Break: Day 1

The Call is an awesome book. Seriously. Put a lot of words and ideas to some of my feelings, and opened my mind to understand some things I did not fully grasp.
 
Home. Big Bowl Orange Chicken, catching up with my mom and family, going to the library... the more I'm away from home, the more I enjoy being back.

Break: Day 0.5

At the suggestion of a friend, I have decided I may maintain a winter break blog. We'll see how it goes. This is day one-half because technically I'm not home yet. My flight leaves for home tomorrow morning. 

It's funny, looking back over summer posts and thinking about how I've changed, or rather how my life has changed. Or rather, how my life continues to change when somehow I expected things to stay the same. It's weird, that I'm just now realizing that nothing happens like I may imagine it.
 

Summer: The End of It All

In the midst of packing... Rambles of the end of my summer.
I can't believe I'm going back to Ithaca so soon.

Sometimes the hardest thing to believe is the truth. I have to keep trusting in the One I know is true, never fail to remind myself that this is my purpose.

I wonder what purpose this summer blog had. Maybe I'll continue something this fall, maybe not.

I value deep conversations more than meaningless words. I hope.

 Memories. Beautiful and painful.

So let my words be few.

Summer: Day 84

 At the internship...
I helped prepare the fabric room for the photoshoot tomorrow.
I picked up a rug from the warehouse.
I helped inventory down comforters and pillow inserts.
I printed off inventory pictures for items to be used in a Parade of Homes Dream Home.
I ate delicious brownies.
I love my internship.

Before I leave for school, I really want to spend some time looking at my life and praying about my future goals and how I want to reach them. I should schedule some time for myself.

Summer: Day 83

I skip days because I can. Bam.

I love lazy mornings where I can sleep in and wake up slowly. I made myself baked French toast for breakfast, which wasn't so good, but was definitely improved by the nutella.

I started pre-packing for school and looking over my schedule. Too soon!

Summer: Day 79

Every decision makes me who I am. I wish I knew the right decisions instantly, because sometimes I feel like I don't have any time to make mistakes.

Anywho. I had another day at my internship and a movie screening with Kevin at night. A delightful day.

Summer: Day 78

Sleeping is underrated. If you don't think you need it you're wrong. I'm going to bed early tonight. :)

Summer: Day 77

Today, I learned to answer phones at my internship. It is a bit complicated, and figuring out how to correctly transfer calls to one of 12 designers can get a bit tricky. But hey, I try to excel at whatever I do. :)

It's my dad's birthday tomorrow! He's going to be the big 6-0. Unfortunately, my mom has to babysit, so we'll be making supper by ourselves. I'm hoping to make some stellar dessert... something a bit classier than rice crispy bars, which I think is my dad's favorite.

Summer: Day 76

I'm getting tired of working. Just sayin'. I would love a two week vacation on an island. How amazing would that be?

This morning, Kevin and I started watching Parks and Recreation. It's pretty good... fake documentary like The Office. Oh also, last night Lexie and I rented The Lincoln Lawyer from Redbox. I'd highly recommend it.

Summer: Day 75

It feels like Cornell is right around the corner... a little over two weeks and I'll be back to Ithaca. It's scary, but exciting too. I'll have a lot more responsibility with cooking and cleaning then I did in the dorm. If anybody has any tips, I'd love to hear them!

Summer: Day 74

Today I worked and finally got a chance to finish painting my bookshelf and headboard! I'm really excited to have that done, and I hope to put them in my room tomorrow. I also got AutoCAD installed on my computer today. After I installed it, I considered that I probably should have installed AutoCAD Architecture instead... but there's no way I'm going to install another 4 hour installation. We'll see.

I texted an old friend/co-worker/acquaintence today. I got a response, so it's good to know she didn't fall off the face of the earth!

Kevin is on vacation in Michigan this weekend. He and his grandparents went to Fricano's pizza today, which makes me quite jealous. If you're ever in Michigan, hit up Fricano's. One of the best pizzas I've ever had. http://www.fricanospizza.com/

Summer: Day 73

This morning I went to the dentist and discovered I had no cavities. Victory! I've started flossing since becoming a responsible adult, so it was nice to see some results.

Summer: Day 72

It was fun to be more involved with the design side at my internship today. Not only did I get to sit in on a vendor meeting, but I also got to pull fabrics and accessories and get product specifications for designers. I loved it.

At night, I had fabulous time going to the premier of Cowboys and Aliens with Kevin and two friends. Universal Studios sponsored a pre-party at Solera, a Spanish restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. I had never been there before, but their appetizers were quite good and made me want to make a return visit!

Summer: Day 71

I woke up extra early today so we could go try to start the car at 7:15. We managed to get it home, thank goodness.

At work, I hung lots of pictures and organized lots of files. I'm going to miss being around all the designers when I go off to school!

Summer: Day 70

Woo double shift days! Not much to note other than the fact that my car refused to start when I tried to leave OfficeMax. My parents came to pick me up, and it still refused to start. Bummer.

Summer: Day 69

My first day back. I worked an 8-4 at OfficeMax, had dinner with the family, discussed college finances for next year, and spent some time with Kevin. A decent day.

Oh yes, and the best part of my day. Kevin had suggested that we meet that morning for coffee or something before we worked. I thought that would be so early, so he said that was fine. Right as I started work, I see him walk in with a my favorite coffee (mint condition mocha) and a muffin from Caribou. Surprises are amazing!

Summer: Day 68 (Travel)

We didn't have time to do much in Milwaukee before for our bus left, but we did go with Charlie to pick up some soda from the Sprecher factory, and we ate lunch at Kopps (Think Culver's, but better). The ride back was pretty relaxing, and I managed to get more of 1776 read.

It was such a nice weekend, and I think it was the only time I've had 3 days off in a row this summer... I think I need a break once in a while!

Summer: Day 67 (Travel)

We all woke up feeling quite refreshed after sleeping in on a Saturday morning. We all slept in except for Lauren, who went for a run before everyone else got up. Which reminded me how utterly out of shape I am after not running for a month... Then we had a yummy breakfast- Lauren and I made chocolate chip pancakes on the spur of the moment, and we took turns eating at Charlie's 2 chair card table dining table.

After breakfast, we walked all the way to Italian Fest. I got a great view of the city! Italian fest was very uncrowded and a bit interesting. There was this one tent with tons of old photographs that we spent quite a bit of time in, laughing at this family picture, or that outfit, or that wedding cake. On the walk back, we ventured into a HUGE used bookstore. I almost got lost. Kevin was pretty excited.

For dinner, Lauren and I were privileged to have dinner prepared for us by the boys: sweet and sour stir-fry, garlic cheesy bread, and salad with a genuine Italian homemade dressing. Needless to say, we washed dishes.

The rest of the night was spent meeting Charlie's neighbor friends and watching the scary movie Paranormal Activity. We were too exhausted from the walk to do much else!

Summer: Day 66 (Travel)

July 2011: Milwaukee

Lauren, Kevin, and I embarked at 4:39 P.M. from the Greyhound Bus Station. In my opinion, one of the nice things about the bus is being able to see your hometown city as you leave. Since I don't live downtown, it gives me an opportunity to look at some of the architecture and people of Minneapolis.

The bus ride proved quite successful, as I was able to finish a book and rest some. I didn't listen to my iPod at all, which is abnormal for me. Usually the earbuds are glued to my ear during a trip.

We arrived in Milwaukee around 10:30. The city lights shone brightly through a light fog. Within minutes, we were at Charlie's apartment. We spent an hour or two hanging out and playing Xbox. I failed at Fifa (2010? 2011?), but really enjoyed playing Xbox Kinect for the first time ever. Probably the most enjoyable type of video game.

Summer: Day 65 (Recipe)

Coffee Double Chocolate Brownies

This recipe is my very own adaptation of a cooks.com recipe. It's an easy way to make coffee brownies, and the chocolate chip options can be substituted for basically any toppings or types.
It was a great travel dessert, because they hold together in tupperware containers without falling apart. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures. 

Total time: 50 min. (10 prep, 30 bake, 10 cool)

1 beaten egg
1 (21 1/2 oz.) pkg. fudge brownie mix
1/4 c. cooking oil
1/4 c. instant coffee grounds 
1/2  c. water
1/2  c. large size semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips/pieces (the nicer the brand, the better)
1/2  c. white chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl combine egg, brownie mix, cooking oil, coffee grounds, water, chocolate chips. Stir just until combined. Spread in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan (I prefer using a light coating of shortening for the greaser, but butter works as well). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes (toothpick may not come out clean if you stick it through a chocolate chip). Cool completely in pan  Cut into bars. Makes 36 small brownies.

Note: The edge brownies taste better after a day or two. No clue why.
 

Summer: Day 64

Tomorrow Kevin and I travel to Milwaukee! We're taking the bus, so it will be nice to not have one of us driving the whole time. We're going with Lauren, Charlie's girlfriend, who is sooooo nice.

Tonight we made coffee brownies to bring with on the trip. I had been wanting to try a coffee brownie recipe for aaaaaages, so it was good to finally try one out. Coffee and chocolate are two of my favorite things! The brownies turned out a little bit too hard/chewy- a little overbaked maybe? I might try making it again with another egg or more water. We'll see. Still, I love the brownies more than ordinary brownies.

My brother just got an android phone, and it was funny to hear that he has a to-do list on it. I love having a to-do list on my phone, but it sounds like  I actually use my to-do list a lot more than he does.

Summer: Day 63

I am quite tired from working and double shifting my internship and work. Cannot wait to fall into my bed tonight.

Also, soooo excited to go to Milwaukee this weekend with Kevin and Lauren to go visit Lauren's boyfriend Charlie! It should be a blast!

Summer: Day 62

It continues to be brutally hot and humid. Another side effect of the heat is that my car has problems starting. I have to try it again with a pump of the gas before it wants to start for me.

After I came home from work, I worked on figuring out my schedule for next year. It looks like I may have only one class on Friday if I go with it. I love having my Fridays free.... That was my schedule first semester last year, and it was the bomb.

Summer: Day 61

I'm just living life. It's been brutally hot and humid outside too, and our power has gone out twice in the last two days. It's a minor nuisance always resetting my clock. Being inside is fabulous.

At work, I started training a new associate in the print and document center. Soooo much to learn!

I've been loving New Found Glory songs recently.
"and oh-oh-oh, we've got something golden..."

Summer: Day 60

Update on my downstairs bedroom project: I have the room measure and a general idea for a style direction, but otherwise I've gotten nowhere. It would help if I had some spare time.

Summer: Day 59

Today was shopping, cooking, and eating. Soooo good. Soooo much food. It was like Thanksgiving in July, and I enjoyed as much as I could, especially seeing as I've lost weight over the summer.

Also, I don't post links a lot, but this post showed up in my Google Reader, and I think it's really relevant/nice. Basically, it proposes that the cure to procrastination/lack of motivation starts with answering the question "What makes a good life good?" In other words, what are you living for and what do you want your life to be like? Once you answer that, figure out how college/what you're doing fits in with that plan. I totally agree with how this puts time management and motivation in perspective with what really matters to you.

Summer: Day 58

Today, I think the sky was the darkest I've ever seen it during the day. It was positively night outside! The rain lasted all day, and it was cool to see the storms pass from the huge windows in the document center at work.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to a day of the Farmer's Market, making food, and eating dinner with my family and Kevin's. What a great way to spend the day!

Summer: Day 57

Today, I got paid at an unpaid internship. Win.

Kevin and I went to Olive Garden tonight because I had a gift card. It's too bad that our server did not know the difference between tortellini and ravioli. Just a bit funny....

Summer: Day 56

Basically, today I had no voice. NO voice. But at least I could whisper. I had my internship, and at night I went to a pre-screening of The Changeup with Kevin. Yes, it was a dumb comedy. Yes, it was very vulgar. Yes, it did have a heartwarming emotional moment or two. And yes, I saw some interesting interiors.

Summer: Day 55

My raspy voice has turned into no voice. It sounds hilarious, so I can see how people make fun of it.

Today I installed my first light fixture (with a bit of help). I got an old light fixture from the Martha O'Hara showroom for free, since I would have been throwing it out anyways. I was able to switch out my bright brass ceiling fixture for something a bit classier in about 15 minutes. Changing lighting is a lot easier than it looks!

Summer: Day 54

I'm still getting over my cold. I have quite the raspy voice, and I can sleep for hours straight.

Things I hate (at least some of the time):
-uncertainty about the future
-lima beans
-reinstalling software
-lazyboy chairs (how they look, not how comfortable they are)
-being tired
-really dumb comedies

Summer: Day 53

Ahh store meetings. We get together and eat pizza and learn about the upcoming BTS (back-to-school) season. This year, OfficeMax's focus is on delighting the customer- basically getting to know the customer and exceeding their expectations. In many ways, this makes me think of how, as a Christian, I am called to serve others. I love others by genuinely wanting what is best for them. We need to love others as we love ourselves. If I'm not growing in this area, then I should not call myself a follower of Christ.

Summer: Day 52

I was sick all day. I woke up and was going to go to work, but thankfully my brother went in for me. Thus I went back to bed and couldn't stop sleeping. I woke up for a bit in the afternoon (i.e. from 4:30 to 8:00 P.M. I was awake.), and I slept 12 hours that night. I hate being sick.

Summer: Day 51

It's Friday, Friday, gotta work on Friday. Yep, it was nice and slow at work, giving me plenty of time to restock paper.

This morning, I worked on getting my computer back up and running. So many things to reinstall: iTunes, Firefox, Microsoft Office, Internet Security, printer driver... phew. I'm working on it. Some of the programs have had problems installing, and for a while I was freaking out looking for my the DVDs I backed up my music on. (Thank goodness I found them).

Today for lunch, I had a wheat wrap with a mix of peanut butter, chopped apple, chopped celery, and raisin filling. Since the recipe was out of the Healthy College Cookbook that Kevin got me, I was happy that the recipe was much better than the other recipes I've tried from the book so far. I've been doing a lot more cooking and recipe trying lately in preparation for when I'll be buying and making all my food this fall. It's quite fun.

Summer: Day 50

Today I finished inventoring what I could at my internship. Woohoo.

Summer is at least halfway done for me. It makes me pretty sad... I've had a great time so far.

I've started reading 1776, courtesy of Kevin. For a history book, it is excellent.

Summer: Day 49

At my internship today we started taking inventory of everything. This includes every piece of furniture, art, lighting, and accessories. What a job.

Two of the other interns and I went out to Noodles for lunch. I ordered the Pesto Cavatappi with chicken, which provided me with leftovers for the next day. I was quite pleased with the quantity of mushrooms in the sauce and the well-designed take-out box. Even though it's not very healthy, if I go to Noodles again, I want to order the Macaroni and Cheese. Even though Macaroni and Cheese is the best in the fall and winter.

"The more I see, the less I know..." ("Snow" by Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Summer: Day 48

The office has the day off today, so I've been able to have a lazy morning before I go to work at 4.
Lazy morning activities:
1) make apple cinnamon pancakes from a recipe I've never tried before. Have to add about 3/4 c milk because the recipe is obviously untested or poorly written (why would they put that in a cookbook?). Pancakes turn out well nevertheless. It helped that I've made pancakes a lot before. They're probably one of the first things I learned to make, yet I still have trouble flipping them.
2) finish reading Mere Christianity. I have a new book to add to my list of favorites.
3) catch up on my blog and email

Summer: Day 47

OfficeMax was fairly busy for it being the 4th of July. I had quite a few customers at the copy center, including several who were finishing up things right before the parade. I remember the same customers doing the same thing last year... their lack of preparation is almost shocking.

I got off at 6, so I was able to eat dinner with my family before heading to the fireworks in Excelsior. For once, I was pretty prepared (perhaps learning from the lack of preparation of my customers?). I sprayed up with bug spray, and remembered to bring some essentials: blanket, goldfish, cards, and glowsticks. As much as I dislike bug spray, I definitely hate mosquito bites more. The fireworks were good and relaxing with Kevin and my friends Haley and Lindsay was a perfect way to spend the Fourth. If I were to rank holidays, I think the Fourth would be in my top three.

Summer: Day 46

Sunday. I worked 11-7, and after I got off I made a quick orange-carrot smoothie (semi-failure) and ate a leftover enchilada, changed, and went to the Chanhassen street dance with Kevin and his friends. It seems as if more and more people attend the Chanhassen 3rd of July celebration every year... I always see lots of people I know. Afterwards, we went over to a friend's house, and I played Settlers of Catan for the first time. It's funny, because that game always reminds me of when I first met Kevin's friends, because they were all playing Settlers of Catan at Scott's house.

Summer: Day 45

Saturday. (Now it's Tuesday, and I'm trying desperately to update my blog posts). I worked 9-6 at OfficeMax, then I came home to have dinner with my family and Kevin. After dinner, we sat around a bonfire in my background, read, and roasted marshmallows. I discovered that nutella is a wonderful replacement for chocolate on smores, mainly because you don't have to worry about it refusing to melt. With nutella, the inside of your smore is guaranteed to be oozy, warm, sugary deliciousness. I'm such a nutella addict. After smores, we lit off some legal fireworks in the driveway and saw what appeared to be a misfired illegal firework at the end of the street. We weren't sure if anyone got hurt, and although no ambulances came, we saw two cars go up the street about 5 minutes after the misfire. Hopefully everyone was all right.

Summer: Day 44

I had the day off!!! It was my first day off in over a week, so it was much enjoyed.

First, I had lunch at Rey Azteca, a local Mexican restaurant, with my friend Lauren. I ordered a lunch combo of a quesadilla, an enchilada, and a chalupa. The quesadilla was perfection, with its thick and fried tortilla. The enchilada was pretty bleh with a bleh sauce, and I think they gave me a tostada instead of a chalupa. I didn't complain about the tostada mistake, because I honestly didn't mind.

Later, Lauren and Lindsay and I walked around Excelsior, despite the heat. We would never have been able to bike (as planned) in that heat. Even though we weren't really shopping for anything, Excelsior was nice to just walk around.

After dinner I got to see Kevin, so it was a great end to my day off.

Summer: Day 43

Moving things into cars and out of cars in 100 degree heat is pretty brutal. On days like these, I know that I should not live in the South.

That night, Kevin had a surprise outing for me. I knew that I needed to wear my swimsuit and that it was okay that Lindsay came too, but I didn't find out until we got there that it was beach volleyball. I think he was quite clever to not tell me until we got there, seeing as beach volleyball is not my favorite activity.Kevin really enjoys it though, so I have attempted to learn how to play. Sometimes, though, I really need to have a better attitude about it.

Summer: Day 42

Today I recovered from only getting 3 hours of sleep. My body screams at me until I catch up. Coffee and Diet Coke got me through the day. Unfortunately, I was unable to fall asleep when I attempted to take a nap.

Summer: Day 41

A few days late... I'm really behind in posting! Sending off my computer has a lot to do with it. This day ended up being super long. First, I was at my internship from 9-3, helping finish up moving stuff from the showroom. Then, I went to work from 4-9, after which I had an HP event that ended in the midnight premier of Transformers 3.

Basically, I loved some of the interiors in Transformers. I even spotted an Arne Jacobsen egg chair!

Summer: Day 40

Today was fairly uneventful. I got some stuff done in the morning before working 2-9.

A few days ago, I received my financial aid award for the coming school year. Because my mom started working again, the award wasn't as good as last year's. Tonight, my mom really looked at my aid and realized how bad it is. Then she and my dad said I should have just gone to Auburn University, where the aid they gave me was guaranteed for 4 years. It's not like they really have a say in that, because they're not really the ones paying for my college education. I am. I am not bitter about my parent's stance or ability to pay the expected financial contribution, nor angry. I've had enough years to get used to working hard, which is a good thing to learn in life anyways. But I am a bit apprehensive of how I will afford books and food this year. I know God will provide, I just don't know how yet.

Summer: Day 39

This will be my last time with my laptop (for a while). Tomorrow, I pack this guy up and send it to be repaired. I've had a red line on the screen for quite a while now. It's only a single vertical line of pixels, so it doesn't interfere with performance in any way, but it's still a bother. Also, last time when I got one red line, it quickly expanded into a big fat red and green line. Since I definitely need it back before I go to school, I have to send it out soon. It makes me a bit sad to be without it. If I were one for naming inanimate objects, I think I would actually say goodbye to it. But I'd like to think that I'm not attached enough to inanimate objects to name them.

Today I had a relaxing day at work, where I encountered a strange woman of Eckancar. The same woman who called my boyfriend a warlock. Yep yep. Needless to say, she's a bit crazy.

I was  able to go home and make a yummy dessert with my wonderful non-warlock man. It was called "Eve's Pudding." Apparently, it's a traditional English dessert. It's similar to an apple crisp; however, the top is like a sponge cake instead of a crisp. Also, instead of cinnamon, lemon is the other flavoring paired with the apple. It was light- a good summer alternative to an apple crisp. We had it with whipped cream, but unfortunately the cream was a bit too old to taste good once whipped up. Ice cream was a nice replacement.

Summer: Day 38

There are so many things I want to do, it's ridiculous. I wish I had more time to explore so many things and be around so many different people. Alas, not possible.

Summer: Day 37

Ah the garage sale! What an American tradition. I am not ashamed to say I was raised going to garage sales on Saturdays, so I have a fond place in my heart for garage sales and superb bargains. In case you are not a "garage sale-r," the schedule for garage sales is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from about 8 A.M. until 4 P.M. Today, as I did not working until the afternoon, I was able to go to several garage sales with my dad. I always am on the lookout for many different items, and obtained several things. In preparation for cooking on my own, I got various kitchen supplies for $4.00 (yesssss!). I also got a project. Basically, I've always wanted more white furniture. Since my parents will not let me repaint any furniture that is previously stained, I must buy my own furniture that is paintable or white. Today, I acquired a headboard which I shall sand and add trim to make it more interesting before painting it white. At $5.00, you really can't go wrong.

Summer: Day 36

I had an excuse to get dressed up tonight. Because they needed more people to go to the Minnesota Remodeler award dinner at the St. Paul Hotel, I was invited to go. Somehow, I made it there the exact same time as the other interns, even though I should have left my house earlier. I think I finally understand how to get to places in St. Paul... come to think of it, tonight was my first time driving to St. Paul.

Summer: Day 35

Today, in many ways, was a repeat of yesterday. More carrying boxes and fabric into the new building, as well as another game of Risk.

As my internship is unpaid, it was especially nice to have lunch bought for me today and yesterday. I always just pack my own to save money. Instead, I got to eat a Panera Turkey artichoke panini. I am thoroughly convinced that few things are better for lunch than paninis.

Last night, I had the most horrible nightmare. I was lying in a bed in a dark room, and somebody was trying to strangle me or smother me. I was kicking and trying to move in my dream so I could wake up, but I had to suffer for a few moments. I woke up quite flustered and anxious, quickly discovering that I was smothered in real life... burning up because I had all the blankets on. Not making that mistake tonight.

Summer: Day 34

I sincerely enjoyed helping the interior design firm move the studio to the new building today. Moving and change and renewal is such an exciting concept... I think the actual business of moving is pretty fun. I admit I am probably quite biased though, having grown up in the same house all my life. I also enjoy take-out food that inevitably seems to accompany moving (today- Pasta Fresca from Noodles and Company).

First long-ish bike ride of the summer. Kevin and Lauren and I rode around the Lowry Nature Center in Victoria. Of course, that's nothing compared to how far my younger brother goes... the other day he rode all the way to downtown Minneapolis.

Yes, salmon can be cooked too much. Yes, it tastes so much more amazing when it's not undercooked. Yums.

I take over the world. in Risk. Domination!

Summer: Day 33

It's so excellent to have a day off once a week. Everyone needs rest.

I was able to sleep in without too much disturbance- even the morning light from my eastern window could not discompose my slumber. During the day, I went over to Kevin's, where we made pizza for lunch. I love how he has the pizza recipe memorized, but I love even more that he's teaching it to me.

I expected the day to be a washout... but it wasn't. Nevertheless, we still read for a while. (Reading while it's raining outside just has a certain appeal.) I started Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Definitely a C.S. Lewis fan.

Later, Kevin and I helped make dinner at my house. We were going to make everything, but my mom is so used to making dinner that she just had to help. :) We didn't mind.

I decided what room I want to redo! Now I just need to get organized and get started!

Summer: Day 32

Worked at OfficeMax today. Missing the good ole' days at OfficeMax.

Summer: Day 31

Blah. I wrote a whole post, and then my computer logged me out of blogger. I will be brief and to the point.

Good:
1 month of summer has passed.
hanging out with old friends.
Super 8, the movie.
making authentic enchiladas.

Bad:
not too much. Life is good :)

Summer: Day 30

Nobody wanted to buy extended warranties at work today. :p That was that.

Hung out with Adrienne tonight. Photo shoot + games + delicious chocolate cake. It was the most chocolate-y cake... so much chocolate and only 2 tablespoons of flour. Saving that recipe. Adrienne copied the recipe for me and thoughtfully also copied her mother's 22 year old chocolate cake recipe. It was really inspiring to see where it came from. Her mother has compiled a notebook of handwritten and copied recipes taped inside. In this notebook are comments that are decades old. I love seeing a family that has truly built their life together.

I'm getting really frustrated with my brother lately. Not upset, just annoyed. I need an attitude change.

Summer: Day 29

I awoke a bit tired yet well-rested. I attempted to spice up my black coffee with ginger... fail. Cinnamon is so much better.

At my internship today, I stood around a lot. Not so exciting, but it's fun to be around the showroom. Furthermore, it gave me a chance to talk to the other intern, Emily, about her interior design experience at University of Wisconsin Stout.

I got $54.00 today by turning in my jar of coins at the bank today. That was rewarding. I was sad that my favorite bank associate, Atalie (like Natalie, minus the N), wasn't there today... but I was pleasantly surprised that the new face "Tim" was pleasant and smiling.

This summer, I want to work on improving the design of either my room or a room in my house... I really need to hurry up and decide which one to work on. Either would involve heavily searching garage sales and craigslist for inexpensive finds.

Blueberry crunch cereal from Target... I'm mildly obsessed right now. Yes, it has a boatload of sugar, but it does have less sugar than many instant oatmeal packets! (side note: yay, first picture on the blog!)

Summer: Day 28

Interior Design Tidbit:
Today I was tagging furniture items in a house that is on the luxury home tour. It's not exactly a luxury home; it has more of the qualities of a Parade of Homes home. Anyways, that has no bearing on the issue at hand. DESIGN FAIL: electrical outlet and switch placing. All over the house. As an example, a large bonus room that is wood paneled to be a home office has basically no outlets, at least none remotely close to where desks would be. Example 2: the light switch to turn on the light above the basement stairs is only at the bottom of the stairs, not the top. Fun time falling down the stairs in the dark anyone? Details like these are not only important for user satisfaction, but also user safety.

Today I left my internship early to see my cousins Jessica and Michael and my Uncle Todd (visiting Minnesota from North Carolina) at the Mall of America. I parked in P9 New York. I think this state coding system for parking is quite convenient and well-designed. Since I didn't know ahead of time whether I would be able to get off my internship early or not, I told my mom to not get me a ride wristband ahead of time. Thus, I watched and went shopping (unsuccessfully for more khaki pants) while my cousins and brothers and Aunt Sharon rode rides.

Thinking. In some respects, I think it is a completely worthwhile and necessary use of time. Often times, I come to the conclusion that cold, thoughtless apathy is much, much easier... sometimes, I like to let things go that I will never be able to understand. (In general...)

Summer: Day 27

I went to my internship, came home, and did not much of note. Although  I did make a carrot soup and also did toasts topped with garlic/red pepper/olive oil mix in the oven. I thought it was good, but all the men in my family thought it was too much like baby food. They should have put more optional ginger or cumin in. Yes.

Sad day, Kevin was sick. But good day (no, excellent day!), he got an internship at Universal Studios working with the team that does DVD(/blue-ray?) sales to Target stores. It is a very good day.

Summer: Day 26

Global market adventure with Lexie. Lovin' ethnic cuisine.

I'm currently crashing. Mega-tired and I don't know why. I even had a diet Dr. Pepper after supper to give me an energy boost.

Sometimes I wonder. When friends never call me or text me first, I wonder how much they care if I'm even in their lives. It's a weird feeling, like you no longer have best friends (Although I would consider my best friend Kevin...). Sometimes I wonder if I brought this on myself. I'm not lonely, and I always have my best best friend Jesus, but maybe I frankly get envious of other people's friendships.

Summer: Day 25

Work. Again. It's really not so bad. It's very interesting to work the same shifts as my brother.

My brother is obsessing over the fact that I pull in rather than back into the driveway. Get over it.

Tonight: relax with Kevin. Make some plans for summer.

Tomorrow: global market with Lexie. Win.

Summer: Day 24

I worked for 12+ hours, and then I saw some friends (including Haley with her swollen cheeks from wisdom teeth removal).

Not much to say, but since it is day 24, "Twenty-Four" by Switchfoot is an excellent song. From exhaustion or pain or apathy... it takes you somewhere else and puts me in a good mindset.

Summer: Day 23

On this day, my day consisted of mostly working. I started at 2, so I was able to sleep in and take a run before going to work. I miss having a gym where I can set a consistent pace on the treadmill and set goals for myself. I'm pretty sure I no longer run as fast, but that's ok. It just matters that I get out there and get  some exercise. Plus, I'm finally starting to enjoy running more. The more stamina I build, the more enjoyable it becomes. Running seems to be an acquired taste, much like blue cheese or tomatoes. I also enjoy running more now that I have actual running shoes. I feel so much more legit. And it's probably better for my knees and feet. Peace out.

Summer: Day 22

Let's just say my internet and my computer haven't been working together so well, hence the lack of posting.

On Day 22, I worked hard at my internship, as I tried to answer questions during the presale at the showroom. Pillows and things were bought by the wealthy Hopkins/Edina clientele.

Afterwards, I went over Kevin's, where we repeated the peanut butter chocolate cake I made for his birthday. The occasion? His sister's birthday. She loved his cake so much that she wanted one like it! We used a different chocolate cake recipe, though. This one had mayo in it... it was really moist but in the back of my head I kept thinking "ewwww, mayo." All in all, a success.

Summer: Day 21

Today was quite ordinary, yet quite _____. I wish I had a larger vocabulary, because I don't know the perfect word to describe today.

First of all, I am getting less sleep than I get at Cornell. O.o I plan to go to bed by 10:30 tonight to hopefully fix this problem. This isn't a big deal, since I'm not sleep-deprived or anything, and it's always nice to be able to fall asleep right away.

Today I decided to make eggplant parmesan for dinner for my family. I almost never cook for my family, but I feel good whenever I do, because my mom always makes supper (and she deserves a break once in a while!). The dish (I think you could call it a hot dish ;) turned out quite well; nothing was burnt and it tasted pretty good. My whole family ate it and liked it, so it was a success.

I biked to Lindsay's house tonight. Biking is such a win because I get exercise and save on gas. Speaking of winning... we watched the Charlie Sheen interview for the first time. Wow. We also watched an episode of Veronica Mars. I honestly love mysteries in general soooo hopefully I'll get a chance to watch more.

Summer: Day 20

Morning: Internship and drove brothers to school. I love coffee.

After dinner, Kevin and I attempted kite flying. This has been one of my summer goals for about 3 summers now, so it was exciting to come so close to completing this. I say so close because although it appeared windy enough, the wind came in spurts and wasn't strong enough to keep the kite up. It would fly for 15 seconds and then the wind would just stop. Maybe another day.

And I realized that even when kites fly, they still need to be connected to something. We can't fly on our own. We need string and something to hold that string, and it helps if that something guides the string. Feel free to further elaborate on that metaphor as you please.

Tuesdays should always be "Thankful Tuesdays." In general, I write down one thing I'm thankful for every Tuesday. Since coming home, I got a bit out of practice, but I started again today.

Summer: Day 19

I finally unpacked my last box from school- my studio stuff.

Second day of work- still getting back into the swing of things. After I got home, I had to go back because I left my phone on the register counter... at least I remembered. I used to be positively horrible about losing things, but it appears I'm finally improving.

I walked around Excelsior for the second time since I've been back. I love that town, and I miss it when I'm away.

Summer: Day 18

On this day,

I went for a run.

I resolved to whip OfficeMax into shape. 

My father seemed to be proud of me, but just who am I trying to please?

I was a lens holder for a photographer photographing a band playing in a garage.

I failed to explain the adjective of a wooden form to my mother, who became slightly angry that I should see "enduring" in the composition.

I angered my mother by not attending my best friend's grad party long enough, because I got there two hours after it ended and had prior commitments to be a lens holder. Thanks OfficeMax...

On this day,
I was happy and alive and I praise God that I had this day.

Summer: Day 17

My 19th birthday.

I completely love the "I can do anything I want because it's my birthday" idea. It's just nice to do that.

First, I enjoyed breakfast prepared by my mother. I know I talk about food a lot on this blog, but I see no reason to stop. Bacon, egg/cheese/pepper thing, waffles with nutella, raspberries... mmmmhm. Then, I allowed myself to be lazy and shower and read.

From 2:15-4:30, I babysat for a wedding ceremony. Since the little girl was sleeping almost the whole time, it was a quiet afternoon.

Then, surprise night with Kevin. We went to Uptown, which has its charms for me. Dinner at a nice restaurant and the unexpected improv comedy show (which was very clean and such) was followed by stopping by a friend's house and Kevin's family's house to receive a beautiful cake from Haley and Lindsay, a drawing of me from Lindsay, and a nice pan from Kevin's family.

All in all, a wonderful birthday. :)

Summer: Day 16

On day 16, I celebrated my birthday with my family. I also went to OfficeMax and signed my employment contracts to become, once again, an employee of that fine office establishment, which I start working at on day 18.

We had Big Bowl take out from Byerly's (yum orange chicken!) and desserts from there as well. Afterwards, Kevin and my mom and I played some cards. If my mom always wins, I don't think I want to play cards with her anymore.

I opened my present from my family and was not surprised to see Crest Whitestrips (which I had asked for), but I was happily surprised to see that they also gave me some money (gas money- yes.) My birthday card was quite tasteful and elegant- another surprise, since my family has a proclivity for picking out tacky cards. I think this is the first year I didn't blow out a birthday candle. Hmmm.

Summer: Day 15

Day 15... a few days late, partly due to the fact that my internet has been glitchy, partly due to my birthday, partly just me being a bit lazy.

Best part of the day: making a honey chicken stir-fry and a blackberry clafoutis (a baked dessert) with Kevin. The honey chicken was pretty good, although I didn't cook the vegetables long enough. The blackberry clafoutis was delicious though!

Summer: Day 14

I've been with my boyfriend Kevin 18 months as of today. I forgot until he reminded me... it's so easy to remember the 1st of every month, but somehow I forgot. It gives us something to laugh about. :) I am positively so lucky and thankful to have Kevin in my life.

Tonight: Tea House with friends from high school math class. Since my internship is quite a ways away from my house and is close to the Tea House, I've been waiting around the area for a while. I haven't been killing time- that is so utterly violent. Rather, I have let time envelope me as I spent two hours walking around stores. Presently, I am using Caribou internet from my parked car. I am quite excited for Chinese food tonight, especially since I've heard that the Tea House is amazing (I haven't been there myself yet).

I love figuring out what I should wear for my internship each day. I have to dress well, but I need to have clothes that I can move furniture in (and crawl and climb over furniture to get to other furniture in). I love seeing how well all the designers dress... I think the dressy casual uniform of an interior designer will be one of my favorite parts of being a designer.

A high and low of the day-
High: excitement for good food and friends at the Tea House
Low: I can't make my cassette tape to iPod converter work anymore, no matter how much I shake it. Hello radio. This is a bummer because honestly, there's not that much that I enjoy listening to on the radio.

Summer: Day 13

I have come to accept the fact that this blog will be neither very witty nor very interesting. Such is life.

This has been a quite uneventful day, as I drug-tested, interned, ran errands, and did some stuff I needed to get done. In a way, I think I appreciate the alone time and down time before my summer gets crazy busy. I'm taking this opportunity to drink a cup of orange tea (delish) and relax a bit.

Most interesting part of the day: seeing my brother Tim wearing this hat: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/101/erapopgrape.jpg/sr=1 .If you knew him, you'd understand why I laughed and asked "Why?" Thankfully, my little brother Matt agrees as well. All Tim's life, he has dressed like a preppy computer scientist with a proclivity for argyle v-neck sweaters, shiny watches, and puma sneakers. This provided a great dinner conversation, as we questioned/discussed why he appeared to be changing his style, whether his friends dress like this, why he was wearing the oversized shirt, whether it was really a "joke" or not, and how my mother took off the sticker because she thought Tim forgot to take off the tag.

I should pin down some stuff I want to do this summer so I actually do it... zoo, beach, art museums, sketching, listening to new music, cooking new recipes... I don't want to waste another summer.

Summer: Day 12

Rain.
Caribou.
Essay help.
Ribs and well-made baked beans.
Games.
Opening a computer.
Remembering drug test at 8 A.M. tomorrow.
Goodnight world.

Summer: Day 11

Another relaxing day in my Memorial Day weekend... I went to Prairie Hill Free Church with Kevin because we're searching for a smaller church for him. I really enjoyed the sermon because I love the scripture that was spoken on: the "love chapter" of 1 Corinthinians ("Love is patient, love is kind...").

Also, I had my first stop at Caribou since I've been back. Small mint condition = win. Super pumped about their new "Buy 7 drinks, get one free" card.

The day continued with more cards with Kevin's grandparents and some mall time, where I just had to buy another dress... For $1.57, I couldn't help myself. :)

Summer: Day 10

A lazy day waking up to homemade French toast at Maddy's... I love her "guess and check" method of making French toast... I must make some this week!

Kevin's grandparents are here for Memorial Day weekend and the birthdays of Kevin, his sister, and his dad. Whenever his grandparents come, we play plenty of games, which I am so down for. We learned Sheepshead (so complicated), and I'm happy to say that Kevin and I beat them in cribbage twice.

So it's amazing how God can regenerate relationships. <3 Praise Him.

Summer: Day 9

I am officially pretty much re-hired at OfficeMax. I picked up my drug test and tried to get tested, but they wouldn't let me get in line even though they were still open for an hour... This means that  I will have to wait more than 48 hours to take my drug test, which is technically against company policy. Oh well. Not like I do drugs anyways...

Sleepover at Maddy's house in which we watched The King's Speech while I pretty much fell asleep. It was great to see Taylor, Ellie, and Maddy!  We helped make bombs as we watched TV. Not sketchy in the least.

Edit: These are not illegal bombs. These are tingoil ball/toilet bowl cleaner bombs.  I was engaging in legal activity, rolling tinfoil balls for Maddy's brother Jake/Jake's friends.

Summer: Day 8

I'm already on day 10 or something... here's a retrospective look at day 8.

My day started off decently early. Anytime I have to get up before 8 A.M. in the summer is early. I had an eye doctor appointment at 8:30 before my internship (the nice thing about unpaid internships is that they can't exactly get upset about you needing flexibility with hours for other commitments). Basically, I went to the eye doctor to make sure I don't have a rare genetic disease called Wilson's Disease, which my father has. Wilson's Disease is a very rare disease where the body cannot properly eliminate copper from the body, so it tends to build up in the body, especially the liver. Untreated, it kills. Another place it can build up is in the eyes- it shows up as a ring around the iris. (It's called a Kayser Fleischer ring: picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kayser-Fleischer_ring.jpg). Anyways, my dad thought my eyes looked different from normal and thought he might be seeing rings. Thankfully, turns out my eyes are normal, and I don't have copper build up. Thus, no Wilson's Disease for me. (Side note: I was tested when I was little, so this just confirms that test.)

I moved a lot of furniture around at my internship. People are surprised at how strong I am. Woohoo.

Summer: Day 7

First day of internship. Good stuff. Everyone is super nice and fun. I did typical intern tasks such as create documents + print them, verify stuff on lists, move lots of furniture... nothing too horrible. :)

Today I went to see Jane Eyre in Hopkins with Lindsay and Stephen. We were the only people under age 70, I swear. I don't know why, but all those white curly heads made me want to burst out laughing. They were too cute.

Summer: Day 6

Starting my internship at Martha O'Hara interiors tomorrow... so excited! AHHHHHHH. YES. Quite excited.

Other job-related news... picked up applications for Applebee's and Houlihan's. We'll see what happens.

Kevin has a homemade pizza recipe perfected. Win.

And that's life.

Jeremiah 29:11. God is where it's at.

Summer: Day 5

I think it's day 5... I have posts for days 3 and 4, but they're waiting on the netbook, which is starting up from an improper shutdown (not happening too fast).

I made a pretty cool chocolate peanut butter cake for Kevin's birthday today (his birthday was yesterday, but I was just getting home. It turned out well and had an excess of peanut butter frosting. Yum. The cake part didn't bake to its full potential unfortunately... the middle didn't rise/cook all the way. Oh well. When I have lots and lots of time I will upload a picture (slooooow upload speeds :p)

I have so much stuff. Seriously, my college boxes took over the living room. Today was spent unpacking and wondering where I will put this stuff.

Picnics are great. Kevin and I picnicked at Lake Riley for dinner today. Sunset + eating + outside = awesome.

Note: figured out that I can rearrange posts by deleting and reposting... not ideal, but it will do.

Summer: Day 4

Better late than never... wish I could rearrange blog posts!

Typing this up on my new netbook.  Drive, drive it away. Ann Arbor to home.  Let’s do a pros and cons of road trips with my parents.

Top 5 Favorites

1.     1.  Getting a chance to listen to a lot of my iPod.

2.     2.  Having a very comfortable van. My chair is perfect for falling asleep in.

3.     3.  Time to think about whatever Iwant for hours on end.

4.     4.  Getting to my destination. (on this trip: home)

5.      5. Responding to texts promptly on my part.

5 Least Favorites (“Least Favorite” is such an oxymoron if you think about it…)

1.    1.   Sitting for hours with limited movement. This cramps my style. I need to walk and stand up, so whenever we stop I get out.

2.   2    Feeling like I’m getting nothing done. I enjoy doing things, but I always forget to bring stuff to do on trips.

3.     3.  Having to use the restroom when there is nowhere to stop.

4.    4.  I don’t eat very well on trips. It’s really hard to get good vegetables to eat. I like vegetables, and they’re good for me.

5.     5.  Descending into a constant state of drowsiness/naptime. Almost impossible for me to avoid.

Yesterday, I had the strange sense of change, and I also was feeling uncertain.  My future is uncertain, and I’m not exactly anxious, apprehensive, or fearful.  I, in general, think of my future in positive terms, so I guess it was more a feeling of anticipation. 

It’s my wonderful boyfriend’s birthday today, so the sooner we get home, the better.

Summer: Day 3

Day 1 of the journey home. Ithaca, NY to Ann Arbor, MI.

Interesting event of the day/rant: I was bringing my last bit of trash to the dumpster, and I saw several plastic garbage bags mistakenly placed inside of the loading dock door by some mistakenly placed cardboard (everything is supposed to be taken to the bins outside).

I had written a nice long description of the events that followed, but word decided to randomly crash and get rid of it. I’m over it. 

Insert rant (indignant confusion) here:  You would not believe what people throw away at the end of the year here. It’s disgusting, and there is no good reason for it. If you go to college, you probably know what I’m talking about. If you go to a school where there are wealthy people who pay full tuition, you definitely know what I’m talking about. I will now continue to debunk any reason why people would throw perfectly good stuff away. 

Potential Cornell  excuses for throwing perfectly good stuff away:

1.      There’s no room in my luggage/I’m taking a plane.

a.      It’s called bigger suitcases and more of them.

b.      Guess what? You can ship boxes anywhere in the world.

c.      You’re coming back to Cornell, right? There are plenty of storage options.

2.      Storage is too expensive.

a.      It is, but can you share costs with a friend or friends?

b.      Do you have a friend’s house you can dump your stuff in for the summer? Some people stick around and may be fine with you leaving a few things there.

3.      I don’t have time to go store my stuff.

a.      Well, that doesn’t excuse you from throwing it away. See 4 b.

4.      I don’t want this stuff anymore.

a.      It’s completely fine to edit your possessions- just do it in a more responsible way. See b.

b.      Put the stuff you no longer need (if it is unbroken and in decent condition) in or by the large bins about 10 feet away from the loading dock. These are the dump and run bins. What you put in here will be sold and the profits will go to local charities.  You can help others and get rid of your stuff.

5.      I’m too lazy to walk the extra 10 feet.

a.       You’re at Cornell, you already have walked thousands of feet more than that. It takes seconds.

b.      You shouldn’t be at college it you’re too lazy to walk 10 feet.

c.      You have at least one friend who is not as lazy as you. Ask them to put your stuff in the dump and run bins.

6.      I didn’t know about dump and run donation bins.

a.      Do you read posters plastered everywhere? Maybe you should. I bet you did.

7.      What about my unopened, non-perishable food items? Dump and Run doesn’t take them.

a.      The food drive does. Downstairs RPCC has been a donation point for weeks.

                                                    i.     Starving children should make you cry.

8.      I don’t go to Cornell.

a.      Put a large sign that says “Free” on top of your stuff and leave it at a key point on campus. Win.

Why am I writing this? Well, during the time while I was packing, I have seen things being thrown away that most certainly should not be: clothing in perfect condition (and not ugly either), perfect condition 3 ring binders, unused cosmetics/shampoo, notebooks, unopened and unexpired non-perishable food, and more.  It made me want to cry. Seriously.  I can see how this world has a problem with garbage accumulation and overconsumption. So these past few days, I did something slightly embarrassing. I “dumpster dived.” I never entered a dumpster bin or touched food, but I did pull out a few bags of clothing and put them in dump and run, separating things I liked or could use. I also looked inside some garbage bags on the floor by the cardboard recycle a few times.  My best find? A digital camera that worked, with the SD card still inside. It’s only 5 megapixels, but it will be a great backup for me or camera for someone who needs one. That was my best find, until today at least. In that misplaced bag, I found a charger for something. Then I found what it was for: a small black HP netbook. Yes, it was a garbage bag. Used Kleenex and empty wrappers clearly marked it. I did not steal a netbook. It worked, and I cracked the password. Hold your applause- the password was the same as the password hint. I did want a netbook, because my laptop is huge and heavy, and I think carrying it to class, up all the hills and stairs, has been causing my screen damage. God is so good, in such unexpected ways.  Thanks for the early birthday present, God.

That was the big event of today... lots of driving followed my find.