Friday, December 19, 2008

On running out of tupperware...

So, I have officially become a baking maniac. I believe I now have five different kinds of cookies in the house, and I have completely run out of receptacles into which to put any more cookies. So either I need to get some more containers or I need to stop baking. At least I know I can bring a lot of these cookies to Christmas at my brother's house, but I really wanted to try 3 more recipes I read in my last issue of Cooking Light. I know, can a cookie listed in a "healthy" magazine really be good? In a word, YES. I have made anise tea crescents, Lebkuchen (a kind of German gingerbread), peppermint cheesecake brownies, and peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies from said magazine, and not only are they delicious, they are relatively low in fat and calories. So I don't feel quite as bad eating too many of them. :)

That said, I need to spend more time with my wonderful husband. So I'd better stop writing and pay him some attention. Adieu.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Completion...

I have officially finished my work for fall quarter. I am not "done," however, since I have to produce that annotated bibliography for the first week back in class. 

I am proud to say I already got one of my grades back for the two classes I took, and it was an A. Hurrah...I felt worse about that paper than the other one I wrote, so hopefully that bodes well for the other class. Unfortunately, the professor who grades that paper did not produce a grade for my previous class with him until May, and I took the class in fall quarter. I hope he does not repeat that pattern again. Maybe he won't since I am going to work with him as my thesis advisor this year. 

I am irritated about people not shoveling their sidewalks. Unless the weather is truly heinous, I try to get out on a walk with my kid every day, but today was truly a challenge. There were several stretches where it was a job just to keep moving forward and remain upright, since there was several inches of mushy slush underfoot. At least it made it more of a workout since I couldn't stay out as long as normal due to the cold. I feel bad for the baby sometimes in that sort of weather, though I hardly ever hear any complaints. I have a giant, adorable fleecy snowsuit for the babe that keeps everything as toasty as possible. 

The other irritating thing is when people shovel their sidewalk, but leave a thin layer of snow that nearly instantly forms a sheet of impossibly slippery ice. That, to me, is WORSE than not shoveling at all. Sigh.

Soon I will produce as a Christmas present for my 3 readers: a top ten list of the worst Christmas song performances of all time. I am a self-proclaimed music nerd, and I am particular about my Christmas music in particular, so I am offended when good songs are murdered. I shall do my best to provide links to listen to the crappy carols if you feel like having a good ear-bleed.

So, until next time!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

By popular demand...

Status report: one paper down, one to go. 

December weather:
on top of our sparkly snow,
bucketloads of rain.

Baby tricks galore--
babbling, giggling, pulling up,
playing with his face!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Winter "break"

Well, I've survived the fall quarter classes I have been slaving over, and am currently trying to motivate myself/ psych myself up to write my two papers for said classes. You can judge how well that is going by my posting a blog instead. Even after I turn those papers in (which I hope to do by the end of next week), I will still have some work to do; I need to produce a 10-item annotated bibliography for my master's thesis by the time winter quarter starts, all too soon after New Year's. 

Also fast approaching is my little one's first birthday. I can't believe I already have a 10 month old. This year has gone incredibly fast. We are currently waiting for the latest batch of teeth to appear, patiently wiping a runny nose and drooly mouth and comforting sensitive nerves. I just hate seeing my baby in so much pain. I guess this is why our teeth come in so early; at least we don't remember how uncomfortable it was.

I just thought I'd check in. I'm not feeling terribly inspired to write anything creative today; maybe after I am done with my papers. Until then.