starry_lark

starry_lark @ 2009-03-19T19:48:00

2009-03-20T03:07:05Z

I was in a great mood this morning but the last 3 hrs of work, as always, just dragged by.

Made noodles with tofu today! Verdict: So far it's very simple and clean to cook with. I liked not having to deal with defrosting or cutting or cooking chicken, or needing to desanitize everything. Also, I rather like the texture of tofu.

Next week I shall try out soft tofu!

I found this site, and it makes me very happy. It's South Beach diet recipes (so low-sugar) and there's a section for vegetarians, and it's divided by meals, so I can get ideas for easy lunches and breakfasts. Breakfast is hard because I need hearty, savory things (I do not run on fruit bowls, yogurt, cereal, or parfaits, people) but I'm trying to cut down on sugar (nooo! bread!!!) and meat (bacon! sausage! mmmm) so this should help. I'm going to try making these ahead of time fo breakfast next week. I'm always running late, so fast is good.

There's a sale at AllPosters.com that ends tonight. I'm going to buy some, after cleaning the kitchen. Money's tight, but I do need something on my wall, plus I feel I should reward myself for reinvesting in work this week and consequently doing better and appreciating it more. Just because I plan to get out once the economy is better and I have experience under my belt doesn't mean I shouldn't make the best of it now.

*sigh*

Spending 8 hrs a day creating spreadsheets and running reports while outside the sun is shining is no way to live, though.

True story: I bought a fireplace set at a thrift store last weekend. You know, the heavy iron stand with the shovel and spikey thing and a brush. I was debating whether or not to get it, if I'd actually use the fireplace, and then I thought it would probably be useful if zombies attack, so I bought it. Just in case.

starry_lark @ 2008-12-03T22:11:00

2008-12-04T06:20:57Z

OMG LOOK

Those are pics from the book party for my former Fiction Writing professor. How cool is that? I'm glad for him, he totally deserves it. It also made me happy because seeing that makes success of some kind seem so more real and possible. It also makes me want to go read through all his glowing comments on my writing ^.^

Right now vampirehunter85 and I are geeking out over the fact that we were taught by a guy whose work was read aloud by Nathan Fillion. Eeeeeee!

starry_lark @ 2008-11-23T21:53:00

2008-11-24T06:21:21Z

Signs of the season:

-96.5 is playing holiday music 24/7. I didn't realize their were so many Christmas songs about San Francisco.

-Various holiday craft fairs every weekend. It's a good thing I don't have any money or else I'd be drowning in holiday-themed earrings. Actually, I'd enjoy that.

-The house smelling of apple cider simmering and/or spiced molasses cookies baking.

-Being able to walk around with friends in downtown Menlo Park in a wool coat and see the changing leaves in the daytime and the white lights in the trees at night.

Yay!

2008-11-09T23:27:21Z

I love the holiday season for many reasons. One reason is that the cold and rainy weather inspires everyone to have dinner parties, which are so much fun in every way. I love dressing up, choosing the perfect hostess gift, seeing the different foods people make, everything. I'm helping my mom prepare for what will be the 3rd one in 2 days. We're going to spend the afternoon cooking and baking and setting up the table and everything feels so seasonal and cozy. So I'm off to bake lemon cake! Yay for autumn!

I just need to convince her to switch out the annoying choral music she's listening to. If I'm going to bake to Christmas carols, they'd better be peppy ones, not this Gregorian chanting stuff. Baking is festive, not solemn!

starry_lark @ 2008-10-14T21:08:00

2008-10-15T04:48:05Z

Great day. Ning asked, for my references! V. good sign! Then, out of the blue, my brother called. He seemed really happy and we talked about all the stuff that's going on in his physics labs and everything. I'm so relieved.

I'm going to clean my room now. It's odd, but I find cleaning things to be very fulfilling and kind of therapeutic. Oh! Then I'm going to look up pumpkin carving techniques! My jack-o-lanterns always turn out really sloppy but this year I'm determined to have one of those porches with beautifully carved pumpkins. Or maybe watermelons! That's a really pretty look.

At the interview they mentioned what sounds like a really fun company Halloween party. I have the perfect outfit and now they just have to hire me.

starry_lark @ 2008-10-10T22:03:00

2008-10-11T05:12:05Z

I'm starting to enjoy all this free time. For instance, if today I spent the entire afternoon redoing my bulletin board collage and didn't put up my trip pictures or clean up my shelves...it's okay! I can do that tomorrow.

In preparation for getting my own place (in a million years) I started looking up different dog breeds and rescue orgs and stuff. I really really want to get a dog, but I probably shouldn't. I don't think I'd be able to give it all the time and attention it would need, even if I got a little one. Oh well. Cats are still awesome too. What I really need is a big fluffy orange cat named Pumpkin and a cute dachshund named Sprocket.

I haven't watched an episode of Arrested Development in almost 2 years. Can you believe it? Tomorrow I have the house to myself and am going to have a marathon of the first two seasons with my cat. It's going to be amazing. Also I really should put up my trip pictures and clear off that shelf.

Yay!

2008-09-17T07:44:58Z

Yesterday I went to the Old City in Jerusalem. I got to be at the Kotel at sundown, and at the Church of the Holy Sepulcure for both the Armenian and the Catholic services. If I may be a huge dweeb, it was magical. As I was walking around the city at some points I'd get on these spiritual highs where all I could think was how much I loved everybody and then I briefly feared that I was developing Jerusalem Syndrome. I didn't buy anything, not even the very pretty hanging incense burners being sold in the Christian Quarter, but I did take tons of pictures. And then, if that wasn't good enough, I met Michal in front of the Kotel and got to hang out downtown with her! Overall, a highly successful day.

I can't believe I'm leaving in 2 days. I want to go back already :(

I don't have an icon for spritual stuff! Hmmmm.

I'm looking forward to being home and getting to sift through my thousands of pictures. I'm still mourning the lost Dead Sea/Massada ones, though.

Day of Religion and Shopping

2008-09-02T16:28:25Z

Hello!

Sorry for being whiny. It happens. Today we went to a monastery built on the site that, according to legend, Elijah slew the false prophets of Baal. Spiritual! Lol, no really, it was pretty fun. It's built high on Mount Carmel (the monastery was of the Carmelite order, naturally). There were some tour groups there, including this really cute group of Christian tourists from Singapore. I wanted to follow them around all day. But instead we went to the Druze Village nearby, where they had a big souk (Middle Eastern style market) where...I think I might have actually bought the whole market. I was really a bit worried about how much money I had spent, until I got home and did some calculations and realized exactly how favorable the exchange rate is right now.

I...I bought something very frivolous that I've always wanted. I bought a complete belly-dancing outfit. A really nice one, with heavy beading, in turquoise and gold. It's completely useless and I love it. Maybe it will motivate me to lose weight so I can wear it for Halloween? Whatevs, it looks pretty good even right now, except for that I need to take in the bottom a bit. I also bought a Star of David pendant with blue opal set in silver, and a Jerusalem cross with white opal set in silver, plus a bunch of gifts for family and friends. I LOVE buying gifts for people, and the satisfaction of finding something that I know they'll love. Today I found perfect gifts for 3 people and feel very accomplished. Yay shopping!

Unrelated: I've noticed two recurring things in the TV dramas I've watched lately:

1) murder mysteries where it turns out that that victim was killed accidentally by someone who loved her (or him, but usually it's a pretty, young, woman who's been killed)

2) deaf people

What is going on?

Concerns

2008-06-20T13:53:28Z

Long-term: If I want to apply to grad school to study theology, I should get on taking my advisor's advice and expand my capstone paper on the religious press so I can submit it to a conference. Those things look good on grad school apps. But do I really want to be an academic? Summers free and a flexible schedule and doing work I actually really enjoy sounds good. Spending the next 5 or 7 or so more years in school to make a professor's salary ... doesn't. Actually, how much do academics make?

Immediate: Is that spider crouching in the corner of my ceiling a Brown Recluse or what?

One more paper

2008-05-10T16:59:17Z

Bah.

Coldness!

2007-12-28T01:08:45Z

I shouldn't complain. It is winter. But it's sooooo cold outside! My dad and I went jogging by the lake, and only the hardcore runners were out. Usually it's full of couples and families walking, but I think all those people realized that today was meant to be spent curled up in front of the television, eating pizza.

I suspect this is some very good career advice.

Ahem

2007-11-29T16:35:25Z

I hope you're all awake, because I have exciting news. After a long and rigorous selection process, the inaugural group of Trinity University student bloggers was chosen. Including....me!!! Yay!!!

No, seriously, this is actually pretty sweet. We get free digital cameras and they brought in a professional fashion photographer to take pictures of all of us and make us vain. It was really fun. During my photo shoot said that I "look like a writer," which means I will definitely become a professional writer someday, right? Isn't that the way it works?

Anyway, go here to see the new site.

Friend locked!

2007-07-06T17:16:01Z

If you'd like to be added, just post a comment reminding me where I know you from or similar, so I know who you are.

UPDATE: obviously people who are already friends are....already friends.

starry_lark

starry_lark @ 2009-03-19T19:48:00

starry_lark @ 2008-12-03T22:11:00

starry_lark @ 2008-11-23T21:53:00

Yay!

starry_lark @ 2008-10-14T21:08:00

starry_lark @ 2008-10-10T22:03:00

Yay!

Day of Religion and Shopping

Concerns

One more paper

Coldness!

*Ahem*

Friend locked!

Ahem