114375661922234928 March 30, 2006

I’m going to make cupcakes! Now that I have finally moved and put most of my stuff in its place, I have been considering baking again. It has been too long since I have been able to bake something. I think I am going to make vegan cupcakes. White cake with raspberry “buttercream”… I feel guilty that I want to make cupcakes though. I don’t even enjoy frosting. But you can’t have a cupcake without frosting, and part of the fun of making cupcakes is decorating them and taking photos of the pretty creation. That, and I will force myself to give away most of them because I couldn’t possibily eat a dozen or more cupcakes. Maybe I should halve recipes to make only a half-dozen…

I think I will also make an apron to use as a curtain in my new kitchen. I have to find some really girly vintage-ish fabric first though. Something pink and yellow, sure to annoy Brad…

114330610030660625 March 25, 2006

I am in love with my new CD. Well, I bought two new albums, but only one has captured my heart. It’s the new Sufjan Steven album, Illinoise. I hadn’t really heard anything of his before, but based on all of the reviews of the album I thought I should give it a try. The Shins better watch out! I may have a new favorite band. That is until the Shins release a new album…

So, I have been one very busy and distracted girl. I have been moving bits of my stuff to the new apartment all week. Tomorrow, I get the rental truck to move all of my furniture. Then, I get to clean my empty apartment! I was quite disappointed with the condition of the new apartment. I had to thoroughly clean the place because I am pretty sure no one bothered to before. I took a bunch of photos though, so I can argue with the landlady if she tries to claim I didn’t return the place in the same condition. I can guarantee that it will be in better condition when I leave. I can’t wait to buy a house and not move every eight months.

I also bought a new cookbook last weekend called Vegan with a Vengeance. I am really excited about being able to cook again (when my kitchen gets unpacked). There is a recipe in the book for “fauxtess cupcakes”. You know, like the dark chocolate ones with the creme filling… And supposedly, the author will be publishing an entirely vegan cupcake cookbook later this year. I can’t wait to have cupcakes that won’t harm my heart! Well, and the pleasure of decorating them…

Oh yeah, and some very nice friends gave me a slow cooker this week. I have always been skeptical of cooking food this way, but I have decided to give it a try. I am currently on the prowl for some good recipes.

114217906896071705 March 12, 2006

That trail run kicked my ass! I finished the race, but instead of a 9.5 or 10 min/mile pace, I ran an 11.5 min/mile pace. Blah! Part of the problem was that some of the other runners would race down the hills and then walk up. This technique caused people like myself to yo-yo with them in position. I like to take the downhills slow so I don’t fall because, as anyone who knows me can attest, I am very, very clumsy. However, my philosophy is also to run up the hills. You know, slow and steady wins the race… The problem lied in the fact that because this was on a trail, I couldn’t pass people like one would on a road. This led to me walking up a couple of hills that I know I could have taken. Another big problem was that we ran the race in a thunderstorm. We were standing at the start line all nice and dry when it seemed that the race directors waited for the approaching ran to hit us before yelling go. The wet and muddy trails were much more difficult to run than wet roads. I have a new appreciation for road running. Despite all my seeming complaining, I had an excellent time running this race. It was very challenging and unique. Kind of like speed hiking with 200 other people… And when else do I have an excuse to get wet and muddy and run around like a mad woman?

In other news, my friend Ariel came to visit yesterday after I returned from the middle-of-nowhere Kentucky. She and Ross so kindly donated a bottle of their newly brewed Irish coffee stout. In return, I gave them my last bottle of my very first batch of beer and a couple bottles of my newest American Ale brew. I can only hope that my second batch turns out as well as the first. The second time around was much more organized. Not to say mistakes weren’t made, but my sanity was more intact upon completion. I have to say my first attempt, a Belgian dubbel, turned out remarkably well in comparison to the only dubbel I have ever had. Especially given all the initial mishaps…

Anyway, as soon as the race organizers put up the photos from the race, I will add them to my flickr account. I hope the mud shows up well in the photos. Like a badge of honor…

114183463503714698 March 8, 2006

I’m so excited that my favorite Thai fast food place is finally serving curries! My favorite curry is panang, and it just so happens to be on their new menu. Mmmm…. Peanuts… Anyway, I was a bit apprehensive about ordering something different. The cute little Thai women who owns the place only asks me if I want white or brown rice because I have ordered the spicy tofu the last, well, two years I have been in Nashville. Now she will have to ask if I want spicy tofu or panang tofu because it was good! And they give you so much that you can make two meals out of it… What more could you ask? Oh yeah, the place is called Thai Kitchen if you are ever in Nashville, formerly the Rice Bowl.

On a healthier note, I will be running a 14 mile trail run race on Saturday. I am a little daunted by the idea of a trail run, but I think I can handle it. The elevation gain is supposed to be slightly over 1000 feet which the race organizers describe as short, challenging hills. We’ll see how this one turns out. Maybe I will get some photos to post on my flickr site.

Oh yeah, I made this wheat bread the other day that was pretty good, so I thought I would mention it. It made a really nice sized loaf for sandwiches. You know, not too big, not too small… By the way, I made the bread with soy milk and vegetable oil to make it vegan. I think I might have to make it a regular recipe, though I should probably look for a whole wheat recipe too. Hmm… I should have taken a picture of it. Oh well…

114123094694872962 March 1, 2006

Yay March! Only 15 more days until I can move! I get all nervous and excited about moving even though I have moved four times in the past two years. Hopefully this will be the last time until I am finished with grad school. Then I’m on to a new town…

On Monday, I went to see Maya Angelou speak. She was amazing. So funny and intellectual all at the same time… I have never read about her past before, and I had no idea what kind of traumatic things she had been through. She told us that she was voluntarily mute for six years as a child. She never mentioned what made her speak again, but I can only imagine it must have been very important that she speak after such a long time. She stressed the importance of responsibility for your actions because you never know when your actions will affect another.

At the moment, the ChemE department at Vandy is searching for a new chairperson. Everytime I meet one of the candidates, the inevitable first question is “What year are you?”. That question is immediately followed by “What’s next?”. Does anybody in their fourth year of grad school really have any idea where they will be going? I mean… You can speculate and say you have a preference for academics or industry, but none of us know what’s next. How glamourous is it to say “I want to be a postdoc next!”. Ahhh, indecision and uncertainty…