Tuesday, January 18, 2011
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
Isn't it amazing how everyone seems to have a higher opinion of your abilities than you do, except for potential employers? Does that mean that everyone else is just being nice and you're right after all? Or is everyone else right, you're being to hard on yourself, and the lack of employment is due to other causes? And it's not just prejudiced friends and relatives, but people with whom you have a more casual acquaintance with who seem to have full confidence in you. I try to tell myself that everyone else's confidence means that I am more competent than I think, but then that attitude starts to falter when I can't even get an interview, let alone a job. Perhaps it's just failings in my cover letter writing? I'd like to think so, as that means I can fix it. However, I've had interviews for two different jobs that I thought were perfect and that I really wanted to do, and neither hired me. I'm so tired of this. I just want a job.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Changes for a New Year
So it's official. I am a lawyer. Not only am I a lawyer, but I'm an unemployed lawyer. How did this happen? Life was going so smoothly, everything falling into place, and now...now I feel lost. I've come to realize that I've never really had to search for a real job. Even my first job as a waitress came to me because a friend worked there and suggested me when they needed another server. The jobs I had during college were equally as easy to get. Even my post-college job, my first "real job", was practically offered to me before I knew it was available. Now, as I try to search for the right job, it feels like such new and unfamiliar territory, I'm not sure what to do. I feel like I'm rather blindly sending out resume after resume, with no clue if the position is even remotely right for me. The two jobs that I did actually think were perfect, and that I did make it through several interviews for, didn't pan out. With both of those avenues shut down (though perhaps not for good), I'm feeling more lost than ever. So what now? After all the major decisions of my life essentially falling into my lap, how do I try to figure out my next step when nothing seems to be coming? It becomes rather depressing, but I know I need to avoid falling into that. I am well aware of how important a positive mental attitude and confidence are in this sort of situation, so I try to remain optimistic. It's hard, but I know I can do it. I recall back towards the beginning of law school, when I was constantly complaining on FB/gmail statuses about stress, studying, my apartment, the T, whatever, a friend of mine pointed out that I had nothing but negativity. I'm sure he didn't think I would take the comment to heart, but I did, and realized I needed to amend that. I strove to find things to be happy about, or at least more neutral, rather than just complaining. And it did help. The more I was able to look at the positive, the less the negative bothered me. Or at least I got better about ignoring unpleasantness, a habit that I'm not so sure was such a good one to develop. I feel like I need that friend to offer similar criticism/advice again to help me keep my focus on track. While I have so many wonderful friends who are supportive and helpful, there's something about talking with a friend who's close, but not too close, to really help you see things more clearly. Such a person lacks the prejudices of those closes to you, and can bring more of an outside perspective, one that you feel you can trust because you respect their opinions. Perhaps it's time for me to reach out to some of those people, and help get my head back on straight so that I can make this the wonderful year I know it is meant to be.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Dish!
So I'm going to ignore everything that has happened since last posting (well, okay, here's a quick recap: I graduated law school, took the MA bar exam, went to Seattle and Mexico, moved to Malden, and I'm still waiting for the results of the exam)and jump straight into making my first submission to Ginger's The Dish! Sadly, I did not take a picture, as it didn't quite occur to me at the time. But that's really not such a problem because 1) I don't know how to add pics (yes, I'm sure it's quite simple, but whatever), and 2) Indian food, for the most part, is not the most attractive looking, no matter how freakin tasty it is. Yes, that is what I am reviewing: the Indian feast that somehow snowballed out of a small dinner with a friend. What started with plans for just B and myself (which was actually inspired by my randomly picking up a new Indian cookbook) ended up being a small dinner party also including my roommates, my old roommates, and B's boy (and was also supposed to include another couple, who were unable to make it). And as the guest list grew, so did the menu. At first, I was just planning on two dishes. But half of 2AM doesn't eat red meat, so I needed something chicken. And then I decided I also didn't have enough vegetables. And then I realized I had everything on hand for a dahl recipe, so I figured why not? So as I'm adding more dishes, I'm also thinking that I need to double most of these recipes, which say they serve either four or six. But as I did that, I failed to realize that these serving sizes refer to when that is the only dish, not one of five... Needless to say, my roommates and I have been eating Indian food all week. But at least it was good Indian food! And so now, enough rambling, and on to the menu:
Saag paneer
Wok-cooked chicken in tomato and fenugreek sauce
Peshawar-style beef curry
Cauliflower and sweet potato curry
Tarka dhal
Spiced basmati rice
Cucumber raita
Chile-cilantro naan
Tamarind vodka cocktails
Fresh fruit with rose water syrup
Spiced fresh orange and honey sorbet
I'm one of those odd people who actually enjoys spending the entire day in the kitchen cooking, so I really enjoyed creating all of this. Because yes, all of this was indeed made from scratch. The only shortcut was not making my own paneer, but instead buying it (which, based on the recipes for paneer I've seen, is really the best way to do it if at all possible...kind of like not bothering to make your own puff pastry, even though you can).
Nearly everything turned out perfectly. The only exceptions were the tarka dhal (oddly a little on the bland side) and the naan. I believe the naan is going to take a couple of tries to get the hang of. The dough itself was easy enough, but we had a hard time with the baking. First batch set of the smoke alarm because it cooked much faster than predicted, and while salvageable, was much more cracker-like than the proper soft, chewy bread. The rest, while they were not burned, I believe were too thick. They, too, lacked the proper texture, and were rather stiffer than they should have been. But I am by no means discouraged. I will try again, and hopefully get the hang of it!
The tarka dhal, red lentils with some tomatoes, onions and spices, was, as I mentioned, oddly rather bland. It was simple to make and contained many spices, but, oddly did not taste as such. It was so very disappointing that I will likely not bother with it again, even trying to amend it. (Don't get me wrong, it was by no means inedible, but given the wide array of options, it's not really worth it). It was actually able to serve almost as a starch type to soak up some of the tasty sauces from the other dishes.
By far my favorite was the saag paneer. (For anyone not familiar with the dish, it's the pureed spinach with chunks of cheese [paneer]) Oddly, my cookbook did not have a recipe for it. So instead, I found one from a fabulous blog that I stumbled across a year or so ago, and can be found here. I had used fresh spinach instead of frozen, and I may have drained a bit too much water from it, as the resulting dish was rather dry. So I decided to thin it down with a bit of yogurt (based on other recipes I looked at), and it worked wonderfully, giving it a subtle tang. As I was doubling the recipe, I also discovered that I did not have enough paneer, and the Indian market was not open on Sunday. However, I did happen to have some extra-firm tofu on hand, and so after draining and pressing that, cooked it like the paneer. I don't think anyone noticed. Indeed, I could hardly tell the difference between the two once it was all assembled.
The peshawar-style beef curry was also quite delicious, with a rich, creamy, spiced sauce. And the best part? The creaminess did not come from cream, but instead Greek yogurt, which I used the non-fat Fage kind. An extremely decadent tasting dish that was actually quite good for you. It was also rather easy to make, just needed quite a bit of time to simmer and let all the spices fully infuse the meat with flavor. The biggest thing that helped everything go smoothly is that before I started with the actual cooking, I measured out all the spices and had them ready in little dishes with labels of what they were for. With so many spices, it really helped keep me organized.
The chicken dish had a light tomato based sauce, which provided a nice contrast and did not overpower the chicken. The odd thing with cooking it, though, was that the juices, which were supposed to evaporate and cook down into a bit of a thicker sauce, did not. Instead, there seemed to be more and more juices as I let it simmer. Not quite sure what to do about that. Perhaps it was because I doubled the recipe? Perhaps I should have left out the juices of the canned tomatoes? Not sure, but definitely will be making again, and can figure it out then.
The cauliflower and sweet potato curry was quite delicious, and, to my mind, rather surprising. I guess I don't really associate sweet potatoes with Indian food. But the spicy curry sauce was a lovely complement to them. I'm really glad that one in particular turned out so well, because that's what we ended up with the most of. And somewhat surprisingly, none of the veggies ended up soggy after sitting in the sauce and being reheated as we ate leftovers. Again, another successful recipe.
Finally, dessert was something on the lighter side, after so much food (a change from my original plan of cardamom ice cream). The sorbet (made possible by the use of 2AM's ice cream maker...I really need one of those!) was delicious, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and a bay leaf (of all things). The fruit was a mixture of strawberries, blackberries, black grapes, pear and orange, and the rosewater syrup (also flavored with cinnamon) was a new and interesting accompaniment. Luckily, no one seemed to think it too odd...
Though speaking of too odd, I'm wondering about the tamarind cocktail. It is basically a juice made from tamarind concentrate, water, sugar and lime juice, then shaken with vodka. It wasn't as tart as I was expecting, with a slightly richer flavor. However, it was still rather tasty, though definitely a bit out of the ordinary.
Overall, quite a successful meal. While I will definitely be using most of those recipes again, I probably won't for a while, because, well, having the same thing for that many days in a row results in needing a bit of a break. But if anyone else would like any of the recipes, let me know, and I'll be happy to share!
Saag paneer
Wok-cooked chicken in tomato and fenugreek sauce
Peshawar-style beef curry
Cauliflower and sweet potato curry
Tarka dhal
Spiced basmati rice
Cucumber raita
Chile-cilantro naan
Tamarind vodka cocktails
Fresh fruit with rose water syrup
Spiced fresh orange and honey sorbet
I'm one of those odd people who actually enjoys spending the entire day in the kitchen cooking, so I really enjoyed creating all of this. Because yes, all of this was indeed made from scratch. The only shortcut was not making my own paneer, but instead buying it (which, based on the recipes for paneer I've seen, is really the best way to do it if at all possible...kind of like not bothering to make your own puff pastry, even though you can).
Nearly everything turned out perfectly. The only exceptions were the tarka dhal (oddly a little on the bland side) and the naan. I believe the naan is going to take a couple of tries to get the hang of. The dough itself was easy enough, but we had a hard time with the baking. First batch set of the smoke alarm because it cooked much faster than predicted, and while salvageable, was much more cracker-like than the proper soft, chewy bread. The rest, while they were not burned, I believe were too thick. They, too, lacked the proper texture, and were rather stiffer than they should have been. But I am by no means discouraged. I will try again, and hopefully get the hang of it!
The tarka dhal, red lentils with some tomatoes, onions and spices, was, as I mentioned, oddly rather bland. It was simple to make and contained many spices, but, oddly did not taste as such. It was so very disappointing that I will likely not bother with it again, even trying to amend it. (Don't get me wrong, it was by no means inedible, but given the wide array of options, it's not really worth it). It was actually able to serve almost as a starch type to soak up some of the tasty sauces from the other dishes.
By far my favorite was the saag paneer. (For anyone not familiar with the dish, it's the pureed spinach with chunks of cheese [paneer]) Oddly, my cookbook did not have a recipe for it. So instead, I found one from a fabulous blog that I stumbled across a year or so ago, and can be found here. I had used fresh spinach instead of frozen, and I may have drained a bit too much water from it, as the resulting dish was rather dry. So I decided to thin it down with a bit of yogurt (based on other recipes I looked at), and it worked wonderfully, giving it a subtle tang. As I was doubling the recipe, I also discovered that I did not have enough paneer, and the Indian market was not open on Sunday. However, I did happen to have some extra-firm tofu on hand, and so after draining and pressing that, cooked it like the paneer. I don't think anyone noticed. Indeed, I could hardly tell the difference between the two once it was all assembled.
The peshawar-style beef curry was also quite delicious, with a rich, creamy, spiced sauce. And the best part? The creaminess did not come from cream, but instead Greek yogurt, which I used the non-fat Fage kind. An extremely decadent tasting dish that was actually quite good for you. It was also rather easy to make, just needed quite a bit of time to simmer and let all the spices fully infuse the meat with flavor. The biggest thing that helped everything go smoothly is that before I started with the actual cooking, I measured out all the spices and had them ready in little dishes with labels of what they were for. With so many spices, it really helped keep me organized.
The chicken dish had a light tomato based sauce, which provided a nice contrast and did not overpower the chicken. The odd thing with cooking it, though, was that the juices, which were supposed to evaporate and cook down into a bit of a thicker sauce, did not. Instead, there seemed to be more and more juices as I let it simmer. Not quite sure what to do about that. Perhaps it was because I doubled the recipe? Perhaps I should have left out the juices of the canned tomatoes? Not sure, but definitely will be making again, and can figure it out then.
The cauliflower and sweet potato curry was quite delicious, and, to my mind, rather surprising. I guess I don't really associate sweet potatoes with Indian food. But the spicy curry sauce was a lovely complement to them. I'm really glad that one in particular turned out so well, because that's what we ended up with the most of. And somewhat surprisingly, none of the veggies ended up soggy after sitting in the sauce and being reheated as we ate leftovers. Again, another successful recipe.
Finally, dessert was something on the lighter side, after so much food (a change from my original plan of cardamom ice cream). The sorbet (made possible by the use of 2AM's ice cream maker...I really need one of those!) was delicious, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and a bay leaf (of all things). The fruit was a mixture of strawberries, blackberries, black grapes, pear and orange, and the rosewater syrup (also flavored with cinnamon) was a new and interesting accompaniment. Luckily, no one seemed to think it too odd...
Though speaking of too odd, I'm wondering about the tamarind cocktail. It is basically a juice made from tamarind concentrate, water, sugar and lime juice, then shaken with vodka. It wasn't as tart as I was expecting, with a slightly richer flavor. However, it was still rather tasty, though definitely a bit out of the ordinary.
Overall, quite a successful meal. While I will definitely be using most of those recipes again, I probably won't for a while, because, well, having the same thing for that many days in a row results in needing a bit of a break. But if anyone else would like any of the recipes, let me know, and I'll be happy to share!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Can't I have a magic wand and just make it all better?
It's been FOREVER since I've posted. I know that. So what has caused me to come back after so long? That's simple. I'm angry. At what, you might ask? At people. Not at any individual in particular, but at nearly everyone generally. The overwhelming levels of hate and racism and us vs. them just makes me want to scream. Yes, I know this is nothing new. But what really screamed this point to me at this moment was a wonderfully written post by Tim Wise, entitled "Imagine if the Tea Party was Black". If you have not already read this, please read it. It will help put words to what so many of us have felt. And it really makes me wonder how people who deny the truth of it can continue to lie to themselves.
As those of you who have known me are already aware, I've been a registered member of the Republican party. However, even my most staunchly Democratic friends have always given me a pass, because as one put it, "You're a Republican with a brain." Well, no more. No, I have not had a lobotomy. Far from it. But no, nor have I become a Democrat. I simply cannot stand to be associated with either party. I've spent enough years surrounded by Republicans to be aware of just how absurd the leftist extremists can be, and now the right-wing extremists are proving themselves even worse. It's honestly terrifying. How can people express so much anger and hatred and violent tendencies, especially when so many claim to be Christians? News flash: Jesus is about love, not hatred. He is the one who commanded that when an enemy strikes you on one cheek, you are to turn the other. He is the one who said to pray for your enemies (and he was NOT referring to praying for their death). He is the one who commanded up to love our neighbors as ourselves. And yet, what is it that we've been hearing from the supposed Christians of the Tea Party and general right-wing extremists? Nothing but hatred, fear, and death threats. My own aunt had joined a FB group that basically said they were asking God to kill President Obama. How can anyone say such things? In spite of the allegations hurled without thought, Obama is nowhere near any of the horrifying dictators he has been likened to. If you don't support his policies, so what? Does that really mean he should die? No, it does not. Especially when the results are not bringing about physical harm.
When Bush was president, a very good friend, who is very much a democrat, would never spout the general anti-Bush mantras that were so commonly heard. The reason why? He said that no matter who the president was, he respected the office of the presidency, and he reserved his criticisms to logical points related to the actual issues. Now why can't more people be so level headed? Oh, right. A person is rational, people are irrational.
If only I had a magic wand, I could make everyone rational. Then there would be no more irrational hatred or racism or discrimination or stereotypes. People would stop shouting long enough to listen. People wouldn't let fear and bigotry dictate their actions. I'm talking to you, Arizona.
That's another thing that has been making me angry lately. Arizonans in support of the bill claim that they feel unsafe due to the amount of crime committed by illegal immigrants. News flash: The most heinous criminals in our history, including the rampant serial killers, are citizens. And most immigrants, whether here legally or illegally, do indeed fear the police, and therefore don't risk attracting their attention. They merely want to work and live their lives. They are contributing members of society, whether the whites admit it or not. They spend money and provide services that support out economy, many of them pay taxes (yes, even many of the undocumented ones...I've seen it), they live here and raise their families here. And yet they get stereotyped as evil, criminal, trying to play the system, and a threat to our American culture. Funny. What is American culture after all? What was our country built on? Oh yeah, immigrants, a "melting pot". And fear of outsiders. The Chinese, the Irish, the Italians, the Mexicans... All have been feared as a threat to our "culture". Today, we think it absurd that the Irish and Italians would be so reviled. However, the same is not entirely true when it comes to the Chinese and other Asians. Why? Oh yeah, because they're not white. It's disgusting. And yet people use stereotypes to justify it all. Mexicans are criminals, so they deserve to be targeted. But lets look at why. Why are they committing crimes? Generally, the answer is to survive. Stealing to provide basic needs. Joining gangs for protection against the threat they face as a group that is discriminated against. Selling drugs because they cannot get legitimate work to support themselves. Even crimes that are routinely committed by "good" American citizens, such as drunk driving, suddenly are facing much harsher penalties because they don't have a valid drivers license, because they can't obtain one. I'm not trying to defend drunk driving by any stretch, but it does seem inherently unfair that the white guy gets off so much lighter for the same crime. Hell, even things like DV and sex assault are forgiven when white people do them, because it's seen as a mistake, something that was a result of the stress they were under, or was a misunderstanding, but they would never actually do it again so they shouldn't be punished too harshly... But anyone with a brown skin tone? Well, what else would you expect from someone like "that"?
....
This level of anger is exhausting. I would think that level of hatred would likewise be exhausting. Aren't people ever going to get tired of it? I really want that magic wand...
As those of you who have known me are already aware, I've been a registered member of the Republican party. However, even my most staunchly Democratic friends have always given me a pass, because as one put it, "You're a Republican with a brain." Well, no more. No, I have not had a lobotomy. Far from it. But no, nor have I become a Democrat. I simply cannot stand to be associated with either party. I've spent enough years surrounded by Republicans to be aware of just how absurd the leftist extremists can be, and now the right-wing extremists are proving themselves even worse. It's honestly terrifying. How can people express so much anger and hatred and violent tendencies, especially when so many claim to be Christians? News flash: Jesus is about love, not hatred. He is the one who commanded that when an enemy strikes you on one cheek, you are to turn the other. He is the one who said to pray for your enemies (and he was NOT referring to praying for their death). He is the one who commanded up to love our neighbors as ourselves. And yet, what is it that we've been hearing from the supposed Christians of the Tea Party and general right-wing extremists? Nothing but hatred, fear, and death threats. My own aunt had joined a FB group that basically said they were asking God to kill President Obama. How can anyone say such things? In spite of the allegations hurled without thought, Obama is nowhere near any of the horrifying dictators he has been likened to. If you don't support his policies, so what? Does that really mean he should die? No, it does not. Especially when the results are not bringing about physical harm.
When Bush was president, a very good friend, who is very much a democrat, would never spout the general anti-Bush mantras that were so commonly heard. The reason why? He said that no matter who the president was, he respected the office of the presidency, and he reserved his criticisms to logical points related to the actual issues. Now why can't more people be so level headed? Oh, right. A person is rational, people are irrational.
If only I had a magic wand, I could make everyone rational. Then there would be no more irrational hatred or racism or discrimination or stereotypes. People would stop shouting long enough to listen. People wouldn't let fear and bigotry dictate their actions. I'm talking to you, Arizona.
That's another thing that has been making me angry lately. Arizonans in support of the bill claim that they feel unsafe due to the amount of crime committed by illegal immigrants. News flash: The most heinous criminals in our history, including the rampant serial killers, are citizens. And most immigrants, whether here legally or illegally, do indeed fear the police, and therefore don't risk attracting their attention. They merely want to work and live their lives. They are contributing members of society, whether the whites admit it or not. They spend money and provide services that support out economy, many of them pay taxes (yes, even many of the undocumented ones...I've seen it), they live here and raise their families here. And yet they get stereotyped as evil, criminal, trying to play the system, and a threat to our American culture. Funny. What is American culture after all? What was our country built on? Oh yeah, immigrants, a "melting pot". And fear of outsiders. The Chinese, the Irish, the Italians, the Mexicans... All have been feared as a threat to our "culture". Today, we think it absurd that the Irish and Italians would be so reviled. However, the same is not entirely true when it comes to the Chinese and other Asians. Why? Oh yeah, because they're not white. It's disgusting. And yet people use stereotypes to justify it all. Mexicans are criminals, so they deserve to be targeted. But lets look at why. Why are they committing crimes? Generally, the answer is to survive. Stealing to provide basic needs. Joining gangs for protection against the threat they face as a group that is discriminated against. Selling drugs because they cannot get legitimate work to support themselves. Even crimes that are routinely committed by "good" American citizens, such as drunk driving, suddenly are facing much harsher penalties because they don't have a valid drivers license, because they can't obtain one. I'm not trying to defend drunk driving by any stretch, but it does seem inherently unfair that the white guy gets off so much lighter for the same crime. Hell, even things like DV and sex assault are forgiven when white people do them, because it's seen as a mistake, something that was a result of the stress they were under, or was a misunderstanding, but they would never actually do it again so they shouldn't be punished too harshly... But anyone with a brown skin tone? Well, what else would you expect from someone like "that"?
....
This level of anger is exhausting. I would think that level of hatred would likewise be exhausting. Aren't people ever going to get tired of it? I really want that magic wand...
Monday, November 30, 2009
Srevotfel Night!
Okay, so just have to share the fact that Srevotfel (leftovers backwards) Night is amazing, especially after Thanksgiving. We have developed a habit of turning everything into a pizza. Yes, we made a Thanksgiving pizza. More than one, actually. The one that got a repeat was the stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey and caramelized onions, topped with provolone. Another was mashed potatoes, turkey, roasted root vegetables, a balsamic reduction, and fresh mozzarella. Final one was barbecued pulled turkey (another form of leftovers), sweet potatoes, oil and garlic, pepper jack cheese and jalapenos. All of them were amazing! Great new way to use Thanksgiving leftovers!
Oh, and you know what else is awesome? My new co-op! I'm finally working with the prosecutors, in the child abuse unit, and it's already awesome (today was my first day). I get sit in on a trial tomorrow, and so today as spent meeting with the witnesses. And everyone there is just awesome. Spent about about an extra half hour there just talking to the other attorneys, who of course also have the requisite twisted sense of humor for doing that kind work. It kind of feels like V/WS, back when it was good. I'm totally excited to spending my quarter there! And now it's time for bed... Have to be there early for the trial in the morning!
Oh, and you know what else is awesome? My new co-op! I'm finally working with the prosecutors, in the child abuse unit, and it's already awesome (today was my first day). I get sit in on a trial tomorrow, and so today as spent meeting with the witnesses. And everyone there is just awesome. Spent about about an extra half hour there just talking to the other attorneys, who of course also have the requisite twisted sense of humor for doing that kind work. It kind of feels like V/WS, back when it was good. I'm totally excited to spending my quarter there! And now it's time for bed... Have to be there early for the trial in the morning!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Yeah, yeah, yeah....
Clearly I'm back to my procrastinating ways. On so many levels. And this time it may really be getting ready to bite me in the ass. Whatever. Moving on.
So changes. Lots of changes since the last time. I now have roommates. Two human, two feline and one canine. Thankfully, allergies are nearly gone by now, especially since one of the felines likes to practically sit on my shoulder when I study. It's kind of nice having roommates again, but I'm guessing that's only because they are really awesome roommates. Like helping me move, paint (my room was a monstrosity, including one poo colored wall...yes, you read that right, and yes, sadly I was serious), cook, everything. The down side: major distraction from doing homework at home.
And that's another odd change. I actually do homework at home now. My locker is barely used, I carry my books back and forth, and I can't study at school. And after two years, I can't seem to get up early any more, and am never at school before 9:30 (I used to be there at 7am). Seriously, what's up with that? I thought as you get older, you get up earlier... I guess I'm just getting to the point of being done with school. I don't want to be there any more than I have to. And I won't be there much longer! I actually graduate this year. And that is beyond terrifying. Even more so because as the bar exam results have come out, I found out that a friend did not pass. That means it's possible that a smart person may not pass the bar. That means it's possible for me to not pass the bar. You have no idea how much this scares me.
So changes. Lots of changes since the last time. I now have roommates. Two human, two feline and one canine. Thankfully, allergies are nearly gone by now, especially since one of the felines likes to practically sit on my shoulder when I study. It's kind of nice having roommates again, but I'm guessing that's only because they are really awesome roommates. Like helping me move, paint (my room was a monstrosity, including one poo colored wall...yes, you read that right, and yes, sadly I was serious), cook, everything. The down side: major distraction from doing homework at home.
And that's another odd change. I actually do homework at home now. My locker is barely used, I carry my books back and forth, and I can't study at school. And after two years, I can't seem to get up early any more, and am never at school before 9:30 (I used to be there at 7am). Seriously, what's up with that? I thought as you get older, you get up earlier... I guess I'm just getting to the point of being done with school. I don't want to be there any more than I have to. And I won't be there much longer! I actually graduate this year. And that is beyond terrifying. Even more so because as the bar exam results have come out, I found out that a friend did not pass. That means it's possible that a smart person may not pass the bar. That means it's possible for me to not pass the bar. You have no idea how much this scares me.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Moving and Memories
So as I'm packing to move YET AGAIN (I had sworn up and down that I wasn't moving again in Boston for at least several years, and yet, here I am moving after only one year in my fabulously cute little apartment, thus failing to break my record of one year and three months as the longest I've lived in one place as an adult). I keep finding things that are rarely used, but still have so many memories attached (which, in some cases, is why I can't get rid of things, in spite of the fact that they have sat unused, unpacked, unnoticed for two years). One such item was my creme brulee torch, which made me laugh immediately, remembering my drunken meltdown over my attempt to use it for the first time. Because of course, it's best to caramelize the sugar right before it's served. Well, at our dinner parties, that means after several bottles of wine. (No judgement, there were about six of us there). And THAT is when I'm trying to figure out how to use this thing for the first time. It just wasn't working. It would light, then go out. And I was becoming unreasonably upset over this. And I was about the just chuck the thing in the trash, but one of my wonderful roommates gently reminded me that I would probably regret that when I was sober. And then it took another friend to discover the problem: I had no clue how to fill the damn thing, so it was essentially trying to run on fumes. No wonder I couldn't keep it lit. Well, by that time, most of the creme brulee had already been consumed sans sugar. And I haven't gotten around to using it since. So it gets moved from apartment to apartment, waiting for that day when I will make another valiant (and hopefully successful) attempt at creme brulee. And mocking me with my drunken meltdown every time I see it. When am I going to learn that making dessert whilst intoxicated is NEVER a good idea? (Anyone else remember the drunken cake? No? Good...)
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