5 Things I've Learned in Grad School

I have finally finished my first full week of Graduate School and, boy, is my head spinning. Insanely, I opted to take on my program's intensive track, leaving me with a nice, round, 16-credit/ 7 class schedule this fall. Why this option doesn't come with a psychological fitness examination is beyond me. So, while drowning in the misery brought on by this horrible week, I will attempt to focus on the positive: my education.

I present... 5 Things I've Learned in Grad School (so far)

5. You don't have time for the drama.
Unlike some of your old classmates from your undergraduate institution, you have things to do. Since you're not busy living at your parents' house and working in retail, you just don't have the time to type up unnecessarily snide and mean-spirited notes, like they do. It's a hard job, but someone has to grow up and take the high road. Take heart in the fact that, while they're building up their bad karma, you'll be collecting nice, fat cosmic paychecks in no time. Hopefully, some literal paychecks will turn up, too.

4. Always lend a helping hand.
I know, I know, this one sounds too precious to be legit. But it is, I promise you! Offering help can lead to some pretty great things. Namely: friendship. I learned this my second day of class. While walking to my 10AM Voice Disorders course, I saw a girl struggling with the door to the building our class was in. Having made this mistake myself this summer, I stopped and informed her of the wackiness of this building's configuration: In order to get to our "building", we had to enter through the "building" connected to it and navigate down a through-way to the elevator bank that serviced "our building". Why the doors to the place we need to go are constantly locked is a mystery, but from then on out I had a buddy. Another bonus: making one new friend almost always ensures that others come with it! Which leads to my next discovery...

3. Happy Hour was invented for a reason.
BOOZING.

Ok, so that's a part of it, but not why it's important. Happy Hour is a great excuse to take a break from all that education. Its also the perfect casual environment to meet new people and get to know others better. Plus, drinks are half off. Talk about a deal! My university's Graduate Student Organization held a Happy Hour Social last week where I got a nice opportunity to meet a few new first year grads, as well as pick the brain of my program mentor. It got me really excited for my program and I felt like I really 'clicked' with many of my peers. This week a few of my "Speechie" friends and I gathered at one of my favorite little places, Rue B, for half off drinks and appetizers. So delicious, so cathartic, so wallet-friendly. If you aren't using Happy Hour to your advantage, I encourage you to hop on this train. Your brain and your social life will thank you.

2. Go out on a limb.
Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in all the work and getting that perfect grade. Yes, we're all already freaking out about it. No, its not going to stop. But it doesn't have to be the only thing in your life. You can take a chunk of that "study time" you're using (on Facebook) and join a club. I did, and so far it has been a great little reward for getting through my busy Wednesday schedule. After my intense hump day, I head over to one of my professor's apartments and meet a group of ten other students (ranging from undergraduates to doctoral candidates) to sing. Its undoubtedly a tiny, sort-of-unorganized gathering, but we sound pretty darn good after two rehearsals. It reminded me how much I missed singing in a group and definitely brought on some strong memories from my "Top 21" days. It puts a positive spin on my day and still leaves me with enough time to read, take notes, analyze, write, and grade grub.

1. Persevere. Persevere. Persevere.
I knew taking this step in my education would be far from a casual stroll in the park, but I thought I would have some kind of map or crack-spirit guide to accompany me on the journey. Not so. I've come to the bitter realization that I'm wandering alone in the Forbidden Forest of my master's program. I'm pretty much lost in regards to every aspect of my enrollment. What is my course plan for the next two years? Why don't my professors answer e-mails? Where can I get a quesadilla?

(Ok, that last one was a joke, but someone really asked that in one of my lab sessions last week when our TA opened the floor for questions. Can't knock her comedic timing.)

Lately I've felt completely out of step with myself. I've gone from feeling like I have zero information on pretty much anything to do with my program, to feeling overwhelmed by being doused with important needed-to-know-this-yesterday information at the last minute. It's a lot for someone like me (read: type A) to handle. I like to have all my ducks in a row, and right now... this is what my ducks are doing:

HOWEVER, "persevere, persevere, persevere" is the motto that's going to get me through this (even though I swore to Nazlı that it was "It's five o'clock somewhere"). Even though I'm lost in the woods, there's a path in there just waiting for me to stumble upon it. If I have to do it completely alone, so be it. That's life. It might be fun. It might make me lighten up a bit. It might be... anything.

Persevere, persevere, persevere

It's "See you later"...

This weekend my family made the decision to put our dog, Maggie, to sleep. My family spent all day Friday laying with her in our basement, trying to make her as comfortable as they could, and hoping that she would pass on her own. She made it through the night, however, and was in such poor shape Saturday morning they decided that visiting the vet was the best thing to do. I was pretty devastated that I couldn't be there to see her out, but I'm happy that she had the rest of my loving family there with her in her final moments.

They buried her under one of the big pine trees in our backyard ("her" tree, as we've grown to call it), and surrounded her with some of her favorite toys and blanket. My mom found a really nice headstone for her, and my younger brother took care making the spot very special. Being away from home was downright horrible, but they made a great effort to include me with pictures and phone calls.

While I lost one dear friend, I'm thankful for another who did everything right helping me deal with my grief that day. Nazlı came straight to my apartment after work toting a dozen pink mini-cupcakes. We ate oatmeal and sat around. It was good not to be alone. When I was ready, she let me pull out some old photos I had of Maggie through the years and listened to some favorite memories of mine I felt compelled to share. It was nice to remember the Christmas we received that tiny white puppy in the big red box, opened last of all our presents that morning. It was fun to laugh at the "reindeer poop" that covered my brother's gifts that day (Mom and Dad-- big snafu there!), and how I thought I'd received a kitten named "Magic" (I was overwhelmed with joy-ok?).

Look at how tiny she was! 

Nazlı listened, didn't push me to "feel my feelings", and brought desserts. These acts of friendship were simple, but so powerful. Maybe even more than she knew. I realized that being there for someone isn't quite the big complex gesture we sometimes think it is, and that this kind of support can be overwhelming in times of grief. Nazlı's simple friendship was my greatest comfort that day. I wish for all of you to have a friend like this.

Day two of knowing we are pet-less has been weird for a few reasons. Mostly because it feels like a bad dream; I feel removed mentally from the situation as well as physically. I haven't experienced the weird quiet in my childhood home like the rest of my family has. I don't know what that is going to be like. I guess I will find out soon enough.

But, adding to the weirdness, my mom frantically texted me this morning with the following message:

"I was just sitting in Maggie's chair in the kitchen crying with my head down... when I raised it and looked out the window... the next pics are what I saw!"

At first glance my heart stopped. I thought it was Maggie running down from her tree to bound through the back door. Then I realized, as I'm sure you have, that it was a cat. A pure white cat taking her place. I called my mom immediately and she went on to describe how the cat had come down through Maggie's path, turned, and headed up to Maggie's grave under the pine, and sat there. My Dad had even called out a hopeful "Maggie!", just because it was so supernatural. The cat, who none of us had ever seen in the neighborhood before, stood and exited our yard through our back fence (through which Mags had escaped many times). 

This event has been strangely comforting to me all day. I don't know what it means, but I believe it means something good. 

Rest in peace, Maggie. You were an extraordinary member of the family. I'm glad I got to see you as your perky self before you went. This was, perhaps, the greatest of all the gifts you have ever given me. Thank you for being strong for me and making our last moments together so joyous. You will be sorely missed but never, ever forgotten. Love and belly rubs. 

Many heartfelt thank you's to all friends and family who have expressed their condolences over the past few days. Your love and support make it easier to focus on her life and what she added to my family, rather than the sadness that accompanies her passing.

As my second week of graduate school approaches, I'll keep the joy and positive thoughts you've shared with me close to my heart and hang on.

Sweet, sweet victory

Pack up your whites, folks, because Summer is over. Another Labor Day has come and gone, and now we have cool and cozy Autumn to look forward to. As always, I'm one step ahead and have been burning my "Pumpkin Caramel Latte" and "Spiced Apple Cider" candles for about a week now. I absolutely adore Fall, with its crisp weather and flavors, and intend to draw this year's out for as long as I can.

That being said, I was determined to pay Summer its final respect at our informal Labor Day picnic in Central Park this year. I needed to come up with an easy travel dessert (no one likes carrying crushed creations from the subway) that embodied sweet Summertime, and settled my sights on chocolate chip zucchini bread. Zucchini is one of my favorite veggies, and I'm bummed that I didn't eat more of it this season. What a perfect time to play catch up! This loaf definitely has 'dessert' written all over it when you toss in those chocolatey morsels, and the zucchini can be your excuse to lose all that goody-guilt and indulge. Plus, this was a great chance for me to tackle my nemesis: bread.

OK, so its not your classic bread, but you've got to win some battles before you can win the war.

And boy-- did I win! Its safe to say this baby was to-die-for delicious, and still warm when I sat down to nosh with my friends at the Bethesda fountain (I'll be sure to inclue the recipe for all you bakers at the end of this post, you do not want to miss this).

Happy Labor Day!

My dear friend Nazlı brought some yummy pasta salad chock-full of goodies like tomatoes, green olives, pinto beans, and black-eyed peas, to name a few. Finger's crossed she'll post the recipe on her blog, Good Food for Good Soul, and we can all steal it. She was also smart enough to bring plastic bowls and spoons for all of us to use, while I toted some wimpy napkins and a prayer to assist in the serving of my contribution. You see why I need her, right? 

Our party was completed when Andy showed up with the wine, and the three of us enjoyed the breezy afternoon on our blanket. That was until wrestle-mania began just inches from our spot. No, really.

"You wanna tussle?"

We were not amused. And their caretaker was not concerned. Kids.

While it did cause quite the disturbance, it gave us some pretty good laughs and inspired Nazlı to follow through on her Caramel Apple Onion prank. Note to self: accept no treats from this girl.

All in all, I spent Summer's last hurrah just the way I like to spend my days: with good food and even better friends. It was a greatly appreciated and satisfying end to one of the most whirlwind summers of my life, and I look forward to jumping into Autumn in the same manner.

As promised, here's your new favorite recipe. Victory is sweet, y'all.

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (this recipe has enough sugar; trust me, you do not miss out on flavor with the unsweetened variety)
1 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini (use your food processor for an extra time saver!)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, whisking together until well mixed.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until thoroughly blended. Stir in your applesauce.
3. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, blending just until smooth, and stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.
4. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and spoon in batter. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick can be removed cleanly from the center. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Vegetable Pot Pies

Hello all! I've got my chef's hat on today and decided to make myself some comfort food. I found this delicious recipe in one of the vegetarian cookbooks that had been gathering dust in my parents' kitchen cabinets, and decided to adapt it with a slightly healthier twist. By using less oil and fat, and adding more "whole" ingredients, I think I took this recipe from fantastic to phenomenal.

On an eerie note, the Creepy Twin Brain has struck again between my best friend, Nazlı, and I. (You can check out her fun food blog, Good Food for Good Soul, here!) We have this habit of thinking exactly alike without any prompting or warning. As I was typing this, she called to see what I was up to, and I told her about my successful kitchen foray. She laughs and goes, "I was looking at pot pie recipes last night and was calling to tell you we should make vegetarian ones together". No lie.

So that leaves me with the question, am I being controlled by gypsy Turkish mind tricks? And is it really a bad thing if I get delicious food out of the deal? Thoughts?

Ok, let's get out of the twilight zone and into the kitchen. Here's what you need and what you'll need to do to get yourself some yummy, gooey, and healthy veggie pot-pies!

(A traditional instruction list is situated at the bottom of this post, for all you quitters.)

Individual Vegetable Pot Pies
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Total cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6

Ingredients

• 1 medium potato, peeled, cut into small cubes
• 1 large carrot, peeled, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup small broccoli florets
• 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, cut into small cubes
• 3 1/2 tbsp margarine (or your favorite non-dairy substitute)
• 2 tbsp whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or another non-dairy substitute) 
• 1 cup cheddar cheese (I used Galaxy Nutritional Foods' Rice Shreds... tastes exactly the same and only 70 calories for 1/3 cup!!!)
• 2 egg yolks
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (the original recipe called for poppy seeds, but I couldn't find them and swapped)

Now, seeing as I am only one person, and own only one rameken, I decided to make only one pot pie at a time. These are surely best eaten the same day that they are baked, and, though I could try, it's not likely I could devour all six in that time frame. Simple fix for an abundance of food? Tupperware, duh! Then you have something to dig into the rest of the week! 
 

"Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success" ~ Henry Ford

Before you take the leap into cooking, make sure to prepare all of your ingredients. There are a lot of things happening simultaneously in this recipe, and it will work in your favor to have everything chopped, peeled, and measured from the get go!

After you've prepped your kitchen, preheat your oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit and defrost your pastry sheet. I bold this because, true to form, I skipped this part. I urge you not to.

Next, steam your potato, carrot, and broccoli until tender. Drain well and place in a large bowl. At the same time, heat your oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and red pepper over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until they're nice and soft. Transfer them to the bowl.

Tip: if there's too much oil left over in your pan, don't just blindly dump it into your veggie mix. Hold the pan level and use a fork to lift your onion and pepper bits up and out. This will save you from extra fat consumption and will let the awesome flavors of the vegetables take center stage.

Now you're ready for your cheese sauce.

Yes, it is supposed to look like this! Take a breath, chef.

Heat the margarine in a sauce pan and add the flour. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden. If you look at the photo above, you'll notice things look kind of weird. But, rest assured, all is going well and your sauce is going to be phenom. 

Add your milk gradually; stir until smooth. I used a whisk to better combine my ingredients (how kitchen savvy am I?). Continue stirring over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until the mixture boils and thickens. Boil for another minute, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Add the cheese and egg yolks (here is a tutorial on how to separate the yolks, just in case you need it) to the sauce and stir to combine. Season your sauce to taste. I only used black pepper, but there's room for salt, cayenne pepper, or anything else your tastebuds crave. Just be sure to add with caution and taste test along the way!

Add the sauce to the vegetables and stir to combine. Fill your ramekin with the mixture, and refrigerate the left overs for later. Cut a circle from the pastry sheet to--

Uh oh, did you forget to defrost like I told you? We're cut from the same cloth, aren't we? Well, here's a quick fix: take them from the freezer as soon as you remember, and leave them on top of your preheated oven to speed the thawing process. If they're still not ready when you are, use that time to do some clean up. You'll be glad you did later.

So, cut that circle from your pastry sheet to fit the top of the ramekin and press the edges to seal. Really try to make a tight seal there because, mid-bake, the sauce can bubble over and create quite the mess. Mine did exactly that.

(Quick fix: Simply put the ramekin in a cake tin or other oven-safe baking dish to prevent the overflow from burning to your oven floor!)

Brush the pastry top with the lightly beaten egg and sprinkle your seeds on. Make sure you refrigerate the beaten egg for use on your leftovers! It should keep for up 2-3 days if you mix in a little bit of water and seal the container tightly.

Now, bake the pot pie for 25-30 minutes, or until beautifully golden brown. I suggest a solid 25 minutes for cooling, as well. I know the wait will be tough, but not having a singed mouth (aka- "pizza flap") is the gift that keeps on giving. Lift the pastry cover up with a fork to give it an extra nudge in the cooling direction.

Then, the best part! Dig in!

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 415∘F and defrost one puff-pastry sheet.
2. Steam the potato, carrot, and broccoli until just tender. Drain well and place in a large bowl. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and red pepper over medium heat for 2 minutes, until soft. Add to the bowl.
3. Heat the margarine in a sauce pan and add the flour. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until lightly golden. Add the milk gradually, stirring until smooth. Stir over medium heat for 3 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Boil for another minute, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Add the cheese and egg yolks to the sauce and stir to combine. Season to taste.
4. Add the sauce to the vegetables and stir to combine. Fill ramekin with vegetable mixture, and refrigerate the rest for the future. Cut a circle from the pastry to fit the top of the ramekin and press the edges to seal. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Refrigerate the beaten egg for future use (will keep up to 6 days).
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Home on the Range

This past weekend I trekked home to celebrate my parents' August birthdays. And you're right-- two Leos under one roof is just as dangerous as it sounds! But it sure can be exciting. There were no major battles this visit, which set the stage for some good conversation and even better food!

Jordan, my "little" brother, known to the ladies as the "Silver Fox" due to his beautifully premature gray head of hair, picked our birthday celebration location. His expensive taste led us to a great seafood restaurant on top of Pittsburgh's picturesque Mount Washington, called Monterey Bay. Sticking with family tradition, we abandoned our pre-made reservation in favor of a table in the bar area, where we landed a truly spectacular view with the bonus of some good 'ol rock-n-roll to serenade us.

Black & Yellow

As a soon-to-be 10 year vegetarian, there was very little I could dive into on the restaurant's menu (the cocktail list is an entirely different story-- Champagne + Grey Goose + Chambord = French Kiss? Oui oui!). While my family grappled with the extensive list of seafood and the un-listed chef specialties, I decided to go out on a limb and try the crazier of my two salad options. I thoroughly enjoyed my bed of baby spinach, topped with pistachios, blood oranges, goat-cheese-stuffed medjool dates, and a blood orange vinaigrette. I didn't get a picture of it because I was too busy scarfing it down, like a lady. 

We ate, we drank, we laughed, we joked, and Mom and I even splurged on desserts (to DIE for). If conversation dwindled at any point throughout the rest of the weekend, one of us was compelled to comment on how amazing our family dinner on the Mount had been. 

While I had specifically returned to Steel Town to celebrate my folks, the timing happened to coincide with a less-than-celebratory series of events my family is facing. Our beloved ball chaser, squirrel hunter, toe licker extraordinaire, Maggie, is beginning to quickly decline from liver disease. Even at the ripe age of 12, Maggie has had the energy of a young puppy. Ignoring her arthritic joints, she has been known to rocket off her chair in the kitchen, out the back door, and up the hill in our back yard after enemy squirrels. We always forget how old she really is and have to think about it when visitors ask us her age. 

May the odds be ever in your favor, vermin.

As recently as this May, however, things began to change. When I returned home from college, I pointed out that she looked awfully bloated and suggested a visit to the vet. The vet did some tests and came to the conclusion that Maggie's liver was no longer working properly, and that fluid was leaking from it into her abdomen. The best we could do for her was to drain it. Each time the fluid was tapped Maggie seemed to go right back to her sprightly self. The worrying thing, though, was that the amount of fluid was increasing and time between drainings was decreasing. It has been a consistent 750 mL drain lately, which is the amount of liquid in your basic wine bottle. Unfortunately, my dog isn't filled up with Italy's finest Chianti; she's gorged with ammonia-laden liquid which is beginning to affect her neurological system. 

On the Monday before I flew home, my dad called to inform me of the drastic changes that Maggie was going through. All of a sudden she was becoming disoriented, walking in circles, and even appearing to go blind for brief spells. Her lack of appetite has her at a painful 13 lbs, and her breathing is labored, at best. The vet had been consulted and, after performing another abdominal tap, suggested that my family start making decisions about the rest of Maggie's life.

If you know my dog, I know you are just as flabbergasted as I was. How did this insane, spunky, yappy terrier turn so fast? 

If you know my parents, the fact that they decided to prep me with this news, rather than hide it, signals that things are getting deathly serious. Really-- last year I was on the phone with my mom, just chatting away, while she left out the fact that she was in the emergency room with my grandmother, who had broken her femur and laid undiscovered on her bedroom floor for four hours before a neighbor came over. My parents do NOT tell me these things over the phone. So it hit pretty hard when I got this call. 

I was prepared for the worst when I finally made it home. My parents had Maggie's stomach tapped in hopes that it would perk her up for my visit. I think it did the trick, because, for the most part, I was met with my waggy best friend again. True, she really wouldn't eat, and she stood for long periods of time with her nose against walls (weird, right?), but she spent some quality time gnawing on her toys and even ran off after a squirrel. I was so unbelievably happy that I could see these glimpses of the real Maggie, rather than the sad decline my parents had been dealing with. 

I'm pretty sure that today was the last time I'll ever hold my dog. Probably our final chin-scratch and stinky-breath dog licks. I hope that when I return home in November for the holiday she'll be there to greet me, but Disney prepared me with all that "Circle of Life" stuff, so I'm not getting that hope up too high. But, gee, wouldn't just one more holiday with that pooch be the ultimate reason to be thankful?

Life is full of ups and downs; we all know this. It's important to remember those up-swings, though, because the downs have a tendency to drag you with them. Don't take your time for granted. Make the most out of it, because then you'll have something strong to hold on to when life takes on a gloomy turn. I have a great family dinner to cling to, and, even though our family may be shrinking in the near future, it's memories like these that make it possible to smile at the time you've had, and make peace with the time you're going to lose.

The Worst Irish Soda Bread Ever.

I am going to start this post off defending my baking skills. I am particularly good at whipping up a solid batch of cookies or an exotic cheesecake (with NO cracks on the surface, thank you very much). But bread is a different story.

Bread and I do not get along. There is something so cosmically wrong with our relationship that we need an intervention. Earlier this summer, I attempted a loaf of Marbled Banana Bread that was a pretty epic failure. I neglected to add baking soda, so my loaf didn't rise, and I was left with a beautifully marbled banana brick.

Today, tragedy has struck my kitchen in the form of a wheel of 'sort of Paleo' Irish Soda bread. My deviations from the original recipe were mistakes. Biiiiig mistakes.

While initially skimming the recipe page, I decided that I'd substitute in some items I already had in my pantry in the name of saving a few bucks. Instead of almond milk, I used soy milk. Rather than almond flour, I used whole wheat flour. I replaced the caraway seeds with crushed walnuts (#yolo). Not too different right? That's what I thought. And I think I thought wrong.

Now when I got down to prepping my bread, I realized I didn't have any baking powder. I know, I know, what is my problem??  I was also too lazy to walk two blocks to the supermarket, so I went to my trusty friend, Google, for help. I ended up using a 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice concoction that the internet told me to in place of the darned baking powder, and assured myself that everything would be okay.

I made a mess kneading the dough, but somehow, once it was in a nice bread-y ball in my pan, I thought, "Yeah, this is going to be great!", and popped that baby into the oven. Twenty-five minutes later I started to smell the beginnings of a burn, so I yanked it out. With my creation still looking promising (despite the burn smell), I left it to cool for a half hour before approaching it with my knife and plate.

Some photo fun, before disaster struck

As soon as I cut into the loaf I knew we had an issue. The soda bread looked suspiciously like my unrisen banana slab from last month, and the slice I took crumbled like the dreams of Jordyn Wieber at the end of the qualifying round for the Women's All-Around Gymnastic Finals in London (sorry girl, couldn't resist). Still, I tried to keep the faith, and grabbed some jelly and margarine from the fridge to supplement my creation.

Neither helped. It was awful. Salty with the consistency of crusty play-dough.

Now, as I sit on my kitchen counter pondering the fate of the rest of the cursed loaf, I am officially challenging myself to conquer BREAD.

I will make a delicious loaf of bread, sooner rather than later.
I will also read the recipe thoroughly and check my cabinets before proceeding.

Any and all baking tips are welcome and encouraged!

The Most Joyful Girl

When I'm idle I get antsy. In my relatively short life, I've used 'multi-tasking' as a gateway drug to 'over-tasking', often biting off more than I think I can chew. In many instances, however, I am pleased to find that I can handle just as much as I've bitten (my father would be only too happy to back me up on how big my mouth is), and maybe then some. Coming out of a challenge, no matter how big or small, gives me the most insane rush of joy. I live for that feeling.


After graduating with a B.A. in Theatre and a B.S. in Communicative Sciences & Disorders from my Undergraduate University (all in four years-- there's that over-tasking bug, again) this spring, I was jumping out of my skin with excitement at my impending out-of-state move to New York City for graduate school. By July 2nd, I was settled in to my new apartment and attending my first class as a grad: Neuroanatomy. Yikes.

While class was a bit intense, I made it through and even came out with a better appreciation for the human mind! Education at its finest. Plus, the short summer-semester time frame gave me a nice month long break to explore my new city. I've gone uptown, downtown, across town, and more. And there is still so much more ground to cover.

I've been blessed to have visitors nearly every weekend since I've been here. We've tackled everything from crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to appearing in a rap video. I kid you not. I'll share the experience once (if ever) the video becomes available.

On top of this, I'm starting to come into my own as a vegetarian chef and baker. The city has given me access to foods and ingredients I've never had before, and I've been spending some serious quality time with my new tiny kitchen.

All of my experiences in this new place have given me that sparkle of joy that I crave, and they've inspired me to share it.

Maybe I'll make you laugh. Maybe I'll teach you something new. Maybe I'll inspire you to challenge yourself. Or maybe none of those things will happen, and this blog will simply serve as another task on my To-Do list. Regardless, I'm looking forward to keeping busy.