A Royal Distraction

Okay, OKAY.

I really need to be studying for my last two finals. I know I said I was hiding out. But chy'all.... I'm beat.

The last several days have been a non-stop go-go-go! now-now-now!, and... I hit a wall.

Point blank.

The rest of my weekend is full of nothing but coffee drinking, chapter rereading, note highlighting, paper organizing, and final stu.dy.ing. My blessed summer liberation comes Tuesday evening, and I just need something - anything - to find that last little push.

I'm so close.

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There are only two weddings I've ever been full. out. excited for:

1) The Office wedding (<-- I dare you not to cry.)

2) The Royal Wedding

[*Disclaimer: That's not to say I wasn't ridiculously excited and happy for my now married friends' weddings or upcoming nuptials... but c'mon, a wedding I can gawk at shamelessly in my PJs while disgustingly gorging myself on junk food and cabernet... I DO!]

As John likes to remind me that Jim and Pam aren't real (OH YES THEY ARE, CHUMP), I found myself getting eager to watch the new "It" Brits walk down the aisle. I really can't explain it: the history-in-the-making, the fashion, the tradition, the chance to see it all as it happened. Yup, I was one of the wide-eyed suckers up at the crack o' dawn (4:30am) to watch the magic unfold. With a mimosa in hand, courtesy of Becky, fellow MPA crony with a passion for all things fabulous (she took the day off work for the event and wore her tiara proudly all morning), we critiqued every outfit and reveled in the splendor of the royals. I'm not sure if it was the early morning delirium or the mental exhaustion from the last several days, but I was hooked. Kate looked stinkin' gorgeous. William looked hungover, but I expected no less... with a little bro like Prince Harry, I bet the bachelor party was caaaaa-razy.

In other event that boasted big hats and tradition, I spent Easter Sunday with John and his family. It was a beautiful day, and as anticipated, I was sick off all the chocolate for at least two days (soooo worth it). Rather than give you a rambling soliloquy of my Easterness, enjoy the following visuals:

*Due to something freak during the export process and Blogger not wanting to cooperate, unfortunately some of the images below are obnoxiously distorted and not their original, pretty quality. :( But the sentiment hopefully speaks for itself.

John's folks. Ahhh-stinkin'-dorable.

Hats!

Glad we got a shot together BEFORE the chocolate happened.

So many Easter goodies.

Such as...

Cuppy cakes? YES PLEASE!

Easter without colorful confections is like Cinco de Mayo without tequila.

It's just not authentic.

Nor is it without the tye-dyed Easter eggs (oh yes, we did).

Easter is groovy, baby!

And as Miss Cadey, John's not-so-little-anymore sis was all glam'ed up (and I was looking for an excuse to put a new lens and editing tricks to to work), I made her work it.

That's all I have to share for now. And as the early morning of studying beckons... I'll leave y'all with that.

Maybe I need a mimosa and tiara to get me through the studies?

Pip-pip-CHEERIO!

The Seven Deadly Days

In exactly one week, I'll have (almost completely) completed my second semester of grad school. And for the 48 hours following my final exam, I claim no responsibility for my actions.

It's gon' get CRAZY, y'all.

Suffice it to say I'm in full on panic mode, and it's not helping that completing my exams is only the beginning of the end-of-the-year madness. I'll still have heavy wrap-up for my grad assistantship, including a big paper to submit on my experiences and also final development of a binder with 'Standard Operating Procedures' and other core pieces of my position; I'll be one of the executive members conducting the hooding ceremony for the current graduates of my program; and of course, John's graduation. The rest of my to-do list between now and then only seems to get longer, and suddenly time is speeding up.

WATSON. My gin, please!

(I wish.)

I've been unnecessarily discombobulated as of late, and it's only exacerbated by the fact that I can't sleep when I'm supposed to and I'm exhausted when I really need to get things done. I'm snappy and disoriented and generally feel like "one more thing" and I'm legit going to snap. I'm perpetually terrified the papers I've turned in are going to be better suited for wiping my professor's a-- and the presentations I conducted were 15min of painfully articulated thought processes. My food suddenly all tastes weird and bland and even my mounds of Easter chocolate to little to inspire my taste buds. I'm wearing my hair color all too well lately (blonde moments TO THE MAX), and I can offer nothing but apologies in return. All in all, after all these years of schooling, I'm still a loser in the game of self-care; I can't ever seem to manage my anxiety or stress no matter what I do.

I'm FREAKED out, man.

So, what does this mean for you, you humble and patient readers?

a. Posting will most definitely be limited until I come out on the other side of the craziness.

b. Unfortunately, my Facebook hiatus is still in full effect as I can't afford to deal with any extra distractions.

c. Take this is as a golden opportunity to really think long and hard about your own whims of returning to grad school... might I suggest taking yourself to a bar, buying yourself a drink, and asking yourself if giving up your social life, your bank account, and your hopes and dreams of becoming a mature, sane person to an institution of higher learning is really worth the piece of paper... I still have another year to find out.

Your positive vibes are much appreciated.

And next week, your glasses of bourbon will be, too.

Dear Lord, please give me the strength to deal with what's about to happen.

And forgive me for the obscene amount of profanity that's about to happen.

ONWARD!

I'm Not White, I'm Green! (Happy Earth Day!)

Friends, Romans, and Tree-Huggers...

Get off your rears!

It's Earth Day.

If you look around, "green" is the new "leggings as pants." Businesses are trying to market themselves as "sustainable," "all-natural," "eco-friendly," and other catchy words that make us think we're saving the world by buying more of their goods and services that they deem "green." The problem is, there's really no set standard of what any of those terms really mean, and the hype usually outweighs the actual good they're suggesting they do. Take for instance this commercial...

"All natural..." "Comes straight from the earth and nowhere else...."

WHAT? I happen to like my tortilla chips grown in petrie dishes!

Sigh...

On one hand, I'm glad at least corporations are trying to encourage the idea of less processing and even taking measures to reduce their impact. On the other, we as consumers speak with our buying power, and it's up to us to hold them accountable for their feel-good claims.

The funny thing is, when I speak with people about the new winds of change to a more sustainable lifestyle, there's this sense that you have do more and buy more to be "green." People think its expensive and immediately assume change isn't possible because we Americans like things cheap, fast, and easy. I argue the opposite; I take more of a conservationist approach when it comes to the big green picture, and I find I'm saving money in my little tweaks:

Ohhhh, yeah. I'd tap that. (Water, that is.)

Get rid of the plastic bottled water. THEY'RE A RIP OFF. And for crying out loud, water is FREE. We're pretty damn lucky we can drink our water straight out of the tap and at any gosh-darned time we please. Not to mention, plastic takes a stupid amount of time to break down (like, NEVER) and upwards of 60% of the plastic bottles don't get recycled. You can find durable, well designed reusable water bottles just about anywhere; just make sure they're BPA free because your body isn't exactly made to handle toxic chemicals, 'kay?

BE the bag lady!

I carry my reusable canvas bags on every shopping trip: grocery store, shoe shopping, bookstore, liquor store, whatever. I hate dealing with those flimsy plastic bags anyways, and again, they don't break down in landfills (where a freakish amount ends up). Plus, you can stack and fit your goods in those bags way more efficiently, which is great if you're like me and have a long, awkward walk from car to apartment/house. Most grocery stores sell them for less than $2, and I find they're also super handy when you need something last minute to carry stuff to work, parties, etc. Have an old tshirt collection you don't know what to do with? Check out this craft and make your own bags!

She has a thrifty eye...

I love thrifting. My sister and I can spend an entire afternoon at the Goodwill or 2nd-hand shop finding all kinds of treasures (and often hilarious finds... purple velour track pants, you bet). It's amazing what people will just give away, sometimes never used... I found a Lucky Brand cashmere-blend cardigan with the TAGS still on it, valuing the sweater at $85... I paid $8. Likewise, I found this vintage American Traveler train case, perfectly intact and in great condition... Ebay has it $25; I paid (seriously) $2. TWO DOLLARS, Y'ALL. (PSST! That's what a bottle of water will cost you at the gas station.) I use this awesome train case to house all my camera gear; it's pretty rad. While I do love the feeling of buying a new pair of shoes or something that makes me feel right purdy, I love the thrill of finding a piece that's got some life to it.. and is CHEAP.

Exercise your own portion control.

I used to be a sucker for those little individual calorie pack thingies. Thank you, snack company, for counting out 17 cardboard tasting cookies for me and putting it in a shiny bag so I can feel light and healthy! Y'all, it's stupid. Once I realized how much money and packaging I was wasting on a generally unsatisfying snack, I immediately took to buying in bulk and packing my own snacks in a (cute!) reusable tupperware (bonus: no squished or smushed snacks that usually happen in a plastic bag). Not only does it give me the chance to buy actually decent tasting snacks, but I can always sneak in a leeeeeedle bit more if I so choose.

Other easy-peasy ways to show the Earth you give a hoot:

- Turn off lights and other electronics when not in use (and UNPLUG them, too!). - Buy local. - RECYCLE!!! - Make your own coffee. - Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper (or these other cool ideas!). - Instead of a crappy, unthoughtful gift basket from a bath/body shop, give a gift certificate to a trendy restaurant or a cool thing to do in town (cosmic bowling? YES PLEASE). - If your destination is in a reasonable distance, WALK. - Find some cheap, funky plates and serving things from the thrift store for parties you can throw in the dishwasher (the only post-party trash should be you and your best friend after too many bottles of noir). - If you do end up buying throw-away goods, get paper instead of plastic... and remember STYROFOAM IS THE DEBIL. - Stop and ask yourself... do I REALLY need that?

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Overall, my quest became more so to rid myself of the clutter, the overspending, and general excessiveness I realized I had in my life. Maybe it was watching one too many episodes of Hoarders, but let's face it: our society encourages us to spend and buy and collect and have newer, better, cooler versions than everybody else.

Listen, I'm no green queen. I still love my mid-sized SUV and the occasional long, scorching hot shower. Every now and then I find myself REALLY needing a Diet Coke (but I always recycle the bottle!). It's all about making smart choices and off-setting your carbon footprint... and, if above anything, appreciating the simpleness, the inherent value of things in our lives. So make Earth Day 2011 a good opportunity to hug a tree and high-five a friend.

So, I'm going to start it off with not bothering to take a shower this morning.

HAILS YEAH, Motha' (Earth) lovaaahs.

I Like to Keep It Au Natural.

Today's foodie post involves a soap box and a healthy appetite. (And photos!)

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Food. I love it. Consequently enough, many other people do, too (imaaagine, that!).

In most of the literature I've read concerning about how to get your community to become more sustainable, food seems to be the number one place to start... and it's hard to argue that fact when it's something you can taste, touch, and smell.

And what wonderful sensations to behold!

Pictured above is the delicious loot I scored at the farmer's market we host on campus once a week. Sadly, tomorrow is the last day to snag my favorite goodies on Greene St. for a while as exams and end-of-the-year madness begin next week... Happily, my favorite vendors will be present at the community farmer's market available on Saturday mornings.

For a medium sized bag of strawberries, 2 lbs of summer squash, 2 cukes, and 4 monstrously sized apples, I paid $9. NINE DOLLA BILLZ, Y'ALL. You can't get a decent lunch or a quarter-tank of gas or get hammered for $9. It's been almost a week and I still have half of it left (and trying a new recipe soon enough with the squash).

The best part? The fuji apples. They're incredibly sweet and crunchy.

And they're HUGE. Like as big as my dogs.

SERIOUSLY.

In fact, I still had a few apples from the grocery store, and they simply can't compete:

SERIOUSLY.

So support your local farmer's market and sustainable agriculture. Incorporate a few organic products in your basket if you can. Sometimes, we speak more mightily with our actions and our wallets; might as well invest a little more time and moolah into something that not only makes us happy and healthy, but our communities as well.

SPEAKING OF WHICH. For those of you looking to help your communities get involved (and you 'local' B@T readers: I'm lookin' at you), check out Edy's Fruit Tree Planting Foundation and vote for your favorite nonprofit hoping to establish a fruit orchard for the local residents! Just find your city/state and VOTE once a day through May 31st. It's that simple. And dangit, y'all know I like my freebies.

Are there ways YOU are trying to live more sustainably?

Do share!

Breakfast (at Target) Cookies

In my Lenten absence from chocolate and my general efforts to be more conscious of what I consume (unless it's free, mind you; my efforts to live cheap take precedent), I've started milling around for other recipes to satisfy my overactive sweet tooth with, at least, less junk. As timing and opportunity would have it, I was tasked with taking several students (18, to be exact) up into the wilderness on a retreat last weekend. Knowing I'd be mopey because my s'mores would be nothing more than gooey graham crackers (eating s'mores without the chocolate is like eating a BLT without the bacon... LAME), I decided to make a batch of something that I could nosh on and still get my sucrose fix.

To further expand my baking endeavor, I decided to find a recipe that was vegan. Veganism is something I've been investigating for a while, and one of the fellow GA's, Meggie, who accompanied me on the trip went vegan a while back. She's a whiz in the kitchen and is always bringing in goodies, so I wanted a chance to not only say "Thanks," but also make sure she could partake. (But for the record, I have my personal beef - pun intended? - with some parts of veganism as a whole, so I'm still testing the waters.)

My first step was finding a recipe. A recipe I could handle. I Googled "easy vegan recipes" - and lo and behold - a plethora of recipes were at my disposal. After searching a bit, I decided to try these guys and go from there. Per usual, I only sort of followed the directions entirely...

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.::Breakfast (at Target) Cookies::.

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The ingredients were fairly simple, and I was excited to discover I already had most of them on hand: oats, (whole wheat) flower, cinnamon, (light) brown sugar, margarine, cranberries, raisins... Several of my ingredients were also organic, which made me feel down-right food-snobbish. Pip pip, cheerio, chappies!

(**Note: The bananas are also Meggie's secret ingredient to a thick, chewy cookie without using eggs. WAY healthier and adds an unexpected sweetness.)

Another reason Meggie served as my inspiration in this recipe is because of this miracle of all things scrumptious. On a trip back home to Ohio (which several of you know is where my crazy mother's side of the family is from), Meggie made a side-trip to one of her favorite tourist stops called Grandpa's Cheese Barn. Knowing my bizarre obsession with sweet potato infused, well, anything, she picked up a jar of sweet potato butter for lil ol' me (note: it's doesn't contain real 'butter, m'kay?). And lemme-tell-y'all, it's UH-freakin'-mazing. Knowing it had a sweet, spiced, smooth taste, I used half the called measurement of margarine and substituted the other half for this stuff. Aaand, well, maybe a little more... DEE-lish.

While I already had a stash of brown sugar for my morning oatmeal, I completely forgot to get good old fashioned sugar-sugar. Thinking adding more brown sugar would overwhelm the recipe, I used about a 1/4 cup of syrup I had on hand. It actually ended up helping the recipe bind together a little better and added a nice maple hint.

So, I whipped up the softened margarine, sweet potato butter, syrup, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, mashed bananas, and soy milk. It already began to smell yummers.

Add your 3 cups of rolled oats. Packed with fiber and cholesterol fighting goodness. YUSSS.

Add the flour. I used a whole-wheat kind and it added a rich, hearty texture and color.

I'm crazy for Craisins! Seriously, they're dangerously addicting and I always have them handy.

For an added surprise and extra nutritional value, I added some raisins.

Now, I'm usually pretty weary about using my oven intended for a family of muppets. It's barely big enough to hold my sweaters, so I figured I'd actually try to use it for baking. Nice thing about it being so small is that it heats up super quickly (perfect for the spazzy chef that I am who always forgets to preheat the oven).

This is going to be interesting.

I load up a mid-sized batch, ungreased, and waited for the oven to get hot. Already pretty in color and strong in it's spiced scent, I hoped my oven doesn't ruin them.

Approximately 10-13 min later, my apartment is doused in heavy spiced aromas and not engulfing flames I feared would happen.

Rustic in color and glorious in it's smells, I knew they couldn't taste that bad.

I hadn't had my 2nd cup of coffee yet, so I decided to sneak a sample cookie along with it.
They were simply marvelous.
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They weren't as sweet as I thought they might be, but overall I was happy they were subtle yet flavorful. The cranberries added a tinge of tang, and the brown sugary-cinnamon combo is always a win. They were dense, hearty, and relatively low in calories & fat; also loaded with fiber because of the oats and whole-wheat flour, and the added fruit gave it a vitamin kick. The batter was deceptive; it looked like it wouldn't make that many cookies, but I had a huge tupperware full and plenty to share with my campers.

Meggie gave it the seal of approval; and while we ate several that night around the campfire, we decided they tasted way better in the morning for breakfast - as did several of the students. Of course, the ingredients lent well to them being the perfect breakfast cookies... and really, I don't know what's better than that.

So breakfast, dessert, or any time, these were quick, inexpensive, tasty, easy to make and relatively healthy. Maybe I do have a domestic gene after all!

.... given the appropriate measures of confidence, of course.

I Pity the April Fool!

ONE.

One month, to the day...

... and I'll be able to sleep, eat, & breath without having to first check my calendar to see if I have the luxury of doing so.

I'm not sure whether to be elated or terrified, but one thing's for sure:

I AIN'T GOT NO TIME FOR THE JIBBA-JABBA.

*What stands between me and summer:*

- Debate presentation

- Final (20 pg) papers & accompanying presentations for each of my classes

- Final exams (cumulative, mind you)

- Internship research/observation paper

- Creating a binder of "Standard Operating Procedures" (including any and all details coordinating efforts and event projects I've done) for my grad assistant (GA) position

- Presentation on work projects at a university event

- Surviving a few more GA-related projects

- Taking over as the newly appointed El Presidente of my graduate program association and helping to conduct hooding ceremonies

- Finding what the devil to do with myself for the summer....

*What will keep me going:*

- Lining up a few photo shoots for friends who are graduating

- Having only ONE thing on my calendar for the upcoming weekends (instead of 3-4 like the last several weekends)

- Being significantly ahead in office hours for my GA to actually (maybe?) do my own work

- Beginning to plan my summer travel calendar (have a couch the pups and I can sleep on? I'll add you to my itinerary!)

- The deliciously warm weather and longer days; my pups are equally as excited

AAAAND lastly:

- John, after 3 long, ridiculous years, is graduating from law school.... I'm not even putting mascara on that day because I KNOW I'll cry it all off before the opening remarks are even over. This is BIG, y'all.

*What you can expect from me in the next 30 days:*

- Limited, if not sporadic, communication

- Minimal social outings (I'm so poor I can't afford to pay attention)

- Mostly likely less than usual postings

- And if I do get to post: RANTS

- General awkwardness and elusiveness of an overloaded grad student

TFD

It's about to get ugly.

It's about to get nuts.

It's about to get REAL.

But as Mr. T said, "Life's tough - but I'M TOUGHER." (I think I'm going to put that on a tshirt and wear it religiously until I'm done. Saves time on having to choose outfits... and not like I'm going to have time to do laundry anyhow.)

To those of you also feeling the crank and crunch of impending academic doom... summer is so close. And we will welcome it with unnecessary amounts of fermented elations!

Hold on tight, suckas.

Says me: Missus C.