A Few of My Favorite Things...

As I bunker down in my room, kicking off my Thanksgiving break by watching my favorite movie and reading a new cookbook, I thought it might be interesting five or ten years from now to look back and see what a few of my passions were! It's most likely that these "favorites" will be superseded by then! Actually, I have a pretty poor track record in maintaining favorites, so I never liked those icebreaker questions asking about "favorite song" or "favorite movie" because I can never fully decide upon just ONE favorite! 

The List

Favorite movie right now: Tangled! Watching it right now makes me just... happy! 

Favorite song: "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. A few other songs that are currently played on repeat on Spotify: I See the Light (Tangled), I'm Not That Girl/Defying Gravity (Wicked), The One That Got Away (Katy Perry), We Found Love (Rihanna). 

Favorite after-school snack food: Trader Joe's dried unsweetened mangoes. Or ice cream... (see below)

Favorite book: Any cookbook! Especially anything by America's Test Kitchen. 

Favorite ice cream: Tillamook's Oregon Wild Cherry.

S.A.D.

Two words: rough morning. And it's not even noon yet. Why is it that when one bad thing happens, everything else seems to go awry as well?

Midterm comes back today, and I have a sinking feeling (and I haven't even seen my score yet). I can't enjoy someone else's happiness, because (selfishly) that means I didn't do the best on this particular test. Compounding factors that turned one bad event into a bad mood: another cloudy, gray day; burnt my green onion pancake; discovered jeans were too tight this morning; brain not working as I try (distracted by my imminent midterm score) to finish a paper.

Currently feeling all alone. And where is God in my life? I had expected to do well on this specific test, because I had put God first the weekend before taking the test. In my mind, I was good- I attended the Fall Conference messages rather than skipping out like all the other students. I had felt peace after my test and thought I had done well. Why do I feel so scared to get my grade back now?

Randomly, turned to 2 Samuel 8 in my Bible this morning. It details David's triumphs and how God was with him in all this battles. Opportune reminder to me that David was someone who put the Lord first, and God rewarded him. I need that promise right now in my life.

Well, hopefully Tillamook black cherry ice cream for lunch cheers me up a little...

To Honduras and Alaska and Back!

I suppose my vacation(s) ended this afternoon as I finally sat down in front of my computer and tackled the mountains of emails from the past 2 or so weeks. It's pretty sad when the majority of my emails are from Groupon and Livingsocial- I guess it's time to dial down the number of emails I receive from them everyday...

The last month has been a blur, constantly on-the-go! I guess I should recap my entire month of September. In a sentence: after working full-time the last 2 months, it was finally vacation time!

1. Our college group headed off to camping at Deception Pass for a few amazing days (yes, shockingly, no one was hurt even with Billy around!). As much as I want to hate on camping (ew... living in the woods?!), I had fun and didn't (quite) want to come back!
2. The moment I got back from camping, the realization hit- I was heading out-of-the-country in a few short days. Yes, at the age of 23, I was finally (kinda) traveling by myself! Yet, I had one last hurdle to jump through before my medical mission trip to Honduras- work presentation. Luckily, my neurons were firing on all cylinders, and I super-charged through preparing for my presentation (hmm, I barely remember the topic now... oh yes- New Treatments for Hepatitis C). Presentation done? Check! Off to Honduras!
3. My trip to Honduras (not technically a "vacation" since our brigade went to Honduras with a purpose) blew away all my expectations and trepidation. I was a little nervous, going on a trip to a foreign country for the first time with a group of pharmacy students that I didn't really know (most were a year below me). However, I had a wonderful time! The people in my brigade were awesome, the Honduran people were amazing, and the week flew by! Expect a separate blogpost on Honduras... coming soon *fingers crossed*.
4. Then it was home in Seattle for a short stay. Short, but enough time to meet up with some old high school friends that I haven't seen in years! It brought me waaay back to high school days. It was relaxing to discover that even though I haven't seen them recently, it was so easy to chat and have a good time.
5. Then to wrap it all up, the fam and I went on an Alaskan cruise for 7 days. Good food, good entertainment, aaaand lots of rain. Oh well, I'm from Seattle- I'm used to it!

Not wanting to brag... but I had an unbelievably amazing wonderful fantastic summer! Even before the month of September, with all the hangouts and BBQs and game nights, I can perhaps say THIS was the best summer of my life!

Okay, enough with the words. I know everyone just wants to see the pictures! Here are a few of my favorites :)

First day in Honduras, right before
the tropical thunderstorm hit!

Anybody recognize the country? :)

Hello from Alaska! 

Ice sculptures!

Me with Sam the Seal!

Walking the pier in Victoria, BC

Maryland Kids and Blueberry Coffee Cake

Action-packed weekend with the Maryland kids just ended... and left me all by myself at home feeling a bit lonely. After hours of hanging out and having people all around me, being alone is startling. The abrupt change of pace from rowdiness to quietness can be jarring.

Yet, time alone is so scarce now in the summer that I need to treasure every minute of it. Being home by myself is time to recollect my thoughts, tackle my ever-growing To Do list, blog and bake, read up on articles for work.

I had a mini-panic moment this week as I realized that my Honduras trip is in 2 weeks! I feel utterly inadequate and woefully under-prepared for my adventure (of a lifetime?). I still need vaccinations (tomorrow), pack up all the medications I'm bringing (next weekend), figure out what to pack, brush up on my conversational Spanish (hopeless), and mentally prepare myself as I take a very large step outside my comfort zone.

So in the midst of the busy-ness, I managed to produce a Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake complete with a crumb topping. This cake was a three day process, not by choice!

1. Thursday night- I got a craving to bake. I decided upon a coffee cake, because it's easy, quick, and delicious. I was planning on bringing the cake to work the next day. As I creamed together the butter and sugar (first step), I was horrified to discover I had no eggs in the house! With dejection, I placed the butter/sugar mixture into the fridge to finish another day.
2. Saturday afternoon- I lined up all the ingredients I needed for my coffee cake (not wanting to repeat the fiasco from Thursday). Flour, salt, vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream- all check. Wait... where's my baking powder?! I ran to the Grocery Outlet down the street, but to no avail. Grocery Outlet didn't have the one ingredient I needed in stock! Low on time and in frustration, I placed all the ingredients back and hoped that the butter/sugar mixture would last another day in the refrigerator.
3. Sunday evening- Third time was the charm! All necessary ingredients? Check. Ample time to bake? Check. Successful and delicious cake? Check! 

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake (modified from Allrecipes)

3/4 c. butter, softened

2 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

2 c. blueberries (frozen or fresh)

1/3 c. flour

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

2 tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan or springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together 3/4 c. butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Then, stir in sour cream and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in blueberries. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Prepare crumb topping: In medium bowl, mix together 1/3 c. flour, brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over batter. 
4. Bake until done, when toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Baking time varries depending on the size of pan. For a 10-inch diameter springform pan, I baked the cake for about 1 hour. For a 9x13 pan, baking time will be closer to 35-40 minutes.

Hello, Blog

Sitting at home. Time is 7:29pm. Spotify on. Alone. Brother at work. M and G in Hawaii. A at family dinner. Why hello, Blog!

I had yet another up-and-down day at the OP Zoo. Most patients are manageable and some I even go above-and-beyond to help, but it just takes one. One crazy, off-his-meds, psychotic (literally) patient who doesn't want to pay his copay and is too busy to go see the financial counselor to get charity. After Monday's incident I was antsy and ready to call security right off the bat... At least this time there was no personal attacks and cursing involved. Welcome to Harborview :).

Strangely enough, I'm busier this summer than during the school year. Busy with a full-time (sometimes overtime) job and full-time play. A snapshot of Summer 2011:

Late June/July: White water rafting, VBS, Vball, Ivar's (twice), HS/College Retreat, Tennis, BBQ and Fugitive, USH and Gelato, work work work + overtime

August: WCCC, Blueberry Picking, Hiking (shocking...), $hopping, Paintballing, Glo's 20th!
A little more than a month of summer left... and still so much I want to do. Coming up: college camping@Deception Pass, then Honduras with GMB, and fam trip to Alaska. Plus, I want to squeeze in (at least) another game of Fugitive, more BBQs and potlucks, eat at Vancouver BC, crabbing, and of course, more cooking and baking. Fingers crossed!

Veggie Chowder and Work Drivel

I slightly tweaked and modified the veggie chowder recipe on Ann's blog according to what I had in my fridge. It was the perfect (fatty) comfort food for me to pig out on while curled up on the couch watching mindless TV after a horrendous day at work. I will definitely keep this recipe handy during the cold, rainy Seattle autumns/winters/springs.

Veggie Chowder
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. frozen broccoli cutlets
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. milk
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
Splash of white cooking wine
A few heaping spoonfuls of sour cream... (recipe called for 1 c. sour cream, I used significantly less and the soup's consistency was still plenty thick and tasted delicious)
Salt, to taste
Generous amounts of black pepper

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large pot. Saute garlic and onions until tender. Toss in mushrooms, and cook until soft. 
2. Add heavy cream and milk. Whisk in flour slowly to prevent clumping. Add chicken broth. Bring soup to a boil, then lower heat and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add frozen broccoli and cooking wine, if using. 
3. Stir in sour cream, and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

The soup is flexible to accommodate whatever you have in your fridge. Make the soup a hearty meal by throwing in ham or bacon, and serve with crusty bread. Or add more/different veggies; just remember, frozen veggies can be thrown in later after all the liquid has been added, while fresh veggies should be sauteed in butter with the mushrooms and onions. Next time, I might try with chunks of potatoes and bacon! Yum yum! 

So more about my day: why exactly was my day horrendous you ask? Well, I had such high hopes going into work this morning after my fantastic high-energy on-fire workday last Friday... alas, today was the complete opposite. Strangely enough, even with an iced mocha to begin my day, I had an headache and felt slow all morning. My mind wasn't quite awake even though laid in bed for at least 8 hours last night, and thus I kept making errors while typing prescriptions. By the afternoon, I was completely frustrated at myself, to the point that I was working slower and slower to avoid typing new prescriptions. At one point I made mistakes in 3 consecutive prescriptions. 

Furthermore, Mondays are hectic days at the pharmacy. Since the pharmacy is closed on Sundays, Mondays bring in all the people who didn't plan ahead and didn't pick up their medications before the weekend. At multiple points throughout the day, the pharmacy lobby was packed, usually with a screaming child or two. Our pick-up line for refills was swamped. Our queue for new prescriptions ballooned to at least 6 or 7 waiters, plus the 3 or 4 we were already working on. And of course, each patient demands why his or her prescriptions are not done within 20 minutes! Additional problems (like my mistakes) extend the whole process of typing, pulling, filling, verifying, dispensing. 

Some of the most newsworthy lines from the patients today: 

• "I ain't paying for this! Your job is to figure out how to get me my medications so I don't have to pay for them!" --Patient on refusing to pay for early refills (because she was going on a trip) for her painkiller medications 
• "Why is the pharmacist questioning THE doctor! My doctor wrote the prescription, so the pharmacist should just give me my medications! She [pharmacist] isn't a doctor!" --Patient not understanding why a pharmacist was verifying a prescription with the prescriber before dispensing the medication
• "Are you NEW??" --the words don't do justice to the loathing, despise that was conveyed in the patient's tone
• And of course, you can't forget about the patient who just stands at my window glaring at me, or the patient who runs up to the counter every 3 minutes and asks if his meds are done yet

So often I don't know how to respond to these angry patients, namely because I get riled up at them! For feeling like the "pharmacy should just be like Mickey D's- in and out" while feeling entitled to get free medications in life. Understandably, my nerves were grated and raw by the time 5pm swung around. 

No way am I going to work retail or outpatient in the future! I'll take the comatose patient in the ICU over a patient who yells, demands, cusses, throws a fit, and rants any day. You can't get through or communicate intelligently with either... 

Wide-Eyed Caffeine Infusion

I can proudly declare that I am NOT a coffee-dependent Seattle-ite. Even when midterms, finals, and early mornings roll around during the schoolyear, I don't run straight for the coffee-stand. Coffee simply does not appeal- who chooses to drink bitter, unpleasant liquid that leaves a lingering bad taste in your mouth?

But this past week I had a taste of the attraction that caffeine (better known in our society as "coffee") offers. For once I was early to work, so I decided to stop by the busy Harborview cafe hub. I am such a newb that I didn't even know how to order my drink. The barista gently prompted me as I stumbled over my order: "uh... a macchiato, the sweet kind... you know..." Finally, four dollars short later, I had my double tall (I think that means two shots of espresso?) iced (but not too much ice) caramel macchiato.

My goodness, did that morning fly by or what! I felt like I was on-fire all day in the pharmacy- churning out prescriptions, getting medications filled, clearly counseling my patients! It was a startling change to be wide awake, coherent, and active so early in the morning. Not only was it doing a world of good for my patients, but I found that I was also more talkative and engaging around the pharmacy staff. I definitely experienced the caffeine buzz... and I liked it!

Yet, I am still not completely committed to $4 coffees every morning. Thoughts whirl around my head: What if I become tolerant, and don't attain the wide-awake sensation from caffeine anymore? Or maybe I was just making up the "caffeine buzz" effect, and it was in reality just a normal day. What about falling into caffeine addiction, and I can no longer function without the stimulant in the morning?

I should not so readily give away my independence and the control of my life to some brownish, muddy highly-addictive (as my classmates attest to) substance.

Musings on Gardening

If a baby is anything like a garden, he (or she) would be unfed, unwatered, all-around neglected for days at a time. It would be forgotten and cast aside if I had a major test to study for or had a long day at work. Even if the "baby" cried for attention, I would most likely put off feeding him or her until a time that is more convenient for more arose.

Thank goodness I don't have a baby! 

My (poor) garden is a lens into my own habits and quirks. I have found out that I am very much the "one-track mind" type. During test season, I live and breathe studying (with numerous breaks interspersed); from the moment I wake up to the last thing I do before I go to sleep, my mind screams "TEST!!!" (Yes, with 3 exclamation marks...) Work can also drain the energy right out of me- 8 hour work shifts turn into 10 hour days with the commute, which leaves little time for cooking/eating/fun/errands, much less tending a garden. 

Therefore, my garden has disintegrated into some disarray. The seeds I had sowed outside have fared alright, survived if not thrived. Even if I forget to water the plants (which is often), the sky provides much needed moisture. Yet, the plants have grown wild, some even sprouting flowers. Overgrown, old plants are usually not very edible, to my dismay. Indoors, I have a pile of wilting lettuce sprouts that are pretty much dead due to lack of adequate sunlight and no watering. My only success story is my small basil plant that provides delicious, fresh basil, but not enough to make pesto. 

All in all, plants are haaard work! They require daily care- I cannot simply add lots of water in spurts or only weed and trim plants every so often. Gardening really isn't a hobby- a hobby is something that I can pick up and put aside in my spare time (i.e. knitting). Instead, gardening involves a commitment and a change in my lifestyle. Other people have dogs or cats or fish, I have plants to care for now!

SUMMER = FREEDOM

No more...

1. Living out of my hamper
2. Subsisting on ramen and frozen foods
3. One-track mind focused only on tests 
4. Having something to do every single minute of my life
5. Living in a pigsty (which means now I need to CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!) 

In other news, look what a pretty cake Ben and Tiff made for Mel's birthday this past week! I am inspired- I never thought mere mortals could make a cake like those perfect store-bought types, but this was pretty darn close! Perhaps a cake decorating class this summer is in the stars? 

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Preserves
Topped with Homemade Whipped Cream and Fresh Raspberries

Crash and Burn

Crashing and burning... that's how I feel this quarter has gone. Like to an airplane that has lost control and is nose-diving, I'm flaming out, academically. Ever since Rho Chi initiation, I seemed to have lost any motivation to study. Yet, I still retain my pride and desire for good results. That turns out to be a bad combination: I don't want to study, but I still want to do well. It's like in the movies where the plane bumps, skids, jolts to a screeching halt,  every midterm is a bump, skid, jolt. Every single one worse than the previous one... trying desperately to reach to the end of this ordeal.

Just got punched in the gut by my stats final. Stats- the supposed easy final of this week. I probably deserved it, since I was relying on the 3 pages of notes we could have during the test. To make it worse, I didn't even write out the 3 pages of notes, and used someone else's. Oh boy, the next 48 hours is going to be long, uphill climb.

I don't remember first-year being like this. I remember being excited for those multiple-choice conjoint tests, having full confidence that I would ace them. How the tables have turned... Am I getting dumber, or are the tests getting smarter?

I don't know how to study anymore. I have a headache just staring at my notes, especially pceut notes (bane of my life at the moment). My mind is sluggish. The words I read don't stick at all. I can't focus. Sad truth is, I'm maybe less prepared for these finals than I have ever been for tests, and am relying/praying/wishing on some luck to get through them.

Exercise Urticaria

Yes, IT has a technical name. Not just "allergy to running" or "itchiness when I exercise." I think it's time that I educated people on the condition that torments me. It has a name- exercise urticaria.

In middle school and high school, I would get unbearable itchy when I hiked with my family. My parents told me I would outgrow it, that it was just temporary. And I tried pushing through it. I really did. However, I remember one particular time when I was hiking with my family and family friends. It was beautiful out, with spring flowers just blooming. Halfway through the hike, I got that itchy feeling creeping up my calves, then to my quads. And the longer I kept walking, the more the urticaria intensified. All the kids ran up ahead, and I was stuck behind with the parents, because I had to stop walking every so often. It was absolutely embarrassing, being unable to stop scratching and having to stop every few steps. And that's why I became terrified of hiking. I was scared to death that I would be stuck 3 miles in the middle of nowhere with unbearable hives erupting over my legs, my abdomen, my chest.

So I stopped. I gave up family hikes. I stopped running completely. Partially, it was due to laziness, but a large part also due to the allergic reaction I had when I exercised. My friends thought I was just a "city girl," that I preferred staying indoors or going to the mall rather than leading an active lifestyle. It got to the point that I could not even walk to school from my old apartment without an allergy attack. To put that into perspective- I could not walk 15 minutes without feeling itchiness all over my body.

It's hard enough (and embarrassing!) to explain to people that the reason I avoid walking or running is because I get itchy. I usually leave it as "exercise allergy," because no one wants to know about itchiness. However, I end up feeling terrible when I get comments like "it's just mental" or "you should just push through it!" It's NOT just a mental condition. I get red, inflamed hives all over my legs. There is a biological release of histamine, which promotes the feelings of itchiness. The mental part- panic that crowds out all other thoughts in my head, agitation because I know I cannot beat the itchiness- comes afterwards.

Exercise urticaria is particularly difficult to live with, because it's not just seasonal or due to the weather. It doesn't depend on whether I wear clothes made out of 100% cotton or denim, long pants or shorts. It occurs whether it is a warm summer day or a cold, raining one. (Although, the allergy may come on more quickly on cold days.) I can't control necessarily, when I need to walk longer than 10 minutes; sometimes walking a longer distance is spontaneous (walking across campus or walking to the Ave.).

Medications are not magic bullets for this condition. First-line medication for exercise urticaria is an antihistamine. But even that comes with it's side effects of drowsiness and sleepiness. And who wants to exercise after you're all drowsy from the Benadryl you took? Plus, you cannot simply take an antihistamine right when the itchy feeling starts. It takes antihistamines about an hour to take effect. Other medications, cetirizine (Zyrtec) or hydroxyzine (most potent), are also sleep-inducing. However, these 2 medications have a longer duration of action and can be taken at night, and hopefully keep allergies from erupting throughout the day.

Today, I really really wanted to go running; it is beautiful out, one of the first warm days of the year here in Seattle. The sun was out, and the skies blue. Feeling brave, I took an antihistamine 20 minutes before I ran outside. I ran for 10 blocks, then had to slow to a walk. I could feel the itchiness at the back of my knees. Usually, the itchiness intensifies very quickly for me as long as I keep moving. Yet today, I was able to keep walking another 20 blocks until I made it home. It wasn't a tremendous breakthrough, but it's a start! I lasted 20 minutes outside, hooray! But, the last 5 minutes was hard- the itchiness had spread across my stomach, over my thighs. By the time I got back home, I was miserable. I wasn't out of breath or tired, but I was itchy and panicked. Getting home was a relief, and I can't imagine if I had been outside any longer.

Yet, I hope that with continual training and help from an antihistamine, I can slowly exercise for a little longer outside. I seriously would love to be normal, run and walk and play without having to worry about when my allergy attack will happen. Especially with summer arriving, I want to lead an active lifestyle- go biking, walk around Green Lake (that's just a dream right now... I don't know when I will last 3 miles of running!), run the track at the IMA.

Next stop for me is the pharmacy! It's time to check out if cetirizine works for my condition or not!

Unanswered Prayers and the Long Wait for Rice Pudding

Thank goodness for the weekend. It hasn't been a great week for me at all! Frustrating exams, frustrating people, and no small group to brighten up the week. Argh. I can't even think of witty things to say in this blogpost. *sigh*

Epiphany! I need a vacation. NOW. Something to look forward to and get excited about, because school and work is definitely not cutting it right now. My interest level in school and classes is bottoming out. Right now, I just want to go ANYWHERE out of Seattle! (...okay, anywhere except Cleveland). 

One of the frustrating issues I'm dealing with right now is the lack of response I'm getting in my prayer life. I pray, sometimes even get-on-my-knees prayers, and... nada. Nothing happens. Okay, all of my atheist friends probably think this is true for prayer in general. But in my past, I have had real testimonies of God answering my prayers, maybe not all the time in the way I planned, but a response nonetheless. But right now, I am pretty dejected in my prayer life, because the big issues I'm praying for is still there, the major problems still exist, and hope for any change is looking pretty dim. I'm not a patient person, so having to wait and wait and wait (we're talking in terms of months here) is really discouraging.

One bright note in my life is the food. Another new recipe attempted this past week, and another success! I made a huge batch of rice pudding, and ate almost all of it by myself (12 servings worth...)! Basically, I lived off rice pudding while studying for my tests.

I used my slow cooker (the second recipe I've actually used a slow cooker!), and it allowed me to be "hands-free." I didn't have to stand by the stove, checking and stirring the rice pudding every few minutes to prevent the bottom from burning. However, the slow cooker method does take longer- I left the pudding to simmer for 2-3 hours before it was thick enough. If you don't have a slow cooker handy, you can definitely cook the rice pudding over the stove; make sure you keep an eye on your rice pudding and stir every so often!

Rice Pudding
12 servings

1 cup uncooked rice (long-grain preferred, but I used whatever I had, which turned out to be jasmine short-grain rice)
8 cups milk (8 cups = 1/2 gallon)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, combine rice, milk, and sugar. Cover pot loosely and bring mixture to boil, occasionally stirring and scraping bottom of pan to prevent burning. (Watch the pot carefully! If you're not keeping an eye on it, the mixture may boil over, leaving you a sticky mess to clean up.) 
2. After mixture has come to a boil, transfer mixture to slow cooker. Set slow cooker on high setting, and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the mixture is to desired consistency. (Note: This step will determine how thin or thick your rice pudding will be! If you want the pudding to be thicker, leave it in the slow cooker for longer. After this step, the pudding will not become thicker.) 
3. While the rice pudding is in the slow cooker, beat together eggs, 1/4 cup milk, salt, vanilla extract, and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside to bring mixture to room temperature. 
4. After the rice pudding is at desired consistency, temper egg mixture by mixing a scoopful of hot rice pudding into egg mixture. Then add the egg mixture into the rice pudding mixture slowly (to prevent curdling of the eggs). Stir the rice pudding, and continue cooking in slow cooker for 3-5 minutes (in order to fully cook the eggs). 
5. Transfer rice pudding into 9x13 inch pan or equivalent, loosely drape plastic wrap over top, and cool to room temperature. Sprinkle cinnamon over pudding. Then, tightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled before serving. 

The Real World

I'm realizing how sheltered I truly am. This past week I overheard snippets of conversations around me (in public areas, to clarify) that were at the same time laughable and shocking.

The Worst
Location: Thai food with Kyle on Wednesday at Banana Leaf.
Since Banana Leaf was packed, we were squished into a tiny table inches away from another table, with 2 college boys. So we overheard everything, not by choice. Their conversations about their relationships (not that I would really call them that) was completely superficial and completely not-appropriate in a very public lunch setting. One of the guy's statement that "he could totally get laid this weekend if he wanted to" almost made me laugh out-loud. (He was NOT cute, either.) Plus, he went on to describe his ideal mood lighting, because he "wants to see something at least when doing it." Kyle and I definitely had a hard time keeping straight faces... As the conversation proceeded, I was shocked (outraged! disgusted! annoyed!) by how they were describing girls, and just how casual sex was to them.

The Laughable
Location: Bus #372 going home on Friday afternoon
On the bus today, while intently updating my Words with Friends account, I was interrupted by voices that sounded exactly like John Chen! In fact, it was such a close match, I looked up and expected to see John sitting next to me on the bus. Instead, I became the pedestrian to some Asian wanna-be gangsta boyz' (yes, with a Z) conversation on BIGNESS. "How BIG are you?" "Have you seen [insert name] recently?! He's huge!" "I really want to get big." Boys' fascination with their weight and "being big" is ridiculous! And this exchange did not end there, it continued all the way from UW to Lake City. Is that ALL they know to talk about? Talk about superficial. Well, then the conversation moved onto girls- high-maintenance girls, girls with big eyes, girls they would date, girls they wish they could date. As I got off the bus at my stop, I concluded, with absolute finality, boys are dumb and dumber (Mary, you're so right!).

My taste of the real, real world has been a complete turn-off. So glad I am surrounded by Christ-loving, moral people in my life!

I See The Light

I'm in love with a movie, and specifically a song. "I See The Light" makes me want to love someone wholeheartedly, and be loved back. One scene from Tangled has stirred up all the romantic hopes and dreams that I have tried to squash the past few months. This song is on repeat...

HZGG Marathon

I have an addictive personality. I just spent the last day and a half watching 16 hours of Huan Zhu Ge Ge (Chinese period drama). At once liberating that I can do exactly what I want, but also quite unproductive. Even though it is only the first week of school (and I have no classes on Thursdays), I really should have spent some of those hours reviewing my schoolwork.

I know myself, and that's why I don't usually start watching new TV shows or watch Asian dramas or start a new hobby or pick up a good book during the school year. I get hooked, and can't stop watching/reading/obsessing. Often, the only cure for the addiction is to finish what has been begun. My logic is, the faster I finish, the faster I can get back to my normal life. But sometimes even finishing the show doesn't work, I will still end up re-watching my favorite parts and thinking about the characters and plot. Gotta kick this addictive habit! It's making me lose sleep, skip meals (or eat cereal for dinner), put aside all my responsibilites. I'm becoming guilty of what I always chide my brother for: being glued to the computer screen watching mindless shows.

However, if you cared, I have listed out my top 5 favorite moments of the first season of HZGG (these are my feel good moments that I can watch endlessly on loop)!

1. Erkang finds Ziwei at You You Gu
2. Erkang rescuing Ziwei from the Empress and evil Rong Muo Muo's needle torture
3. Yongqi tries to tell Xiao Yan Zi his feelings for her
4. Erkang's martial arts performance against the Tibetans in a competition before the Emperor and the Tibetan king
5. Erkang first tells Ziwei his feelings for her

...basically any Erkang and Ziwei interaction!

Where's the Snow?

Weather gods... you have let me down. The past 24 hours was childish, eager anticipation of snowflakes (SNOW!), yet every time I glance outside, I see the same boring Seattle- cloudy and wet, and absolutely no snow sticking around! Yes, I'm not too much of a grown-up (yet) that I abhor even the thought of snow, and the terrible driving conditions, backed-up traffic, and stores shutting down that accompany it. Well, I'll continue to monitor weather.com and my window, but chances of snow accumulation and school shutting down is getting slimmer and slimmer by the hour, and still no snowflakes falling!

Ben and I made chicken katsu tonight and stir-fry veggies over rice. Easy, but super satisfying dinner. I can't say enough good things about making your own katsu at home... now, I never buy katsu at restaurants (sorry, Ichi Bento's!). Pros of homemade katsu: cheap, few ingredients (basically just chicken, egg, flour, and panko), fast, and yummy (tastes as good as the restaurant's). The hardest part for me was knowing when the chicken is done... so usually I leave the frying to Ben :). Cooking time depends on thickness of the chicken... if you're constantly unsure like me, invest in a meat thermometer.

Make sure you don't forget the bulldog sauce for the katsu! Time from start of preparation (not including thawing the chicken) to eating is probably 30-35 minutes with 2 of us in the kitchen, and we cooked a LOT of chicken! Below is the jump to the recipe, my very first post on this blog!

**Jump for Chicken Katsu**

Eating to Fuel Studying

Recently, I've been feeling the need to EAT in order to study... which is quite terrible news for my waistline. Eating is my reward for studying. It plays out like this in my head: "If you finish reviewing the notes and the problem sets, you can indulge in a bowl of ice cream (or that chocolate bar sitting on your desk or the Girl Scout cookies downstairs)."

It's gotten so bad to the point that I won't study unless there is FOOD at the end of the ordeal... heck, I can't even make it through studying before gobbling down loads of sweets! Sometimes, I give myself a reward just for starting to study... and then intermittent breaks (that have become more and more frequent) where I wander downstairs and peruse my pantry. 

In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll list out all the junk food I've eaten today. Maybe it'll make me feel so bad about myself, I'll stop giving in to my food cravings... probably a long-shot. I started out with a sprinkle-covered chocolate donut this morning, then gummy worms (thank you, Winco!), broke out the Girl Scout cookies by the afternoon (Samoas mmhmm), and devoured an entire Hershey's bar in under 10 minutes just now. Hmm, well I guess that isn't too bad... I haven't quite given in to my ice cream craving, but then again, the night is still young, and I really should be studying instead of blogging right now...

Overall, I think I need to find a new way to motivate myself besides food... to save myself from potential obesity and diabetes.

New Template

Tired of studying. Began playing around with templates and designs. Tell me what you think... or do you miss the PINK?  :)

Dinner for One

I like to eat well... even when on my own!

Tonight's Menu

Linguine with Lemon Alfredo and Peppered Shrimp

Roasted Asparagus with Sea Salt and Red Pepper Flakes

Wild Blackberry Ice Cream (thank you, Tillamook!)

...plus, a healthy dose of Gossip Girl 

(gave in to my guilty addiction)

 

Being Happy On Valentine's Day

to all my single ladies,

I wanted to remind y'all that you are truly loved today! Very appropriately, when I led the Sunday School kids' singing yesterday, I chose the song "I am so glad that our Father in heaven, Tells of His love in the book He has written.... Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me." I told the kids, "Tomorrow (today) is all about LOVE, and don't forget, God loves YOU more than you can ever imagine!" (Well, that's what I was trying to say, I don't think it came out as eloquently...) The song's chorus goes on to repeat the line "Jesus loves me" fifty gazillion times, but it's never cliche. I was reminded just how much I am loved by God. In the words of John Shane, "God is CRAZY about you!" 

I also want to take back all the negativity I've been spewing recently. After thinking about it a little more, I realized that the best things just take time. That's true with boys (wait- no, I want a man, not a boy!) as well. I realized I can either go with the marijuana-smoking, gambling dude that's available now.... or wait for someone better that God has planned specifically for me. 

So even on this... Singles Awareness Day, I am content and satisfied. And sometimes, when I forget everything I just said above, please, PLEASE remind me forcefully that I really don't want to have just any guy right now... I want the perfect man (oxymoron?! jk...) for me! 

And lastly, I want to thank you guys for being the most wonderful support group EVER during the last few months. You guys helped me realize that being single is not the end of the world, in fact, it's far from it! Looking back of the last few months, I think I have truly grown a lot. I am much more independent. I am doing a lot more with my time! I love being able to throw myself into my passions- blogging, cooking, baking, church services. I am becoming better at being a friend, instead of being self-absorbed and self-centered. I'm enjoying life right now, and enjoying spending tons of time with my besties! 

Don't forget, you are loved by God firstly, and by me as well :). 

love,

Lyds