Back from Florida!

And oh boy, was it an adventure.

I left Friday afternoon. Arrived in Orlando just after 7PM. Waffle and Prince Charming picked me up at the airport, and dropped me off at Reby's dorm. Reby, her wonderful fiance Will, and I all went out to the Funky Monkey - a sushi and wine bar with a drag show, where they treated me to dinner. We wandered around a bit after dinner; I got a tour of the town, and we found a mini golf place that was pirate-themed and open until 11:30. We drove around a little more after that, stopped at a bar that had a ridiculous cover, got right back in the car, and they took me back to the lake house.

Speaking of the lake house... this is where we stayed. Such a nice place!

But I digress. Got back to the lake house. Met the fam (including Grandma, after a few bottles of wine), and turned around to go back out for a bit with the boys. The groomsmen (and me) went out and met Mai's family on Wall Street. Bunch of bars, one cover (which the groom paid. Awesome!). We were out for about an hour and a half. Had a great time.

Saturday, Mark left for the rehearsal, and Momma and Will picked me up around 10:30 to go see the ducks at the Peabody. Super cute! They walk down a red carpet from their "duck suite" and hop into a fountain. Went out to breakfast for Momma's birthday, ran some errands (including a super awesome doctor visit for her), and headed to the outlet malls.

Spent too much money. Came home with a great haul. New Movado watch. New Coach purse and sunglasses. Guess shoes. Lots of assorted goodies.

There was a meet & greet back at the house that started at five, so we headed back so they could spend the evening together for Reby's birthday, and I could spend some time with Mark and the fam. We had a dinner catered by 4 Rivers (apparently the best bbq joint in town, and it was tasty!), and then sat around the dining table until 2AM singing while Waffle and Mark's dad played guitar.

Slept in Sunday morning. Got up, got ready, hung around the house while everyone else took pictures, tried to help get the boys ready (Alina's twins were going to be the ring bearers. They didn't want to change out of their superman capes into their outfits, so it ended up being a ceremony without ring bearers), and left for the ceremony with ten minutes to spare.

The wedding was beautiful. Mike and Mai wrote their own vows. He cried when she started walking up the aisle. They did a tea ceremony (traditional Chinese) for the parents and grandparents, which was so touching. The reception was a ton of fun. The dj was awesome, the food was fantastic (traditional Chinese 9-course family-style dinner), and I lost count of how many times I heard "OMG you guys are going to make such adorable red-headed babies!!"

And then I came home. My flight left at 5:10 Monday morning. Ew.

Anyway. I am back home, relaxing a bit after go-go-going all weekend. I finally have a new laptop charger, so I've been able to upload some of my photos. I've been super behind on my 365 photo challenge, but updated those a bit, too. (Still not caught up. Don't have the time!)

I am off to my first Bikram class here in a few minutes. Just wanted to leave you with a quick update!

xoxo

Introduce yourself!

I was looking at my blog traffic earlier, because I'm always interested in seeing where my lovely readers come from! Sometimes I'll see people arrive directly. I assume I know them. Sometimes I see people who have arrived from the blogger homepage. I assume they're subscribers. Every once in a while I'll get traffic from my profile. I assume it's from comments left on other blogs, just checkin' me out.

But my favorite are the google searches. I had one yesterday that doesn't show me the search term used, but google redirected them to the paper I wrote for my German class. Who are you, and what landed you there? Are you in a relationship where Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an issue? Maybe you have it yourself? Maybe you're interested in East Germany, and then you probably didn't appreciate my comparisons.

Thanks to a post from last February, the keywords that have landed me the most hits revolve around the cast of House. (I'm totally okay with that; it's my favorite show ever!) But when you search for the name of my blog, or my blog address - who are you? If you're searching for my full name, how do we know each other? If you're searching for some of the unique names of my friends, how do you know them?

Visitors from Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Russia, Bulgaria - did we meet on my summer travels? Maybe you're a friend of mine off on a journey, checking in on occasion?

I would love to get to know you all better. I read every comment and I value every single one of my readers! So if you stop by and we haven't ever talked, please introduce yourself. Tell me where you came from, and why you're here. I appreciate that you've included me in your day!

xoxo!



Side notes:

• Project 365 photos can be found on a page of their own. Link is at the top. 
• My laptop charger has officially shit the bed. So before I can waste a ton of time doing things other than homework, I need to find somewhere that carries chargers for 6-year-old computers. I might just have to update from my phone for a few days. Don't miss me too much. 

Hero worship.

I saw a thread today that was posted by a guy, upset that his wife doesn't worship the ground he walks on just because he's a service member. It prompted a discussion about heroes, definitions of heroes, and a lot of great comments were made.

Being my "hero" means being there for me, through everything that life is going to throw our way. It means supporting each other through ups and downs, it means me never having to worry about my heart because I know you won't ever hurt it. 
- Sarah

My advice to you... is to treat her with the utmost respect, appreciation, and integrity that you want her to treat you with. That's all it takes to be a hero. Be a man that is worth wanting. Be a man that makes her happy, that makes her smile when she's having a hard day, that holds her when she shows weakness despite a tough exterior, be the man that she wants to tell everything to, be her best friend.
- Sarah 

My husband is my hero when he lets me go to bed early and takes care of the kids for me, empties the dishwasher when I know he hates to, cooks dinner before I get home, stops at the store for milk cause he knows we're out. When he takes my side in irrational and illogical arguements with my mother. When he get gas in the car b/c it's cold or snowing. When he stands up for me. I could go on and on, and I can tell you, his service is at the bottom of the list.


You probably are your wife's hero, and it probably has nothing to do with the uniform. Let the rest of America put you on a pedastal. In fact, you can stand up next to your wife on it. But, when you're at home, let her reasons for you being a hero, be between you and her.


My husband walks next to me, not in front of me. Our fingers are intertwined when we hold hands. He may be taller, but he's never looked down on me. We compliment each in every way. If you are trying to be her hero, you are going to make it seem like you're trying to be above her. Love doesn't need a hero, it needs a partnership.
- MissQ

It just brought back all the "fighting for your freedom" arguments and the different expectations I feel like Kyle had for me. His ex-wife was super moto. She had a USMC blanket embroidered with her name. As I was once quoted saying, she held a special place in her heart, and her vagina, for the Marines. The guy she left Kyle for was a Marine, I think. Some kind of service member, anyway.

It wasn't a big deal when we started dating, because he was so close to getting out. But when he was recalled, I definitely remember a lot of confusion. Like the second tattoo he wanted so badly. I totally got the first one (his James 15:13 dogtags), and I think it's an awesome tat. But he also wanted an "old-school" EGA. I didn't understand why he wanted a "job logo" tattooed on himself. How he mailed me an "I love my Marine" pin for my purse because he wanted me to show other people how proud I was of him. How astonished and almost elated he was when I asked for an old blouse for my purse.

I feel like this face is pretty representative of the way things were. It was my face when he would get upset about me claiming he wasn't fighting for my freedoms. It was his face when I would make a stupid comment about the military, not knowing how something worked.

Anyway. Point being, a uniform does not a hero make. Everyone has different definitions of what a hero is, and even whether or not their partner should be their hero. I agree with the last quote I mentioned. I used to feel like people looked down on me because I would freely admit that Kyle was not my hero.

I don't know why all that matters, or even why I mention it, but that thread got my mind rambling earlier, and that photo makes me giggle, so there you have it all.

I'm reading a new book, so I'll leave you with photo four. Raj says hi. <3

xoxo!

I have a love/hate relationship with Jon Lajoie.

His music is hysterical, but also gets stuck in your head SO easily... and it's not exactly socially acceptable to walk around singing "Show me your genitals."

Day 2:

Yay math homework. Some of the ladies on a forum I'm on are doing a themed photo of the day for February. Yesterday's was words... and this is my quasi-contribution. They're the shortened versions of word problems. Yes, I am taking Mathematical Structures. And yes, I think it kinda sucks.

In other news, today was the last day of my four-week bootcamp. I was really looking forward to being weighed/taped... until I was weighed and taped. I lost no weight, and no inches. Like, zero difference. I wasn't really surprised when I saw that I hadn't lost weight since I assumed I'd probably gain muscle, but not to lose inches was a huge surprise and a disappointment. I'm still waiting to get rid of this enormous ass I gained in Europe. I was counting on boot camp and running to do that for me so I could fit into my dress for Michael's wedding... and as of several days ago, it fits much better in the waist but the hips are still WAY too tight. Total let-down.


Boo for periods. I was really enjoying the whole non-existent period thing for the last several months. Until this morning, that is. I woke up miserable, not wanting to go to boot camp. I'm sure that's why my measurements "haven't changed," since I'm so bloated and feel disgusting. I guess I'll have to break out my own measuring tape and tape myself in a few days.

And since I should probably head out and start doing something productive with my day, I'll leave you with this. Kyle apologized this morning but apparently doesn't read his text messages before he sends them.

Day three:

xoxo!

My bad.

I'm really good at the whole disappearing and leaving my blog behind thing. Sorry.

A few things I've been working on lately:

• My credit report. Getting everything in order, that is. The ex is in escrow on a home and isn't able to close with a VA loan (0% down) unless we get this ridiculous former apartment complex crap off our credit reports. I've been writing nasty letters, poring over paperwork, making phone calls, and doing my legal research. In other news, that also means I bought a month of Experian's three-credit-bureau monitoring. And my high credit score right now is 722. Not bad for having a sizable debt in collections!

• FreeRice. Not quite as much as I'd like, but I donated over 50,000 grains last month. And speaking of FreeRice...

They're doing a contest of sorts to get more rice donated and help feed more people. I will be creating a group on February 6th and would love it if you would all join me! It takes just over 19,000 grains of rice to feed one person per day, according to their FAQ. You improve your vocabulary and spelling, learn new words, and can even improve your math skills - all while helping needy families!



• The opera! I am one of eight women chosen for the women's chorus for Ainadamar, an opera running in Phoenix from March 1st through March 4th. We have rehearsal between three and five days a week. I'm super excited for our performances! I haven't participated in an opera since Alaska Children's Choir. 

• Cooking, of course! I made spaghetti squash lasagna with my delicious ginger cookies last night. I've also been neglecting my food blog, but I hope to get more tasty concoctions up soon!

• Boot camp! This is the last in a four-week series I signed up for. Friday will be my last day for the month. I've been incredibly pleased with my progress. I'm looking forward to being weighed and taped at the end of the week, because I can definitely see a difference in my body - particularly my abs and legs. My pants are no longer tight, either, and I am *almost* back to being able to button my size 2 slacks and having them look good. (I can button them now, but it's not pretty.) 

• Even though I shouldn't admit it... Shopping! I decided I couldn't go to Florida without a new purse. The tote I use now is a huge sorority bag. Not exactly wedding material. I also have my old purse made out of Kyle's woodland blouse... Probably not what I should bring to meet the parents. And it's not wedding material either. My last purse has a big hole in it. No bueno. And that's how I ended up with this beauty. Thank you, Kate Spade, for solving my purse dilemma. 

And while we're on the topic of shopping, I've added a few things to my Amazon Wish List lately, and prioritized different things. Pinterest has been down, so I've been unable to satisfy my window shopping experience elsewhere.

• I'm starting up my 365-day photo challenge again! The photo of my purse there is the new Day One. I'm planning on sticking with it this time! We'll see how well I do. 

• Finally, I've been modeling. I'm working on a website right now that should hopefully be up within a week. I'm incredibly excited to see how this expands my opportunities! 

Obviously that's not an exhaustive list. I've been doing school stuff, preparing for the wedding / Florida trip, trying to fit back into my clothes again (I went for a 3km run yesterday!), and doing some early spring cleaning. Two of my best friends are moving to Vermont next month, so I've been trying to spend more time with them as well. 

I've been running around like a busy little bee lately! I've started a number of blog posts but never finished anything, so I have some half-completed blurbs I might try to get up in the next few days. Ciao!!

Don't mind if I do.

I got a 500 point coupon for Fry's a month or so ago. I forgot that if you redeem it at a Shell station, you only get $0.10/gal off every time. So my gas light went on today, and I stopped at the Fry's gas station on my way home. Picture 38!

$2.77/gallon? Don't mind if I do. I filled up for less than $27 for the first time in... I can't even remember how long.

Jess and I studied in BioDesign today for our German presentation on Wednesday. We're doing a scene where I'm laughing outrageously - over and over and over. We practiced it probably five or six times inside before we moved outside. I finally made the comment about moving outside since I'm sure the guard and the poor reception lady were getting tired of my maniacal laughing and us repeating nonsense in German. The guard piped up and said he was enjoying it, and we started bantering in German a bit. That was pretty fun.

I have O-Chem homework due tonight, so I should probably get on that. Ciao!

I fail at life.

But first, before I tell you my ridiculous story of embarrassment, I will share photo #37. Because it makes me feel better about myself. Actually, it makes me feel better, period. I LOVE having a clean house, and one of my favorite things is seeing lines in the carpet after vacuuming.

So I took a picture of it today.

I'm actually too embarrassed to even share my ridiculous tale of fail, so perhaps I will say this instead. It involves an attractive coworker, and then me, being a fool. And saying / doing dumb things. I hate looking/feeling like an idiot.

I'm listening to my Matt & Kim Pandora station right now. Their "Sidewalks" album cover reminds me of my trip to Hollywood with Ryan. What an awesome trip that was. Looking like a booty call when I showed up at the gate at 4AM. The first morning, when Ryan forgot he had to go pick up his friend from the airport. He called me when he was out on his run and asked me to meet him downstairs pronto. Met me at the car and told me I looked great, or nice, or something. I thought he said something about it being a nice DAY, so I said "Oh, I know," and then felt foolish. Our trip to Hollywood and blowing money on stupid "museums." 4PM beers. Shooting at the archery range... or watching the guys shoot, because I'm a weak girl. The awesome day at the beach, where I proceeded to burn and look like a ridiculous tomato. Meeting his friends at the 4th of July party at Pat's parents' house. Waking up the next morning after going to bed with Pat's cousin, feeling totally awkward because I was the only one that had spent the night. Pat's parents still being awesome in the morning, making me coffee and breakfast. Going out to the bar and having... drunk, memorable moments with Mike and Ryan. Going out to the bar the next night and having drunk moments with Jessy. Going out to breakfast the next morning and having mimosas.

That's why I love California. Not because of Ryan, but because I feel like I have friends there. I have one really good friend here that I hang out with on a regular basis. She rocks, and her fiance rocks, but I miss trips to California, where I had Ryan, Mike, Blayne, Sam, Jessy, and my amazing grandparents. People in Arizona suck.

Need to get started on this German homework before midnight, so I'm outta here. Ciao!

Another recipe success!

The picture is crap. I forgot to take a picture before we dug into it, and then I put the small bit that was left into a snapware container... dumping the contents of my big pan right in there. The marinara left a lot of "juice" behind, so it looks like some sort of strange soup rather than a lasagna. But oh well! It was amazingly delicious.

Spaghetti squash lasagna!!

1 roasted spaghetti squash
Marinara
Mozzarella cheese
Ricotta cheese

And that's it! Super easy. To roast the spaghetti squash, cut it in half, scoop out the innards, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake (on a baking sheet) at 350* for about an hour. When you take it out, grab a fork and scrape the sides. It will produce some awesome stringy bits that resemble spaghetti noodles.

Take your casserole dish. Mine was 8x8 and could have been bigger. Put down a layer of marinara. Cover with a layer of spaghetti squash. Top that with more marinara, some ricotta, and mozzarella. Do it again. Spaghetti squash, marinara, mozzarella. (I didn't top it with ricotta because it doesn't look as pretty that way.)

Bake at 350* for about 30 minutes.

Delish! It's fairly healthy, and tastes amazing.


I also altered my usual marinara recipe when I was cooking yesterday. I like it more than what I was doing before, so here's the new recipe! (And photo #35.)

olive oil
1 large yellow onion
~4 cloves minced garlic
4 ribs celery, chopped
5 carrots, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 bay leaves
oregano
parsley
fresh ground black pepper
~ 1/2 c. red wine

Saute all the veggies in olive oil. Dump in the canned tomatoes. Stir in the spices. Finish off with the red wine. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about an hour. Success!

No, it's not the most beautiful sauce you've ever seen. You'll get over it.

I had a wonderful day at work today, and a wonderful night with some of my best friends. Looking forward to going for a run (or a mostly-walk) in the morning, as well as crossing off several things from my to-do list before I have to go in to work tomorrow evening.

A side note: FreeRice is one of my 101 goals - to donate 1 Million grains before my 1001 days are up. But more than that, it's something small that you can do that truly makes a difference. All you have to do is answer a few questions on the topic of your choice. For every question you answer correctly, rice is purchased to feed the hungry. If you are bored and fooling around the internet, searching for random crap to entertain you, consider doing something to help others. You can make a difference and help solve world hunger without ever getting off your butt, and without donating a dime. So why wouldn't you?

I have some things to finish up, and then I think I'm off to bed at a decent hour tonight. Ciao!

Hello, heartburn!

I have had ridiculous heartburn all day, so I decided this afternoon after my P-Chem test (which I ROCKED, by the way! More on that later), I needed to quash it with some dairy. Dairy neutralizes the acid in your stomach somewhat. Or something. I've never really had problems with heartburn before, so I could be spouting nonsense, but I could have sworn I heard that somewhere.

Anyway, quashing it with dairy turned into a trip to the store, since I am all out of everything but soy milk, which is too sweet for me to drink on its own. And a trip to the store had me walking out with graham crackers, another bag of nuts, and some sweetened, condensed milk. Curiously, those were the missing ingredients I needed for 7-layer bars.

The recipe I've used in the past is for a 9" x 13" pan, and I only had an 8" x 8" and a 11" x 15", so I used the bigger one and came up with something similar on my own. It's not totally perfected, but it wasn't bad.

Delicious Seven-Layer Bars!!


1 c. (+ 2.5 Tbsp, because I wanted to use up the last of the butter in the fridge) unsalted butter.
1 package low-fat honey grahams, crushed
1 package cinnamon grahams, crushed
12 oz. chocolate chips
11 oz. butterscotch chips
2 oz. walnut chips
2 oz. sliced almonds
~ 5.5 oz. sweetened coconut
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk.

They're a little sweet, even for my taste. I think next time I would opt for unsweetened coconut, if such a thing exists. Probably more nuts, to cut the sweetness a little bit. And maybe mix the condensed milk with some regular, unsweetened stuff.

Melt the butter. Make sure you butter the bottom and sides of your pan. Mix the rest of the butter with the crushed graham crackers. Spread that layer on the bottom of your pan and pat it down. Top with a layer of chocolate chips. Add some butterscotch ones. Then sprinkle with nuts. Add the coconut, and top everything off with a can of condensed milk. Pop in the oven at 350* for 25 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.

Yum!

Things I would change:

• not use so much butter next time. The crust is not quite crispy enough for me. 
• cut the sweetness somehow, without taking away any of my precious butterscotch chips. 

And that is all. Because they are super delicious. 

About that test that I totally rocked - Definitely finished it in under half an hour. I feel really good about it! Like, probably better than the last one I took, that I got a B on. Bonus!

I had an appointment with my awesome new adviser today. I could hypothetically be out and done in two semesters if need-be, but I think I'm going to wait and do it in three. Not super interested in overloading myself - especially this late in the game. My course load for next semester is totally reasonable (15 credits, though half of them are 400-level courses). Another programming class, Linear Algebra, Mathematical Structures, Applied Statistics, and my German course. I talked to her about petitioning for the financial aid nonsense ASU is trying to stiff me with, and she didn't really give a hint as to whether or not I would be successful, but did offer to help me with completing the paperwork which was pretty awesome. 

I invited Kris and Dave over for dinner this Saturday. I am in desperate need of a back massage, and hoping I can con him into bringing his table over here. <3 

I'll finish things off with the picture that made my morning. 

Ciao! 

A freebie! And life as I know it.

Attention caregivers!! Caregiver Village is a new site for caregivers that just recently launched. They are offering a 12-month membership for free to get the word out! By clicking through this link, one dollar will be donated to the amazing non-profit I volunteer for. Caregiver Village is for all caregivers. I know most of my amazing friends and followers that are caregivers are caring for their veteran. But no matter if you are caring for a veteran, a special needs child or loved one, a disabled parent, or if you are a home nurse or professional caregiver - they have resources for everyone. There is a caregiving game section, a journaling section, a book club to talk about articles you've come across that have helped you, and many other resources. I've heard some pretty positive things about it. Check it out! Please pass on the link if you know a caregiver or someone who might be able to benefit from their resources. 

Today was the German Reception on campus. Free German food and sweets (marzipan! yum!), as well as information about study abroad programs and the courses that will be offered next semester. I hadn't actually planned on taking a German class this spring, but they are offering a Holocaust class that I don't know that I can resist. Especially after visiting Auschwitz this summer, I would love a class like that. The Holocaust and Jewish history has always interested me. I read Anne Frank's diary at a very young age. I'm interested in seeing what the class is like. 

Picture 33, from today. My little monster was hanging out on top of the kitchen cabinets. Yes, that is my microwave at the bottom of the photo. Raj was being super adorable today. She hung out on my shoulder for quite a while - something she rarely does. No complaints here! Plus, she didn't poop on me. Always a bonus. 

                                       

I have a raging headache. I think I'm outta here for the night. Ciao! 

Starting month 2 of photos!

I forgot to put picture #30 up, from Sunday!

I got a new pair of boots. Love them. I didn't have any flat boots, so I decided I needed a pair after forgetting to cancel my shoe club membership, so they charged me for the month.

Not the best picture ever. They're adorable.

And picture #32, from today!

I've been craving 7-layer bars for a while now. Last week, I got coconut and toffee chips at Albertson's before remembering that I needed butterscotch chips instead. Today, I went into Fresh & Easy to get some onions (I had a list. Onions were the only thing on it, sadly) and walked out with four bags of butterscotch chips. I think I'm about to have enough 7-layer bars to feed an army.

I snuck the bag of coconut in the picture, as well as the toffee chips and slivered almonds, for some reason. I still keep forgetting graham crackers, and I don't feel like going to the grocery store again tonight, so I'll just have to wait.


Today was pretty much the best day ever, btw. I woke up at 7:30. Showered, had breakfast, emailed my German teacher and told her I didn't feel well (because I didn't), went back to bed, and slept until 1. Amazeballs.

Great Harvest has some awesome breads now that it's pumpkin season!! <3 Super excited. I think I might need to treat myself next Friday, since it'll be payday!

I ran across the funniest blog I've ever seen tonight. And the comments might even be better.

Terminal Lance. I laughed so hard at this one. And this one, because it's disgusting but true.

Also, this explains a lot. Mostly about why I haven't had good sex in over four years.

And I thought this article was pretty awesome. As someone who doesn't have a tv, it's obviously not something I'll have to worry about - at least not for a long while. I don't understand the whole babies and tv thing. There are plenty of shows out right now (Yo Gabba Gabba is the one that I used to tolerate with Riley and Ben) aimed at very young children, and I really just don't understand that. Put your kid in front of some toys if you need a break, or if they need a distraction so you can get something done around the house. Watching tv isn't a mind stimulator for normal adults. It certainly wouldn't be for someone whose brain isn't capable of processing what's going on. TV CAUSES developmental delays. Way to parent.

Now that I've talked about absolutely nothing productive, I am off to do some more German homework! (See a pattern here? That's the downside of having a German class first thing every day.) I also have a P-Chem test on Thursday, so I might do some studying. Ciao!!

How moving.

I saw this video on facebook today. I don't cry often, but this definitely had me in tears.

He's not the best vocalist I've ever heard (though he is pretty good!), but his story is astonishing. And his mom's reaction throughout the entire thing was so heart-warming.

If I ever get down about the hand I've been dealt with in life, I'm going to watch this again.

On another note, today was pretty fantastic. I had such an amazing talk with Shari, and then I got in a few extra hours at work. Austin came in with a migraine, and asked to go home early. Nick said she could, as long as she could get me to work for her. So she asked, and I said yes. As she was leaving, she came over and handed me this note, with $10 clipped to the back of it.

My coworkers are awesome. Nick and I spent the evening chatting about his old sun conure, our mutual love of everything John Grisham and Michael Crichton, the Gunslinger series, historical fiction, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, road trips, and snow.

I suppose I should get some homework done before I shower and hit the sack. Ciao!

Yoga for PTSD.

Back in August or early September, I talked to the owner at my yoga studio about getting a free voucher for a veteran with PTSD, to see if it could help. Then I invited Kyle along. Of course, he wanted "science" before he would agree to go to yoga with me. And since I wasn't willing to do all the work for him and he doesn't care enough about his mental health to look into any therapy other than marijuana, he didn't go.

Today, when rooting around the site for a new independent film on PTSD (please donate here if you have a few extra dollars!), I found a link to something that couldn't have been more perfect. When asking for "science," Kyle wanted something saying yoga was good for anxiety, basically. That it would make him less of an angry asshole. Fort Campbell's Warrior Transition Unit, a rehabilitation unit for soldiers recovering from wounds - most of them sustained in war, practices yoga as a group. There was a veteran with PTSD interviewed for the article, talking about the difference yoga made in his life, and it mostly just made me smile inside.

And yesterday's photo (day 29):
Me at Oktoberfest. Possibly one of the worst pictures of me ever. However, it's the only one I have. And I was eating a plate of sauerkraut with a sausage thing. I don't know why it looks urine-yellow.

Today's picture is of my rockin' new boots, but I haven't uploaded it yet.

I think I'm off to finish up the German homework and go to bed. Ciao!

Cheesy chicken enchiladas!

I will admit, these aren't the best-looking enchiladas ever. They also aren't the tastiest enchiladas ever, since I went the lazy route. But they're still tasty and super easy. Quasi-recipe, coming right up. :)


chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, trimmed)
canned enchilada sauce
canned green chiles (I used about 12 oz.)
canned black beans
canned corn! (see the pattern here?)

Put everything in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours. Then get out some tortillas and a 9x13 baking dish. Stuff your tortillas, roll 'em up, and line them in the greased dish. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake at 350* for 45 - 50 minutes.

Voila! Chicken enchiladas.

I had made them right before I left for Europe, and decided to make a ton of extras and freeze them so I would have food handy when I stepped off the plane. I ended up going grocery shopping the first day (and pretty much slept the entire day away), and Kyle brought over dinner the next day, so I wasn't hurting for them. Finally decided to get 'em out and cook them tonight. Even for being frozen for almost three months, they were pretty tasty.

I'm pretty sleepy, and I have to get up for hot yoga in the morning. I am going to try to be in bed before midnight tonight, so I should probably start getting on that. Ciao!

Photos 25 - 27

Tuesday's photo (Day 25):
I mentioned I went and bought that 3 gal. water jug thing. Well here it is, being a hog in my fridge.

Yesterday's photo (Day 26):
I love it when Raj runs around on the floor. She is such a ham, and I had to take a picture. Yes, I do need to vacuum my floor. She knows how to make a huge mess.

And today! Day 27. I tried to get a part of the display that wasn't quite so gruesome. Looks like I wasn't quite successful, but hopefully the picture is small enough that it doesn't matter. We had some people from AbortionNO.org (or I'm assuming, since that's the web address that was plastered up) on campus today. They had their huge fear-mongering abortion display boards right outside the MU. I really can't stand these campaigns. People are going to have abortions whether or not you try to tell them that it's genocide, or throwing their baby in the trash, or any of the other things the posters said. Ugh.

I took an amazing 2+ hour nap earlier, and now I'm ready to do something productive! I think after I finish my German homework, I'll come back and review an article on PTSD that I read earlier today. Ciao!

Bath time with birdy!

I used to take Raj out every morning and have her in the bathroom with me when I'd take a shower. That was her usual social time. Then, I went on vacation and after I came back, she would scream and yell and hoot and holler every morning and I didn't feel like spending time with her. I usually felt a little bit like wringing her neck when she started screeching at 7AM.

She has since re-learned how to behave, and I got up early this morning, so I brought her into the bathroom with me again. She usually hangs out either on the shower rod or on my head. The latter is not so conducive to showering, so usually I'll go about my business as usual, and she'll fly off somewhere when I dunk my head back under the water. Today, it was to the top of my little storage shelf thing I have in there.

So, without further ado, my adorable birdy!

She was trying to eat the string on my loofah. Goofball.

Mark was leaving as I was heading into work this morning. We chatted a little about my awesome beer chili, and I think I just agreed to bring in Thanksgiving dinner if I work on Thanksgiving.

And to top off my awesome day, I got a 94% on my German oral exam this morning! It would have been even higher if I hadn't fed Jessica all the talking points. I didn't realize that as a tourist, I was supposed to provide half the knowledge. She had only said I had to do half the talking, which I certainly did. Oh well! An A is an A.

I read an article about this amazing woman today. She completed the B of A Chicago Marathon (yes, all 26.2 miles) and gave birth 7 hours later. I want that to be me. I want to be in such amazing shape that I can run a marathon pregnant - hell, even run a marathon at all! And she completed it in something around 6.5 hours.

I found some really fantastic articles today. I have three tabs open with PTSD articles right now that I want to say something about, but I want to give them the time and thought they deserve. With this hellacious math test coming up tomorrow, I definitely don't have the time right now.

So I should probably head off and study! Ciao!

Photo 23

Apparently I can't get away from this site today.

I am the proud owner of a stand mixer! It's not super fancy, and not the KitchenAid I've dreamed of, but it's more than I had before, and I'm pretty excited about it! Just in time for baking season. :)

I donated another 1,000 grains of rice tonight, so I'm up to 96,000 total right now. My goal for the month of October was 100,000, so I'm pretty excited about that! I'm super close!

I sat down a little earlier with my 101 list and a calendar, and outlined what I want done in which months. Obviously I didn't plan everything (like the hot air balloon ride, or going to the pottery studio) but I made a list of several goals that I want to complete before the end of the year, and noted the progress I want to have made on others. I penciled in a few other things all the way until December '13, when this project ends, but it's nowhere near completely done, or set in stone.

Did some studying for tomorrow's German test this evening. I have three small cards - one for each of the three cities we might be called on to talk about. I'm a little nervous since Jessica was supposed to send me the questions she is planning on asking me but hasn't yet, so I tried to prepare for everything (which obviously is a little difficult). I'm hoping for the best, though! Actually, I'm hoping for Köln, since that's the city where I'll be asking the questions rather than answering them. :)

My neck is really sore tonight. It feels like it needs to be popped, but when I try, nothing is moving. It's times like these where I would appreciate having a man around... or a professional massage therapist on speed dial. I definitely think that by the end of this nasty week ahead of me, I'll be hurting for a massage.

I'm going to try to head to bed a little early. I'm giving the whole in-bed-before-midnight thing a shot this week. Maybe making a conscious effort to do that will help me be more awake and alert during the day.

Ciao!

Work! Around the house and otherwise.

Today was my first day of work on my own! Much more exciting than shadowing someone else, for sure. I also talked to Nick a little bit about upcoming classes. There's another one in two weeks, but it's M-F, all day, which obviously wouldn't work for me. Nick mentioned something about coming to what I can, and him training me when I'm available outside of the scheduled class times. That would be super awesome! Not sure that it would result in an immediate pay raise, but it would be spectacular just to be doing a little more than what is in the scope of my responsibility right now.

And work at home! I have had so little time lately to clean the house, and I'm just really unhappy with the state of my living quarters right now. So I have been doing some important things around the house this evening that have been pretty neglected lately. Most notably, I cleaned the tub! It's finally bath season again, and the state of my tub made it... not very inviting.

Since a picture of the tub would not be very exciting, I took a picture of my amazing shower curtain. Partly because I really love it, and partly because there's a clean(er) tub behind it. (Day 22)

I have also made huge progress with my FreeRice lately! I have donated over 85,000 grains so far. Admittedly, that's not a whole lot, and I'm still super behind where I should be right now (1,000 grains per day since March. Yikes!), but over 70,000 of those grains have been donated since September 1st. Not bad for less than 40 days.

I made up a weekend to-do list last night, and have crossed off 8 of 25 items so far. I know that doesn't seem like a whole lot, but considering that's on top of an 8-hour work day today, I'm pretty happy with that number!

The Greek Festival is this weekend. Tomorrow is the last day, and I really wish I could make it down there, but I just don't think I will. On top of the cleaning I have to do around the house, I will be absolutely swamped with school this upcoming week. German oral exam on Monday. Math test on Tuesday. Programming test on Wednesday. German essay due on Thursday. And that's on top of the homework I have due. I would like to get a head start on that rather than spending money on tasty food when I need to lose weight as it is. So, since there will be another Greek Festival next year at the same time, I suppose I will do the responsible thing and stay home.

I think I'm going to head out. I have a lot more to do before bed tonight! Ciao!!

My boss rocks!

And today's photo is just part of the reason why.

Photo #21. Bailey's Mint Chocolate.

Apparently there is somewhat of a tradition surrounding "parking lot shots." And I was treated to my first one today.

I updated my "I'm fat" blog today. I realized yesterday when I walked into my old place of employment and had someone tell me I look pregnant, that something desperately needs to change.

I heard today that Mrs. Walatka, my second grade teacher, has passed away. In celebrating her life today, and talking to others that I went to school with, I was reminded even more of what an amazing woman, a wonderful role model, and an awesome teacher she was. There will be a service held tomorrow in Anchorage for her. I wish I was able to go. All of my teachers at Northern Lights helped shape me into the person I am today, and I wish I could thank them all.

I found this image today, and absolutely love it.

How true that is. Drugs. Alcohol. Facebook. Texting. Other forms of social media. Beauty products. Being thin. The things America's young people focus on are not the things that will make them into the best person they can possibly be. They are not things that matter. They are just that - superficial.

I have started another post that will be more substantial; I just don't have the time to finish it right now. Hopefully that will be up in the next few days! Ciao!

First day of work!

Finally home, at 10:30. I absolutely adore the people I work with. And apparently this weekend should be really low-key, so it should be a blast.

I spent almost half an hour on the phone earlier today talking to a reporter who is doing a piece on PTSD and addiction, and how it affects the family. I'm really looking forward to seeing the final product! I feel like Family of a Vet has given me so many opportunities to share my knowledge (today, a large portion of it was on PTSD itself, the brain changes associated with that, and how that translates into personality changes, etc.) to help others. I truly feel blessed to be a part of such an amazing organization.

Today's photo (#20):
Laura posted a few days ago about the crazy lady who both complimented and insulted her Danskos at the same time. Well today was the first day beautiful enough to wear mine, so I had to take a picture!

I have an Organic Chemistry test in the morning so I should probably do some studying. Just wanted to update quickly with the exciting happenings of today! Ciao!