Interpret as you wish, but I think this song stands for A LOT of different things and I listened to it a few times today when I was frustrated with some things.
What's it mean to you?!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Culinary Queen
I love to cook. But ever since I started this job I have found myself eating out more than eating in. I decided I needed to put a stop to that and get back into cooking. The hardest part about it is the fact that I cook for one ESPECIALLY because I like to cook new, different recipes. I do alright, but most of the time I end up throwing away the leftovers. I decided that starting this week I have not only limited myself to only eating out twice a week, but that I will prepare my weekly menu over the weekend and shop accordingly. I've wasted I don't know how much money on food going to waste and it's about time I stop doing that! Below I have included a few of the new dishes I have tried thus far. But before that, I would like to just one more time point out the fact that I finally made a batch of cookies from scratch- something I have been trying to do forever! Ta-daaaa...
Last night I tried a new meatball recipe. I've made a version of Florentine Meatballs before, but since I have converted to using ground turkey for nearly everything, I wanted to try a new recipe. It was a really great, different dinner and I will definitely keep the recipe in my book. The ones I made were pretty big; I would recommend making more, smaller ones so you can freeze them and have them another day. Below is a picture and the recipe website in case you want to try them.
http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=891
Tonight I tried something really different for me. The recipe is titled "roasted potatoes, green beans and chicken" and sounds harmless. However, the medley is marinated in a dijon/thyme mixture that was surprisingly good. I have had this recipe for a while so I wanted to see if it was worth keeping. It was good. Not great, but good. I'm not a big dijon fan so that's where I got hung up. I'm not sure where the recipe came from, so if you want it let me know- it's in my recipe book (I probably got it out of a magazine.) Nonetheless, here's a picture of the dish...
Lastly, this weekend in the kitchen was rounded out with me preparing tabouleh for my lunches this week. Tabouleh is a Mediterranean dish that is DELICIOUS! I love it! Minus the tomatoes because I can't eat them (yes, you'll see them in the dish, but I pick around them) tabouleh is one of my favorite appetizers and even meals. It's very light and the way you eat it is by putting it on some pita or in a pita pocket. So, so good! I have included the recipe I used below so you can dabble if you wish (I highly recommend trying it!!!) So good, so healthy. the end.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/kathleen-daelemans/tabouleh-recipe/index.html Note: I did not follow this recipe exactly (I usually don't) but it gives you a general idea of what should go in it and you can add/subtract amounts from there.
I hope I have inspired you to at least consider exploring the chef in you. Cooking is so therapeutic and it definitely helps you stay on track if you are trying to watch what you eat.
Here's to a great start to a healthy week...Cheers!
Last night I tried a new meatball recipe. I've made a version of Florentine Meatballs before, but since I have converted to using ground turkey for nearly everything, I wanted to try a new recipe. It was a really great, different dinner and I will definitely keep the recipe in my book. The ones I made were pretty big; I would recommend making more, smaller ones so you can freeze them and have them another day. Below is a picture and the recipe website in case you want to try them.
http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=891
Tonight I tried something really different for me. The recipe is titled "roasted potatoes, green beans and chicken" and sounds harmless. However, the medley is marinated in a dijon/thyme mixture that was surprisingly good. I have had this recipe for a while so I wanted to see if it was worth keeping. It was good. Not great, but good. I'm not a big dijon fan so that's where I got hung up. I'm not sure where the recipe came from, so if you want it let me know- it's in my recipe book (I probably got it out of a magazine.) Nonetheless, here's a picture of the dish...
Lastly, this weekend in the kitchen was rounded out with me preparing tabouleh for my lunches this week. Tabouleh is a Mediterranean dish that is DELICIOUS! I love it! Minus the tomatoes because I can't eat them (yes, you'll see them in the dish, but I pick around them) tabouleh is one of my favorite appetizers and even meals. It's very light and the way you eat it is by putting it on some pita or in a pita pocket. So, so good! I have included the recipe I used below so you can dabble if you wish (I highly recommend trying it!!!) So good, so healthy. the end.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/kathleen-daelemans/tabouleh-recipe/index.html Note: I did not follow this recipe exactly (I usually don't) but it gives you a general idea of what should go in it and you can add/subtract amounts from there.
I hope I have inspired you to at least consider exploring the chef in you. Cooking is so therapeutic and it definitely helps you stay on track if you are trying to watch what you eat.
Here's to a great start to a healthy week...Cheers!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
home sweet home?
Now that I've been in my apartment for more than 2 months, I've decided it was a good time to tell you about my apartment! First of all, I'm spoiled. Because Fitz was recently renovated I made out pretty well when it comes to my living space. But I've had a really difficult time committing to new art, decorations, color schemes, the whole nine yards because now that I'm an 'adult' I find it a lot harder to commit knowing that I probably won't be moving anytime soon. (when I was in school, each apartment had it's own theme)The worst part about it is I have permission to paint my walls, well SUNY Cortland will paint my walls, but I can't figure out what colors I want. My bedroom is pretty much complete when it comes to decorating- one wall is still pretty bare, but it's almost there...and the bathroom is done (not much ya can do there when they tile the walls!) The place that needs some serious work is my living room. The walls are basically bare and white because I want to buy a new tv before committing to wall art. I'm thinking somewhere between a 32" and 42" tv (if those are even sizes for tvs). Soooo until then, I will have to deal. Even so, I thought I would share with everyone a few pictures of my new place since I've done it for every other apartment/place I have lived! Enjoy!!!
Slowly we are getting there- it is certainly a work in progress though.
Slowly we are getting there- it is certainly a work in progress though.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
workin' hard? or hardly workin'?
What an exciting few days it has been. As Janelle says, "it's like we get two weekends this week." She's kind of right- but not really.
Wednesday morning we left to travel north to Albany for a SUNYHA meeting. (you don't need to know what that stands for, you just need to know that clearly the most important people involved in the SUNY system were there because I was invited :-p kidding, kidding---it's a meeting of the masterminds behind the Res. Life programs in the SUNY system and I tagged along..with Janelle and Ashley..because we are new) Anyway, it was a great, first outside of SUNY Cortland 'professional experience' and I will share a few of the highlights with you as I sit here to reflect.
I received the agenda earlier in the week and took a peak at it, but really I just opened it long enough for it to print out and then be tucked away in my fabulous padfolio. On the ride up, we were filled on what to expect. It seemed pretty straightforward to me and it was..both days were. But the thing I took away from the meeting that was perhaps most beneficial for me was presented in the first meeting. On Wednesday we had a 3 hour session on assessment (basically assessing the success of ANYTHING by using different tools to measure them, etc--I won't get all technical) BUT the reason I bring this up is because when I worked at Ithaca College I worked on a project that was assessment based and I learned A LOT. It was great to see how some institutions rely on the data collected in this somewhat complex process. What was even better was how the emphasis related to what I had researched and learned about at various graduate programs I visited and/or interviewed with, specifically UCONN. The conversation was long- the activity was a tad over my head, but what I got out of it was the realization that I really want to pursue my Master's in Higher Ed./Student Affairs. I've played with the idea of taking some time off and then continuing my education here at Cortland and receiving my Master's in Community Health. But even though the taking some time off part of that will remain true, I know that my passion lies in getting my Master's in Higher Ed. so when the time is right I feel that is what is in my best interest. Now the question is whether I will pursue it at the institutions I have already researched and/or interviewed at, or look into some other programs. One of the most sought after attributes in applicants for these programs is experience. So once I get some experience, I am going to see what school has the program that is right for me. Only time will tell...
That's all fun and incredibly interesting for my dedicated followers to read, but the next story will be even better I promise!
After getting through the meeting on Wednesday we all went back to the hotel to check into our rooms. Being newbies and all, we didn't realize the benefits of taking advantage of what the state of New York had to offer in terms of accommodations and Janelle, Ashley, and I roomed together. We had the option to ride solo, but we took one for the team because we know times are tough right now :-p I think we make pretty good roommates- but I already have trouble sleeping in hotels so I didn't get much sleep. Anyway, after taking some time to relax we all went out to dinner. I hate to take the credit for finding one of the best restaurants in the world, but I had a great idea of finding a hibachi style restaurant so we could relax, have fun, and eat some good food! Janelle was in charge of finding restaurants- I simply made a suggestion when we were googling and guess where we ended up.... HERE---> http://www.hanaalbany.com/#/home
For those of you that are not familiar with these restaurants, basically you have a sushi bar, a restaurant menu with different choices (still mostly Asian cuisine) and then, THEN there's the hibachi grill creations! AKA you sit in front of a grill and watch the Japanese chef make your meal in front of you...this is what mine looked like when all was said and done...
It's basically lo mein noodles, veggies, chicken, and filet mignon cooked on an open grill right.in.front.of.your.eyes. I chose this combination but believeeeeee me, there are many to choose from! Here's a picture of the grill and the chef...and my noodles!
BUT believe it or not, I still haven't gotten to the best part of the story. So, brace yourself because here it comes....I tried 5 different foods in one sitting! For those of you that don't know me very well, I do.not. like seafood. I am on the hunt to find some that I like, but I NEVER eat it. Oh, but first- I ordered something, just to order it, because I wanted to try something new that didn't have a scary name and that I thought I would enjoy so I ordered chicken tempura. Here's a picture ...
To me, they tasted like chicken fingers, so even though I was satisfied with the fact that I liked them, it wasn't really something "new" just something familiar with a new name. Moving on... after I finished my appetizer someone said I should try one of their sushi delicacies. YUCK! I kindly denied the offer until I saw the little orange fish eggs resting on top of one of the rice filled seaweed rolls. I was curious. VERY CURIOUS. and even though I swore it just could not happen..I could not like RAW seafood because I don't even like cooked seafood I went out on a limb and tried a fork full (aka the tip of the fork- but enough for me to taste them) The verdict: tasteless!!!!!! The only draw to those little lifeless things is the pop they make in your mouth when you bite them. Disgusting? Kinda. Interesting? Absolutely! I am still questioning whether I will have minnows in my belly, but I am glad I stepped out and tried them because they weren't nearly as scary as I thought they would be. Here's me trying the fish eggs- not the most flattering shot, but a keeper nonetheless...
So that was number 2. Number 3- lobster. Two words can sum up that experience...NEVER AGAIN! I do not like lobster. Okay, that was easy. Number 4- scallops. After experiencing the lobster's nasty after taste, I was hesitant to explore anymore under the sea creatures. But peer pressure got the best of me and the scallop was next in line. After convincing Janelle that she didn't need to feed it to me because everyone was watching and would probably ask questions, I grabbed the fork boldly and took a bite. A little better than the lobster, but certainly not something I would order on my own. Fail. To round out the samples, I bit into a juicy little shrimp. I've had shrimp. I can tolerate it. So it wasn't a NEW food per say, rather something to explore once more before turning to my usual excuse of not liking seafood because even though I don't prefer shrimp, I can eat it if I have to.
Honestly, I had THE BEST time eating at this restaurant. Our waitress was awesome, the chefs (is there a plural name for a chef?) were awesome, and the food was unbelievable. We were there almost 3 hours just enjoying good company and having fun. The meeting was a great experience, but enjoying the company of some colleagues outside of the office was by far one of the best parts that I will take away from my first profession adventure. I look forward to many more opportunities like this one. So, whether you're workin' hard, or hardly workin' just remember to have fun along the way!
Wednesday morning we left to travel north to Albany for a SUNYHA meeting. (you don't need to know what that stands for, you just need to know that clearly the most important people involved in the SUNY system were there because I was invited :-p kidding, kidding---it's a meeting of the masterminds behind the Res. Life programs in the SUNY system and I tagged along..with Janelle and Ashley..because we are new) Anyway, it was a great, first outside of SUNY Cortland 'professional experience' and I will share a few of the highlights with you as I sit here to reflect.
I received the agenda earlier in the week and took a peak at it, but really I just opened it long enough for it to print out and then be tucked away in my fabulous padfolio. On the ride up, we were filled on what to expect. It seemed pretty straightforward to me and it was..both days were. But the thing I took away from the meeting that was perhaps most beneficial for me was presented in the first meeting. On Wednesday we had a 3 hour session on assessment (basically assessing the success of ANYTHING by using different tools to measure them, etc--I won't get all technical) BUT the reason I bring this up is because when I worked at Ithaca College I worked on a project that was assessment based and I learned A LOT. It was great to see how some institutions rely on the data collected in this somewhat complex process. What was even better was how the emphasis related to what I had researched and learned about at various graduate programs I visited and/or interviewed with, specifically UCONN. The conversation was long- the activity was a tad over my head, but what I got out of it was the realization that I really want to pursue my Master's in Higher Ed./Student Affairs. I've played with the idea of taking some time off and then continuing my education here at Cortland and receiving my Master's in Community Health. But even though the taking some time off part of that will remain true, I know that my passion lies in getting my Master's in Higher Ed. so when the time is right I feel that is what is in my best interest. Now the question is whether I will pursue it at the institutions I have already researched and/or interviewed at, or look into some other programs. One of the most sought after attributes in applicants for these programs is experience. So once I get some experience, I am going to see what school has the program that is right for me. Only time will tell...
That's all fun and incredibly interesting for my dedicated followers to read, but the next story will be even better I promise!
After getting through the meeting on Wednesday we all went back to the hotel to check into our rooms. Being newbies and all, we didn't realize the benefits of taking advantage of what the state of New York had to offer in terms of accommodations and Janelle, Ashley, and I roomed together. We had the option to ride solo, but we took one for the team because we know times are tough right now :-p I think we make pretty good roommates- but I already have trouble sleeping in hotels so I didn't get much sleep. Anyway, after taking some time to relax we all went out to dinner. I hate to take the credit for finding one of the best restaurants in the world, but I had a great idea of finding a hibachi style restaurant so we could relax, have fun, and eat some good food! Janelle was in charge of finding restaurants- I simply made a suggestion when we were googling and guess where we ended up.... HERE---> http://www.hanaalbany.com/#/home
For those of you that are not familiar with these restaurants, basically you have a sushi bar, a restaurant menu with different choices (still mostly Asian cuisine) and then, THEN there's the hibachi grill creations! AKA you sit in front of a grill and watch the Japanese chef make your meal in front of you...this is what mine looked like when all was said and done...
It's basically lo mein noodles, veggies, chicken, and filet mignon cooked on an open grill right.in.front.of.your.eyes. I chose this combination but believeeeeee me, there are many to choose from! Here's a picture of the grill and the chef...and my noodles!
BUT believe it or not, I still haven't gotten to the best part of the story. So, brace yourself because here it comes....I tried 5 different foods in one sitting! For those of you that don't know me very well, I do.not. like seafood. I am on the hunt to find some that I like, but I NEVER eat it. Oh, but first- I ordered something, just to order it, because I wanted to try something new that didn't have a scary name and that I thought I would enjoy so I ordered chicken tempura. Here's a picture ...
To me, they tasted like chicken fingers, so even though I was satisfied with the fact that I liked them, it wasn't really something "new" just something familiar with a new name. Moving on... after I finished my appetizer someone said I should try one of their sushi delicacies. YUCK! I kindly denied the offer until I saw the little orange fish eggs resting on top of one of the rice filled seaweed rolls. I was curious. VERY CURIOUS. and even though I swore it just could not happen..I could not like RAW seafood because I don't even like cooked seafood I went out on a limb and tried a fork full (aka the tip of the fork- but enough for me to taste them) The verdict: tasteless!!!!!! The only draw to those little lifeless things is the pop they make in your mouth when you bite them. Disgusting? Kinda. Interesting? Absolutely! I am still questioning whether I will have minnows in my belly, but I am glad I stepped out and tried them because they weren't nearly as scary as I thought they would be. Here's me trying the fish eggs- not the most flattering shot, but a keeper nonetheless...
So that was number 2. Number 3- lobster. Two words can sum up that experience...NEVER AGAIN! I do not like lobster. Okay, that was easy. Number 4- scallops. After experiencing the lobster's nasty after taste, I was hesitant to explore anymore under the sea creatures. But peer pressure got the best of me and the scallop was next in line. After convincing Janelle that she didn't need to feed it to me because everyone was watching and would probably ask questions, I grabbed the fork boldly and took a bite. A little better than the lobster, but certainly not something I would order on my own. Fail. To round out the samples, I bit into a juicy little shrimp. I've had shrimp. I can tolerate it. So it wasn't a NEW food per say, rather something to explore once more before turning to my usual excuse of not liking seafood because even though I don't prefer shrimp, I can eat it if I have to.
Honestly, I had THE BEST time eating at this restaurant. Our waitress was awesome, the chefs (is there a plural name for a chef?) were awesome, and the food was unbelievable. We were there almost 3 hours just enjoying good company and having fun. The meeting was a great experience, but enjoying the company of some colleagues outside of the office was by far one of the best parts that I will take away from my first profession adventure. I look forward to many more opportunities like this one. So, whether you're workin' hard, or hardly workin' just remember to have fun along the way!
Monday, October 4, 2010
life's too short...
Never has my sister's story inspired me more than it has these past few days. Since graduating with her Master's in May, she has moved to France, moved back to the U.S., moved to France again all because her fiance lives there. My sister is probably one of the most driven people I know- but never did I imagine that one day the passion she has for living life to the fullest would lead her to a life in France. The journey certainly has tested my sister and Fabien's desire to be together- through Visa applications, not speaking the language, not being able to work, moving in with his parents, and patiently waiting for a light at the end of the tunnel, my sister and Fabien have remained loyal to each other and loyal to their goal to be together forever. Sigh. How romantic. But the story gets worse before it gets better...
Yesterday I found out that Fabien was in a car accident that totaled their car. Thankfully my sister was not in the passenger seat (the other vehicle hit him on the right side) where she was supposed to be that day because they had gone to a wedding. Because my sister was uncomfortable and not feeling herself, Fabien took her home early and went back- his second trip was the trip that could have ended a lot worse. He was not hurt. Talk about believing in fate... It is amazing to me that with so many bad omens they still remain as strong and dedicated to one another as they do. The reality that my sister and I are an ocean apart became much clearer yesterday when I found out this had happened...questions that are too frightening to know the answer to come to my mind, but yet I am still 'okay' knowing she's in good hands with him. They have a love story like no other and I'm glad I've been along for the ride. As I plan their wedding for next summer I think about the uniqueness of their relationship and realize the happiness my sister experiences even in times like these.
So, just remember...life's too short to be anything but happy.
Yesterday I found out that Fabien was in a car accident that totaled their car. Thankfully my sister was not in the passenger seat (the other vehicle hit him on the right side) where she was supposed to be that day because they had gone to a wedding. Because my sister was uncomfortable and not feeling herself, Fabien took her home early and went back- his second trip was the trip that could have ended a lot worse. He was not hurt. Talk about believing in fate... It is amazing to me that with so many bad omens they still remain as strong and dedicated to one another as they do. The reality that my sister and I are an ocean apart became much clearer yesterday when I found out this had happened...questions that are too frightening to know the answer to come to my mind, but yet I am still 'okay' knowing she's in good hands with him. They have a love story like no other and I'm glad I've been along for the ride. As I plan their wedding for next summer I think about the uniqueness of their relationship and realize the happiness my sister experiences even in times like these.
So, just remember...life's too short to be anything but happy.
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