use. What better opportunity than this? If it turns out well, I'll post the recipe here.
So far, our eating at home experiment has worked out rather well. Even after a long day at work, neither one of us opts for fast food because we have food ready in the fridge. It's also working well because we allow ourselves to go out to eat once a week. Generally, we'll have leftovers so it's like 2 meals that we eat that aren't home cooked, and that gets us over the cravings.
We did manage to go grocery shopping on Monday night, and I did cook some this week. Last night, I made spaghetti with a twist. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, and instead of making my sauce from scratch, I bought the jar sauces. However, I added about half a jar of alfredo to the meat sauce so it would be cheesier. It was very good. A friend and former coworker of mine would get her spaghetti like this from the cafeteria at work, and it is actually really good. It's like a 6 cheese marinara without all the work.
I think I'm going to make some cheddar broccoli soup tonight to eat the rest of the week. I've never tried to make it before, but I have this nifty immersion blender that I got as a wedding present that I've never gotten a chance to use. What better opportunity than this? If it turns out well, I'll post the recipe here.
So far, our eating at home experiment has worked out rather well. Even after a long day at work, neither one of us opts for fast food because we have food ready in the fridge. It's also working well because we allow ourselves to go out to eat once a week. Generally, we'll have leftovers so it's like 2 meals that we eat that aren't home cooked, and that gets us over the cravings.
Taxes
As tax season slowly approaches, I am eagerly awaiting the thought of a large refund. 2008 returns hold potential because I was still a student, so I get the credit for that as well as Jeremy continuing to pay into UM as if he were full time even though he's just a consultant now. I mean really, is there a reason to take so much taxes that he only get $30 deposited every two weeks? Anyways, that being said, it's going to be a pain to file. Jeremy has his full time job and then consulting work after he quit. I have two jobs in Memphis and then my current job here in Pittsburgh. We're going to have to figure out how to do this since PA has a state income tax I think. I've never worked in a state with a state income tax, so that'll take some figuring out. First things first though, I need to find out if UT will be sending my forms here, and if not, who do I talk to in order to facilitate that.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Not Quite What I Imagined
I bought a ring from an online store the other day. It was on sale, and I'm glad it was. The original cost of the ring was $62. It is sterling silver, so I figured it was worth the cost. I received it in the mail today, and while it's cute and I like it, I'm glad I didn't pay $62 for it. It's tiny and looks like it could've come from one of those toy vending machines. At least it fits and I like it. I suppose that all one can ask for.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Weekend Blogging
No posts this weekend due to circumstances beyond my control. Okay, not really entirely out of my control, but I had a busy then not so busy weekend. I worked most of Saturday, and then I spent Sunday asleep on the couch with a migraine. I am tired of the malaise I feel on weekends lately. It usually starts with a lingering headache, and it turns into something I can't get over. It's all rather annoying, and I'm glad Jeremy is so understanding when it comes to headaches.
Needless to say, all the things I was planning on doing didn't get done over the weekend. Jeremy managed to do some stuff while I was at work. That means today, we'll have to go grocery shopping and I have a ton of laundry to do. Unfortunately, today is not a holiday here, so it's work as usual.
Needless to say, all the things I was planning on doing didn't get done over the weekend. Jeremy managed to do some stuff while I was at work. That means today, we'll have to go grocery shopping and I have a ton of laundry to do. Unfortunately, today is not a holiday here, so it's work as usual.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Life Lived Normal
In the past few days, I've examined the life I live and realized just how good it is right now. The economic issues plaguing the world right now scares me a little, but the more I think about it, the luckier I feel.
Jeremy and I made some decisions awhile back that we've tried to live up to, and those decisions, while difficult, are turning out to be very beneficial for our lives. When I moved to Memphis 7 years ago to go to school and seriously work on our relationship, we made the decision that once I finished school, we would move wherever my career would take me. That agreement led to the urgency of Jeremy completely at least his bachelor's degree. When we got engaged, both our families counseled us to buy a house and settle down. We decided that we weren't ready to buy because we weren't going to stay in Memphis after we graduated. We didn't want to buy until we found a place where we would stay for at least 5 years. We decided then that if we were to ever have kids, we wouldn't consider that until we were ready to buy a house. We agreed not to take on a car note until we were both done with school and making significant money. Upon graduation, we decided to move regardless of Jeremy's job situation.
All these decisions take us to where we are today. While our decisions certainly weren't met with a lot of enthusiasm, by sticking by what we decided as a couple, we have built a life that is fairly stable and enjoyable. By finishing school, Jeremy has the ability to pick and choose what he wants to do and where he wants to work. By not buying a house in Memphis, we had the opportunity to move wherever opportunities presented itself. We didn't have to worry about selling a house in this market. We are still choosing not to buy because there's no telling how long we're here, and there's not guarantee that the market will be on an upswing when we're ready to sell. We have a car note now, but we're also lucky to be able to afford to keep the car. We're still not ready for kids, but we also have the pleasure of staying in bed on weekends when it's cold outside.
Life is good right now, and I'm thankful for everything we have. I'm also glad that no matter what, we made these decisions together, and neither one of us has any regrets about the life we're building.
Jeremy and I made some decisions awhile back that we've tried to live up to, and those decisions, while difficult, are turning out to be very beneficial for our lives. When I moved to Memphis 7 years ago to go to school and seriously work on our relationship, we made the decision that once I finished school, we would move wherever my career would take me. That agreement led to the urgency of Jeremy completely at least his bachelor's degree. When we got engaged, both our families counseled us to buy a house and settle down. We decided that we weren't ready to buy because we weren't going to stay in Memphis after we graduated. We didn't want to buy until we found a place where we would stay for at least 5 years. We decided then that if we were to ever have kids, we wouldn't consider that until we were ready to buy a house. We agreed not to take on a car note until we were both done with school and making significant money. Upon graduation, we decided to move regardless of Jeremy's job situation.
All these decisions take us to where we are today. While our decisions certainly weren't met with a lot of enthusiasm, by sticking by what we decided as a couple, we have built a life that is fairly stable and enjoyable. By finishing school, Jeremy has the ability to pick and choose what he wants to do and where he wants to work. By not buying a house in Memphis, we had the opportunity to move wherever opportunities presented itself. We didn't have to worry about selling a house in this market. We are still choosing not to buy because there's no telling how long we're here, and there's not guarantee that the market will be on an upswing when we're ready to sell. We have a car note now, but we're also lucky to be able to afford to keep the car. We're still not ready for kids, but we also have the pleasure of staying in bed on weekends when it's cold outside.
Life is good right now, and I'm thankful for everything we have. I'm also glad that no matter what, we made these decisions together, and neither one of us has any regrets about the life we're building.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Anniversaries
My parents' 30th wedding anniversary is next Tuesday. While it is not unusual for people to be married that long, in today's society where more people are getting divorced than staying together, it is quite an accomplishment. While I've never thought much about my parents' anniversary other than a phone call, we've decided to actually give them a present this year.
Thirty years seems like a long time to me, although this just means that I actually turn 30 next year which is a scary thought. I cannot believe that my 20's flew by so quickly. Next year will be a funny time for me. Not only will I turn 30, Jeremy and I will have officially been together for 10 years. Granted, we'd only be celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary, but it's hard to believe that we've been together so long. I joke that we should just celebrate how long we've been together because it's a more impressive number, but if you think about it, I would have known Jeremy for a third of my life. I really can't even wrap my brain around that.
Thirty years seems like a long time to me, although this just means that I actually turn 30 next year which is a scary thought. I cannot believe that my 20's flew by so quickly. Next year will be a funny time for me. Not only will I turn 30, Jeremy and I will have officially been together for 10 years. Granted, we'd only be celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary, but it's hard to believe that we've been together so long. I joke that we should just celebrate how long we've been together because it's a more impressive number, but if you think about it, I would have known Jeremy for a third of my life. I really can't even wrap my brain around that.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
In a Groove
As we are nearing the completion of a second week of gainful employment for both Jeremy and me, we're settling into a routine. We've had a few bumps on the way, but it's been good. Jeremy drops me off in the morning, and I take the bus home in the evenings. The last few days haven't been bad. There haven't been as many people on the bus that I take, and I think that can be attributed to the beginning of school and to the fact that it's early in the week. We'll see if it's packed on Friday afternoon.
The weather is also getting a lot colder. I don't think it's unbearably cold though, even standing outside for 30 minutes waiting for the bus. We'll see how I feel when I wait for the bus in -3 degree weather at the end of the week.
We've also gotten more in the habit of cooking at home. Although it is a little tiring doing a lot of cooking on the weekends, we are actually eating the food and not going out. I think it has to do with the fact that while we have restaurants conveniently around where we live, it's not the inexpensive fast food restaurants that we had before. It is unnerving how much we are spending on groceries although we are eating healthier now.
I think if we can keep up the progress we've been making in our lives, we may actually get the office unpacked and organized before too much longer.
The weather is also getting a lot colder. I don't think it's unbearably cold though, even standing outside for 30 minutes waiting for the bus. We'll see how I feel when I wait for the bus in -3 degree weather at the end of the week.
We've also gotten more in the habit of cooking at home. Although it is a little tiring doing a lot of cooking on the weekends, we are actually eating the food and not going out. I think it has to do with the fact that while we have restaurants conveniently around where we live, it's not the inexpensive fast food restaurants that we had before. It is unnerving how much we are spending on groceries although we are eating healthier now.
I think if we can keep up the progress we've been making in our lives, we may actually get the office unpacked and organized before too much longer.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Dinner
During the winter months, I start craving soups and roasts, warm comfort foods that can be eaten while snuggling under a throw on the couch. That being the case, we have a beef stew simmering away in a crock pot at home. I am trying to be less neurotic about leaving the crock pot on while I'm away, seeing as how it's designed to do that. Plus, ours has an automatic warming feature that shuts off once it's done cooking. It helps alleviate the worries.
I've never made beef stew before like this, so we'll see how it works. I just dumped in some stew meat, onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, celery, and carrots. I'll add potatoes when I get home, and I'll probably thicken the sauce by taking some of the juices and mixing it with some flour to make a gravy. Then, while the potatoes are cooking, I'll add the flour/beef broth mix into the pot and let the whole thing simmer and thicken.
I meant to get the rice all ready this morning, but we overslept and were running about 10 minutes behind. Our little rice cooker works well though so it shouldn't take but about 30 minutes to get the rice done.
I've never made beef stew before like this, so we'll see how it works. I just dumped in some stew meat, onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, celery, and carrots. I'll add potatoes when I get home, and I'll probably thicken the sauce by taking some of the juices and mixing it with some flour to make a gravy. Then, while the potatoes are cooking, I'll add the flour/beef broth mix into the pot and let the whole thing simmer and thicken.
I meant to get the rice all ready this morning, but we overslept and were running about 10 minutes behind. Our little rice cooker works well though so it shouldn't take but about 30 minutes to get the rice done.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Health
Lately I've been following several blogs that chronicle the ups and downs of kids diagnosed with cancer. These kids are usually under the age of 5, and many of them have since lost their fight with a disease that showed them no mercy. While I didn't know any of these families personally, each loss has left me more than a little sad.
Although I really enjoy science and research, I've never been interested in cancer research. I don't really understand why as cancer has played a huge role in my life. Maybe I've just wanted to avoid a disease that I seem to be incredibly predisposed to.
What really affects me is the fact that lately, so very many people I know or know about are not only getting diagnosed with cancer, many of them are not surviving. I think out of everyone I know, only my mom and Jeremy's stepmom have actually overcome their diagnoses. I don't know the extent of his stepmom's disease, but I know that my mom was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. The fact that she is cancer free and has been for the last 10 years is beyond amazing. This means that her risks for relapse have decreased back to that of a person whose never been diagnosed.
Other than cancer though, I now have several family members who are in not so good health, and that scares me. With all the loss we've experienced in the last year, I don't know that I'm equipped to deal with any more. It's selfish of me because I want the people I know to stay healthy so I can spend more time with them, but it's how I feel.
I suppose that this is just a part of growing up and getting older, but it suck.
Although I really enjoy science and research, I've never been interested in cancer research. I don't really understand why as cancer has played a huge role in my life. Maybe I've just wanted to avoid a disease that I seem to be incredibly predisposed to.
What really affects me is the fact that lately, so very many people I know or know about are not only getting diagnosed with cancer, many of them are not surviving. I think out of everyone I know, only my mom and Jeremy's stepmom have actually overcome their diagnoses. I don't know the extent of his stepmom's disease, but I know that my mom was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. The fact that she is cancer free and has been for the last 10 years is beyond amazing. This means that her risks for relapse have decreased back to that of a person whose never been diagnosed.
Other than cancer though, I now have several family members who are in not so good health, and that scares me. With all the loss we've experienced in the last year, I don't know that I'm equipped to deal with any more. It's selfish of me because I want the people I know to stay healthy so I can spend more time with them, but it's how I feel.
I suppose that this is just a part of growing up and getting older, but it suck.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Cooking Week 2
Our first week of cooking and eating at home was a success. We actually made 4 dishes that lasted all week, and we managed to finish everything as well.
Today, we're going to endeavor to do the same again. I've figured out what I'm going to make, and I'll post successes as they come. What seems to work though is making a large pot of soup that we can eat if we get too busy. It makes an easy dinner possibility and if we work late, we can just have a bowl of soup with a sandwich or a salad.
Today, we're going to endeavor to do the same again. I've figured out what I'm going to make, and I'll post successes as they come. What seems to work though is making a large pot of soup that we can eat if we get too busy. It makes an easy dinner possibility and if we work late, we can just have a bowl of soup with a sandwich or a salad.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
1 of 2
The Tigers' basketball team beat UCF in an ugly game. An undefeated CUSA run is still possible. They came out and played really sluggishly though, and they really need to focus and get it together.
The Carolina Panthers on the other hand choked against the Arizona Cardinals. It was so bad that I couldn't even stand to watch anymore.
The Carolina Panthers on the other hand choked against the Arizona Cardinals. It was so bad that I couldn't even stand to watch anymore.
Friday, January 9, 2009
New Day New Issues
I seem to be fighting off one health issue after another this week, and I'm not amused. I think the congestion/allergy problem is slowly going away, but my right eye is now apparently really red and looking very irritated. It's strange though because it's my left eye that itches, and it looks completely normal. I didn't realize how bad my right eye looked until I showed Jeremy and he made me put some eye drops in it. It doesn't itch or burn, and I don't think it feels different, but the redness continues. Maybe it's tiredness or eyestrain, and resting this weekend may help clear it up. I am tired of feeling under the weather, and I am ready to feel 100% again.
ETA: So the eye is hurting now, but the pain goes away slightly when I press hard on my sinuses. However, that exacerbates the congestion. I'm leaving early today.
ETA: So the eye is hurting now, but the pain goes away slightly when I press hard on my sinuses. However, that exacerbates the congestion. I'm leaving early today.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Nyquil - Blessing/Curse
Has anyone noticed that after you take Nyquil, you wake up the next day really hungry? I've been hungry all day. Maybe it means I'm on the mend and it's not just a freak side effect.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
For the Birds
Jeremy and I are trying to carpool in the mornings and we're still trying to work out the evenings. All I can say is, 5:30 am is still dark, not very pretty and for the birds (although Jeremy says that birds aren't even up that early). I feel like we are two very old people in that we have to go to bed fairly early now in order to wake up in time. I'm getting to work between 7:30 and 8:00 am so Jeremy can get to his work by 9. It's not a bad arrangement if not for the fact that we are now getting up at an hour when really, no normal human being gets up. This puts us in a position where we feel like we need to start our getting ready for bed routine at like 9:00 just so we're in bed by 10:30.
He gets off work at around 5:30 while I can really leave whenever. I usually stay until 5:00, so unless I want to stay an extra hour, I take the bus home. I realized that public transportation is really not for me. While I don't really want to drive to work everyday and pay for parking, I like the whole driving straight home from work. It's not too bad as there's a bus that runs directly from work to across from where we live, but it's still not something I'm used to.
He gets off work at around 5:30 while I can really leave whenever. I usually stay until 5:00, so unless I want to stay an extra hour, I take the bus home. I realized that public transportation is really not for me. While I don't really want to drive to work everyday and pay for parking, I like the whole driving straight home from work. It's not too bad as there's a bus that runs directly from work to across from where we live, but it's still not something I'm used to.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Drops
So I'm afraid that my computer is acting funny. We'll see how often it happens or if it's just a dirt issue, but my keyboard started going on the fritz a little while ago. I would be typing in a text box/chat window, and all of a sudden, it would be like I hit my mouse and navigated away so I couldn't type. I've restarted the computer, and that seemed to help as it's no longer doing that.
I've accidentally dropped my laptop several times, but they weren't bad drops and I hadn't noticed any issues until now, and it's been awhile since the drops, so I'm confused. Hopefully some compressed air will clear up any further issues.
I've accidentally dropped my laptop several times, but they weren't bad drops and I hadn't noticed any issues until now, and it's been awhile since the drops, so I'm confused. Hopefully some compressed air will clear up any further issues.
Monday, January 5, 2009
First Day
Jeremy's first day of work is today, and I think I might be more nervous than he was. I'm not nervous about the job or his ability to perform whatever it is that he needs to do, but I am nervous about how he's liking it. I really hope this is something he'll enjoy.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Taco Soup
While this isn't going to turn into a food blog, I am going to use it to catalog recipes that Jeremy and I enjoy. We're trying to cook more and eat out less, so any recipes that are easy and good will go into our monthly rotation.
Jeremy's mom made this soup while we were in Memphis, and it was very yummy. It is a good compromise between Jeremy and my beliefs on chili. He's always had chili with beans in it while I believe that a real chili does not include beans. This soup is hearty like chili but because it is not actually chili, Jeremy can have it with beans.
The recipe can be anything you have on hand, and you can add more or less of things as you have in your pantry. Also, it could be much spicier with the addition of green chilies or jalapenos, but Jeremy does not like super spicy foods, so our soup was on the mild side.
1-2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion finely diced
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 medium can stewed tomatoes, chopped
3 medium cans beans (kidney, pinto, chili)
1 medium can corn, drained
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing
I sauteed the onions and the meat together and drained the meat. I left some of the fat because I used a very lean beef. Dump in seasoning packets and mix well. Add in tomatoes and beans. I drained the beans but not the tomatoes. Draining the chili beans also cut down on the spiciness. Add drained corn and simmer. I added about 2 cups of water as well because the soup was thick like chili and not so much like soup. Simmer until heated through and flavors well blended. Garnish with sour cream and shredded cheese.
Note: This makes a lot of soup. Our soup pot is a 5 quart pot, and it was completely full before we added the water.
Jeremy's mom made this soup while we were in Memphis, and it was very yummy. It is a good compromise between Jeremy and my beliefs on chili. He's always had chili with beans in it while I believe that a real chili does not include beans. This soup is hearty like chili but because it is not actually chili, Jeremy can have it with beans.
The recipe can be anything you have on hand, and you can add more or less of things as you have in your pantry. Also, it could be much spicier with the addition of green chilies or jalapenos, but Jeremy does not like super spicy foods, so our soup was on the mild side.
1-2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion finely diced
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 medium can stewed tomatoes, chopped
3 medium cans beans (kidney, pinto, chili)
1 medium can corn, drained
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing
I sauteed the onions and the meat together and drained the meat. I left some of the fat because I used a very lean beef. Dump in seasoning packets and mix well. Add in tomatoes and beans. I drained the beans but not the tomatoes. Draining the chili beans also cut down on the spiciness. Add drained corn and simmer. I added about 2 cups of water as well because the soup was thick like chili and not so much like soup. Simmer until heated through and flavors well blended. Garnish with sour cream and shredded cheese.
Note: This makes a lot of soup. Our soup pot is a 5 quart pot, and it was completely full before we added the water.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Hello World
It is a brand spanking new year, and I apologize for not posting the last two weeks. We had a busy holiday vacation in Memphis. We got to hang out with old friends, and we got to spend some quality time with his family.
We are back in Pittsburgh now, so I am going to continue to try to blog every day. While there's probably nothing really interesting going on in my life, I am liking the act of journaling.
We are back in Pittsburgh now, so I am going to continue to try to blog every day. While there's probably nothing really interesting going on in my life, I am liking the act of journaling.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)