Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Day 14
What is that? Warmth? Well hot damn (literally). It was almost 80 degress today. In celebration of this spring thaw, Colby has thought it a good idea to have a "spring fling" backyard party. We'll be having outdoor games, bbq, and my favorite, smores around our stone fire pit. The shindig will be taking place on April 17th and anyone that is cool is welcome to come check out our gigantic backyard and enjoy the festitivies. Holla spring!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Day 13
Monday, March 29, 2010
Day 12
I don't know if I could possibly be any more excited than I am right now. We miraculously snagged 4 tickets to the Lady Gaga concert at the Sprint Center on August 3rd. Lesley and I both had our computers ready, knowing they would go fast. It was literally a few seconds between each of us when we hit the refresh button at 10am. Mine had 4 tickets available, hers didn't. Thank God we both decided to do it at the off chance they went that fast...and they did. I think the majority of ALL the tickets were sold out within the first 5 minutes they were available. We didn't even bother to look at the seats because, well, we didn't really care where we were sitting as long as we were there.
This concert might just out do ya Brit and your circus, we'll see.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Day 11
I'm growing a plant. Or is it a flower? Either way, I'm a first timer.
The only thing I've ever been able to successfully grow is some mold in the fridge on some old chicken. The plant seriously looks like a 6 year old could tend to it, so I thought "hey, fits within my standards". Here were the directions:
1. Place the soil pellet in a bowl or cup (check)
2. Add approximately 3 tablespoons lukewarm water (it still looked dry...added about 6...check)
3. Let the soil pellet absorb the water for about 5 minutes (it look pretty well absorbed after one minute...check)
4. Use a fork to mix the soil with the water (check)
5. Put the soil in the pot (see what I mean by 6 year old standards now?..check)
6. Sow only 5 seeds in the pot and use the extra seeds in your garden (crap, it didn't say anything about the prerequisite garden...someone want them?...check)
7. Place the seeds on top of the soil and lightly press the seeds into the soil (how far into the soil? i had about 3 rounds of pushing them down...check)
8. Place in a sunny location (check)
9. Keep the soil moist (so far so good...check)
10. Transplant when the plants are 3" tall (uhhhh....transplant where?!)
Currently my new plant is sitting on the kitchen window sill. I feel like it's supposed to have a name. I generally tend to name things of the male gender, but since it's a sunflower does that make it more female? Any suggestions?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Day 10
All the single ladies….now put your hands up (insert hands up now)! There's been some dates that I thought won the gold medal for awkwardness. Nope, not even comparable to this past Thursday's date. Honorable mentions include: (1)someone trying to hug me in the car while seatbelts are on, (2)watching "He's Just Not That Into You" on date then getting "I don't think this is gonna work out" text the next day.
Mcdreamy is a 26 year old med student stuck within the confines of KC. It should also be noted that Mcdreamy is 6'4 with black hair and brown eyes...deadly combination, I know this ladies.
The date takes place at Harry's in Westport at 8:15pm. He gets there before me and gets a table. I arrive. Boy meets girl, girl likes what boy has going on, boy then tells her..... he's "not her type of guy"...? Maybe it was the strange looks I was giving him as he explained how he didn't really listen to music. Conversation goes a little something like this:
Me: So what kind of music do you listen to?
Mcd: I listen to a little bit of everything, except for maybe country
Me: Do you have a favorite band or song?
Mcd: No...
Me: (insert weird look) You don't have one favorite band or song?
Mcd: Eh, not really
Me: What music do you listen to in the car?
Mcd: I don't listen to music in the car, I just think
Me: (insert even weirder look) Are you serious?! WHAT?
The night progresses along these lines. He keeps checking his phone. I ask about the deal with the phone checking.
Me: Why do you keep checking your phone?
Mcd: My roommate was having car issues so he was going to text me to let me know he made it home ok
Me: Either you're a really good liar or really nice (thinking...liar)
Finally it comes to the point that he's fiddling with the drink menu. I have to know what the deal is know.
Me: Are you having that bad of a time that you have to look at the menu?
Mcd: You're really nice and attractive buuuut.....
Me: (laughing at just imaging what's coming next) Just say it
Mcd: I gotta formulate my statement correctly
Me: (still laughing, come on dude)
Mcd: I just don't think I'm your kinda guy
Me: What you really mean is I'm not your kinda girl?
From this point on, it's absolutely hilarious. At one point he even offers to set me up with his friends. Who does this?! Seeing as how awkward this whole date was and how someone could be so honest, I told him we have to be friends. Surprisingly enough, I think we are.
Last night he was planting cucumbers and tomatoes.
Did I miss anything Mcdreamy?
Friday, March 26, 2010
Day 9
(back dating this to Friday since yesterday was a busy day for me)
Friday was Tony's funeral. While most funerals you attend you're stricken with grief and sadness, this one was different for me. It was a moment where I realized had it not been for Tony's death I would probably never experience anything like this in my life. I sat on a floor for over 2 hours taking everything in and thanking Tony for giving me the opportunity to get a small glimpse into his culture. It made me realize there are many things in my life that I will probably never experience because it's not part of daily norm or way of life. There were so many that attended Tony's funeral they couldn't even all fit into the room where the ceremony was taking place.
I'll first tell about my experience while being there then include what his religion is about.
When I first arrived at the gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), I was asked to remove my shoes and place them on a shelf. Next, you must wash your hands before entering the gurdwara. In addition to this, you must have something covering your head too. The gurdwara itself was a large open room, only separated from the entrance by a large clear glass double door. Inside there were sheets and sheets of white covering the floor with a red rug leading to the front. Men were sitting on side of the red carpet and women sitting on the other side of the red carpet.
Once all of the visitors have arrived, there are about 3 or 4 men sitting at the front speaking in their native language. Tony's brother was one of those men. It was hard to watch his brother grieve up there. Tony and his brother look exactly alike and all I could imagine is that he was Tony.
The ceremony readings/songs were all in their native language with one small reading from a woman who spoke in English to explain a few things. During the ceremony, there is a man standing behind the throne waving a whisky back and forth over it every so often. From what I found, this is what it's called: Budha Marna (waving of whisk, over the hearse of an old person's dead body and decorating the hearse with festoons).
The ceremony comes to a conclusion and the lady makes an announcement that they are going to serve Prashad (sweet pudding) and then everyone is welcome to join downstairs for the Langar, which is the dinner. I excused myself before the serving of the pudding, as did most guests who don't practice Sikh.
I am so thankful for having this experience and know that Tony's soul will live on. If you'd like to know more about his religion keep reading. It really is insightful to learn about something that you've never been introduced to.
Basic concepts of living and dying for those who practice Sikhism include the following:
• A Sikh tries to be constantly mindful of death so that he or she may be sufficiently prayerful, detached and righteous to break the cycle of birth and death and return to God.
Sikhs believe in the cycle of reincarnation. Life is not the beginning or the end. Life is a moment in the journey back to the Creator.
• Sikhs believe that the physical body is perishable, but the soul is eternal, yearning for reunion with God.
• The goal for all of life is liberation from the cycle of life and death.
• Human life is a divine gift, and the termination of life is a returning back to the Divine Source.
• Because the soul never dies, there is no mourning at the death of a Sikh. All ceremonies commemorating a death include much prayer to help the soul be released from the bonds of reincarnation and to become one with God again.
For the actual funeral ceremony:
WASHING: Before entering Gurdwara, one should have bathed or showered within the past twenty-four hours; hands and feet should be freshly washed. Most Gurdwaras have sinks at the entrance for hand and feet washing. Many other Gurdwaras customarily set out wash basins at the door for washing hands and feet. (There should be separate ones for hands and feet.) Obviously, to wash one’s feet, socks and stockings must be removed. The injunction prohibiting shoes while in Gurdwara is taken by many Sikhs to include the removal of socks and stockings. This makes a great deal of sense for two reasons: for cleanliness, and for the nerve endings, as described in the next section.
SHOES: Shoes are always removed before entering Gurdwara. This serves two purposes: first, it keeps the Gurdwara floor clean, and second, it allows the 72,000 nerve endings in the feet to receive energy unimpeded. To further facilitate this, it is advisable for one to enter Gurdwara barefoot, without socks or stockings obscuring the feet.
CLOTHES: It is traditional to enter the Guru’s Court in one’s finest clothes. Guru Gobind Singh gave us bana, as a means of elevating our consciousness, and it is appropriate for us to wear full bana when entering Gurdwara, if this is possible. Kurta, churidas and cummerbund are traditional; white clothes are preferable to colors. If one is dressed for work, it is appropriate to come to Gurdwara in clean work clothes.
HEAD COVERING: It is mandatory for one’s head to be covered in Gurdwara. There are no exceptions to this. A full turban for men, and a turban draped with a chuni for women, are most appropriate. It is also permissable to wear house turbans or work turbans, and a chuni is not required. Visitors to Gurdwara who do not normally wear turbans may cover their heads with any full head covering. For adults, a Rishi knot cover is not considered an appropriate head covering. Babies’ heads should also be covered; if a baby is brought into Gurdwara with its head uncovered, it is appropriate to approach the parents gracefully and offer a head covering to them. In this way, the child develops a respect for the presence of the Guru early on in life.
DO NOT BRING INTO GURDWARA: Tobacco, alcohol or intoxicants of any kind must never be brought into Gurdwara. Anyone refusing to comply with this directive should be prevented from entering the Guru’s Presence. This also applies to any person who is visibly intoxicated.
It is best to avoid bringing toys to the Gurdwara for children to play with. Rather teach them how to sit, meditate and listen to Kirtan. This training will build their Dharmic foundation.
BOWING TO THE GURU: One’s first act in Gurdwara is to bow to the Guru. Approach the Guru gracefully and consciously, and wait until anyone ahead of you has completed his or her salutation and offering. It is an effective centering technique to press one’s palms together, while keeping the breath long and deep. When we bow, we bring our foreheads to the ground at the Feet of the Guru. It is not enough to touch the turban, or the nose – the meridian at the third eye must touch the ground. The blessing of being able to bow to the Guru, the Word of God, is something which comes only by blessed destiny. When we touch our forehead to the ground at the Feet of the Guru, our destiny is activated.
Once Guru Gobind Singh was asked by a Sikh how it was that He could change a person’s destiny, if it had been pre-ordained by God from the very beginning of time. The Guru showed him a ring, which had a design imprinted upon it. It was used to seal certain documents. He showed the Sikh that the ring had the design backwards, so that when it was pressed onto the hot wax, the design was set correctly. The Guru explained that one’s destiny is written upon one’s forehead, but it is latent, waiting to be activated; this is what occurs when one bows and touches one’s forehead at Guru’s Feet. It is our great blessing to have this opportunity.
The Siri Singh Sahib once said, " . . . a man who doesn’t have an altar where he can bow his forehead , that human cannot have any other technology to change the destiny written on the forehead."
OFFERING: We bring an offering and place it at the Feet of the Guru. Just as we offer ourselves spiritually, we bring a material offering to complete the exchange of energy. This offering is for our own benefit. The Guru needs nothing; we need to offer something which we have gained from the material world, so that we may participate and support the activities of the Sadh Sangat. Such offerings may be monetary, or materials used in the maintainance and beautification of the Gurdwara, or other activities connected with it, such as preparation of Guru-parshad, the Guru-ka-Lungar, ramalas, rest houses, free kitchens, etc. As you give, so shall you receive. If you have little to offer, even just a flower, offer it with sincerity, and the Guru will accept it with equal sincerity. Offerings should be placed gracefully at the Guru’s Feet, and not thrown at the Guru.
After making an offering, some Sikhs customarily perform a Parkarmaa, a walk around the Guru. This should always be done in a clockwise direction, approaching the Guru from the left side of Gurdwara, in order to maintain the correct energy inflow. Whenever possible, you should approach the Guru from this side; for example, when you are to serve as Granthi sitting behind the Guru. When you arise to rejoin the Sangat, you should exit in a clockwise fashion as well.
Friday was Tony's funeral. While most funerals you attend you're stricken with grief and sadness, this one was different for me. It was a moment where I realized had it not been for Tony's death I would probably never experience anything like this in my life. I sat on a floor for over 2 hours taking everything in and thanking Tony for giving me the opportunity to get a small glimpse into his culture. It made me realize there are many things in my life that I will probably never experience because it's not part of daily norm or way of life. There were so many that attended Tony's funeral they couldn't even all fit into the room where the ceremony was taking place.
I'll first tell about my experience while being there then include what his religion is about.
When I first arrived at the gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), I was asked to remove my shoes and place them on a shelf. Next, you must wash your hands before entering the gurdwara. In addition to this, you must have something covering your head too. The gurdwara itself was a large open room, only separated from the entrance by a large clear glass double door. Inside there were sheets and sheets of white covering the floor with a red rug leading to the front. Men were sitting on side of the red carpet and women sitting on the other side of the red carpet.
(not the actual one I was at, but gives you an idea)
There are no seats or benches, just the sheets to sit on. I made my way down the red runner and stopped at the throne, said a silent prayer, and walked to the side of where the women were sitting. I proceeded to watch men, women, and children all make their way to the throne as well, watching how they give prayer. Most had money and would place it in the large wooden box. Next they would say a prayer, bow down to the floor, lean over and then kiss the floor. The entire time while this is going on there is a man behind the throne reciting verses and singing pslams in Punjabi. Once all of the visitors have arrived, there are about 3 or 4 men sitting at the front speaking in their native language. Tony's brother was one of those men. It was hard to watch his brother grieve up there. Tony and his brother look exactly alike and all I could imagine is that he was Tony.
The ceremony readings/songs were all in their native language with one small reading from a woman who spoke in English to explain a few things. During the ceremony, there is a man standing behind the throne waving a whisky back and forth over it every so often. From what I found, this is what it's called: Budha Marna (waving of whisk, over the hearse of an old person's dead body and decorating the hearse with festoons).
The ceremony comes to a conclusion and the lady makes an announcement that they are going to serve Prashad (sweet pudding) and then everyone is welcome to join downstairs for the Langar, which is the dinner. I excused myself before the serving of the pudding, as did most guests who don't practice Sikh.
I am so thankful for having this experience and know that Tony's soul will live on. If you'd like to know more about his religion keep reading. It really is insightful to learn about something that you've never been introduced to.
Basic concepts of living and dying for those who practice Sikhism include the following:
• A Sikh tries to be constantly mindful of death so that he or she may be sufficiently prayerful, detached and righteous to break the cycle of birth and death and return to God.
Sikhs believe in the cycle of reincarnation. Life is not the beginning or the end. Life is a moment in the journey back to the Creator.
• Sikhs believe that the physical body is perishable, but the soul is eternal, yearning for reunion with God.
• The goal for all of life is liberation from the cycle of life and death.
• Human life is a divine gift, and the termination of life is a returning back to the Divine Source.
• Because the soul never dies, there is no mourning at the death of a Sikh. All ceremonies commemorating a death include much prayer to help the soul be released from the bonds of reincarnation and to become one with God again.
For the actual funeral ceremony:
WASHING: Before entering Gurdwara, one should have bathed or showered within the past twenty-four hours; hands and feet should be freshly washed. Most Gurdwaras have sinks at the entrance for hand and feet washing. Many other Gurdwaras customarily set out wash basins at the door for washing hands and feet. (There should be separate ones for hands and feet.) Obviously, to wash one’s feet, socks and stockings must be removed. The injunction prohibiting shoes while in Gurdwara is taken by many Sikhs to include the removal of socks and stockings. This makes a great deal of sense for two reasons: for cleanliness, and for the nerve endings, as described in the next section.
SHOES: Shoes are always removed before entering Gurdwara. This serves two purposes: first, it keeps the Gurdwara floor clean, and second, it allows the 72,000 nerve endings in the feet to receive energy unimpeded. To further facilitate this, it is advisable for one to enter Gurdwara barefoot, without socks or stockings obscuring the feet.
CLOTHES: It is traditional to enter the Guru’s Court in one’s finest clothes. Guru Gobind Singh gave us bana, as a means of elevating our consciousness, and it is appropriate for us to wear full bana when entering Gurdwara, if this is possible. Kurta, churidas and cummerbund are traditional; white clothes are preferable to colors. If one is dressed for work, it is appropriate to come to Gurdwara in clean work clothes.
HEAD COVERING: It is mandatory for one’s head to be covered in Gurdwara. There are no exceptions to this. A full turban for men, and a turban draped with a chuni for women, are most appropriate. It is also permissable to wear house turbans or work turbans, and a chuni is not required. Visitors to Gurdwara who do not normally wear turbans may cover their heads with any full head covering. For adults, a Rishi knot cover is not considered an appropriate head covering. Babies’ heads should also be covered; if a baby is brought into Gurdwara with its head uncovered, it is appropriate to approach the parents gracefully and offer a head covering to them. In this way, the child develops a respect for the presence of the Guru early on in life.
DO NOT BRING INTO GURDWARA: Tobacco, alcohol or intoxicants of any kind must never be brought into Gurdwara. Anyone refusing to comply with this directive should be prevented from entering the Guru’s Presence. This also applies to any person who is visibly intoxicated.
It is best to avoid bringing toys to the Gurdwara for children to play with. Rather teach them how to sit, meditate and listen to Kirtan. This training will build their Dharmic foundation.
BOWING TO THE GURU: One’s first act in Gurdwara is to bow to the Guru. Approach the Guru gracefully and consciously, and wait until anyone ahead of you has completed his or her salutation and offering. It is an effective centering technique to press one’s palms together, while keeping the breath long and deep. When we bow, we bring our foreheads to the ground at the Feet of the Guru. It is not enough to touch the turban, or the nose – the meridian at the third eye must touch the ground. The blessing of being able to bow to the Guru, the Word of God, is something which comes only by blessed destiny. When we touch our forehead to the ground at the Feet of the Guru, our destiny is activated.
Once Guru Gobind Singh was asked by a Sikh how it was that He could change a person’s destiny, if it had been pre-ordained by God from the very beginning of time. The Guru showed him a ring, which had a design imprinted upon it. It was used to seal certain documents. He showed the Sikh that the ring had the design backwards, so that when it was pressed onto the hot wax, the design was set correctly. The Guru explained that one’s destiny is written upon one’s forehead, but it is latent, waiting to be activated; this is what occurs when one bows and touches one’s forehead at Guru’s Feet. It is our great blessing to have this opportunity.
The Siri Singh Sahib once said, " . . . a man who doesn’t have an altar where he can bow his forehead , that human cannot have any other technology to change the destiny written on the forehead."
OFFERING: We bring an offering and place it at the Feet of the Guru. Just as we offer ourselves spiritually, we bring a material offering to complete the exchange of energy. This offering is for our own benefit. The Guru needs nothing; we need to offer something which we have gained from the material world, so that we may participate and support the activities of the Sadh Sangat. Such offerings may be monetary, or materials used in the maintainance and beautification of the Gurdwara, or other activities connected with it, such as preparation of Guru-parshad, the Guru-ka-Lungar, ramalas, rest houses, free kitchens, etc. As you give, so shall you receive. If you have little to offer, even just a flower, offer it with sincerity, and the Guru will accept it with equal sincerity. Offerings should be placed gracefully at the Guru’s Feet, and not thrown at the Guru.
After making an offering, some Sikhs customarily perform a Parkarmaa, a walk around the Guru. This should always be done in a clockwise direction, approaching the Guru from the left side of Gurdwara, in order to maintain the correct energy inflow. Whenever possible, you should approach the Guru from this side; for example, when you are to serve as Granthi sitting behind the Guru. When you arise to rejoin the Sangat, you should exit in a clockwise fashion as well.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Day 8
What happens when you have a webcam and one of your best friends lives in Phoenix?
This. This is what happens. You have yourself pulled up on webcam while they watch you do nothing but type. It's actually quite fun, even Lesley got in on the action. Since Brandon doesn't have a webcam I should show his picture so you have an idea of who is participating in this conversation.
This, my friends, is the lovely Mr. Brandon Cole. Brandon and I have known each other since high school. He always had a crush on me and is now....gay. They always take the good ones. And if you're wondering what his favorite song is, then look below.
GTYRHDSPRNG= get your head sprung. For the longest time, JT and I would get text messages and all they would say is GTYRHDSPRNG. Now we know.
You know what's even more awkward then just watching someone type on webcam? Watching them eat lunch.
Some of the funniest memories I have involve this guy.
Like the time we rode in the back of Corey's mom's dog hauling car. There was some metal divider (obviously to keep the dogs in the backseat), and me and Brandon were behind that bar. This is how that conversaton went down:
Brandon: "Lets act like we're in jail"Kendra: "Ok!"
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Day 7
This was my view on the way to work this morning. It's supposed to rain for the next few days. I'll be the first to say that I'm not looking forward to the month of April simply for the rain factor. When you have a backyard the size of Montana and 2 dogs that don't seem to know the difference between mud (BAD) and grass (good), you have one messy situation on your hands. When there's mud outside, Ludwig's white fur seems to turn a nice shade of mud. Don't even get me started on the mud paws.
Good news today is that Lesley got us tickets for the Angels and Airwaves AND Say Anything show on April 16th at the Uptown here in KC. For anyone that doesn't know, let me fill you in on how Angels and Airwaves evolved:
Tom DeLonge began working on the debut album, We Don't Need to Whisper, shortly after Blink-182 began their hiatus in February 2005. As rumors were floating around about the band's "break-up", DeLonge chose to abstain for half a year from any interviews surrounding the issue and his future plans; instead he concentrated on writing and recording in his home-based studio. In September 2005, he finally spoke publicly in Kerrang! magazine, where he unveiled the name of his new band, "Angels & Airwaves". Upon fiddling randomly for several weeks with the band's logo, Tom suddenly realized that if he were to invert the middle "A" of the band 's acronym into what appeared to be a "V", he would have the name of his daughter, Ava.
Angels & Airwaves released their first single, "The Adventure", after a fan hacked into Tom's email account and stole four demos from the album. "The Adventure" was leaked onto radio stations, resulting in the band having to release it on May 18, 2006. They released their first album, We Don't Need to Whisper, a few days later, on May 23, 2006. The album reached 4th on the Billboard 200, and went gold. The band toured for most of 2006 and then retreated to the studio at the end of the year to record the follow-up.
Tom DeLonge
The opening act for Angels and Airwaves will be Say Anything. I have one of their albums and absolutely love it.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Day 6
When I saw the "amateur sketch" on a t-shirt in Chicago, JT didn't have any idea what I was talking about. This news report is ridiculous.
Is it really only Tuesday? I think I actually had a pretty uneventful one. I can't go to the gym cause I've been working it out a little too hard lately and apparently just need to give it a rest for a day or so. I could barely keep my eyes open at work today, so I'm thinking I should probably go to bed fairly soon. Like I said, boring Tuesday folks.
PS- that damn cake is still in the fridge
Quick update
Quick update this morning. They caught Tony's murderer last night. You have no idea how much of a relief this is. I thought this would be another senseless murder in KC where the killer goes free. Not today, not for Tony.
http://www.kctv5.com/news/22917213/detail.html
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City made an arrest Monday night in the killing of a 7-11 clerk gunned down during an armed robbery last week.
Just hours after police released the name and photo of suspect 19-year-old Phillip Martin, he was arrested around 11 p.m. at 13th Street and Cleveland Avenue.
Police said 35-year-old Tony Singh was the clerk killed at the 7-11 at 81st Street and Bannister Road last Wednesday. Surveillance video shows two armed men demanding money from Singh, who emptied the money from the cash register. Before the men left, one of them fatally shot Singh.
Martin is expected to go before a judge Tuesday on second-degree murder and robbery charges.
http://www.kctv5.com/news/22917213/detail.html
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City made an arrest Monday night in the killing of a 7-11 clerk gunned down during an armed robbery last week.
Just hours after police released the name and photo of suspect 19-year-old Phillip Martin, he was arrested around 11 p.m. at 13th Street and Cleveland Avenue.
Police said 35-year-old Tony Singh was the clerk killed at the 7-11 at 81st Street and Bannister Road last Wednesday. Surveillance video shows two armed men demanding money from Singh, who emptied the money from the cash register. Before the men left, one of them fatally shot Singh.
Martin is expected to go before a judge Tuesday on second-degree murder and robbery charges.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Day 5
This blog will mostly contain photos as I'm exhausted from just working out. Let me introduce my roommate Colby. Colby decided today would be a great day to bbq outside...?
The puppies staring longingly outside (you can't really see Lou because of the reflection). And yes, the reflection are my legs in shorts outside.
I did not get to enjoy said bbq, I decided to eat something else Colby had made prior.
This is what I had instead. It's quinoa with grapes and chicken. Apparently quinoa is the holy grail of grains. Colby just told me to get the bag and read it to explain it, but previously mentioned, too tired.
Colby hard at work doing...something. Lou has strategically positioned herself if you couldn't tell.
Better angle of what's really going on in the kitchen.
The pineapple that Colby handcut for his kabobs. What a talented young man.
Colby's main creation of the night...one that I'm avoiding like the plague cause I'm sure it's low fat. It's called hummingbird cake and he informs me it was "delicious" and as I'm writing this he just said those magic words....cream cheese frosting. Jesus, how in the hell am I gonna avoid this thing in my fridge now?!
The end products of the evening (photo courtesy of Colby). Thank God I went to gym while all of this was going down cause I'd probably be in a coma right now, but don't worry, that cake is haunting me in the fridge as we speak.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Day 4
This post made possible by 24 Hour Fitness. Whew, I just kicked Sunday's ass at the gym. It's that time of year again folks. I'm sure any lady knows what I'm talking about....getting in shape for summer. We find ourselves trying to lose that hibernation weight we've put on during the winter months that was easily disguisable by sweaters and scarves. Ugh, why can't it be easier? However, I'm finding this go around much more fun. First off, I don't care if I'm only walking on the treadmill or doing spin class, I at least feel like I'm doing some sort of service to my body even if I'm not doing that much. Second, the 24 Hour Fitness I work out at has a lot of attractive guys. I'm talking you better be coming in your most slimming pants and your hair coiffed cause ladies there is some competition in this gym and some fine lookin' dudes.
Let's down to business here. All I have to say is thank God for dri fit clothing. I have some weird skin allergy or skin reaction that as soon as I start sweating my body breaks out into some sort of heat rash/hives combination. Now I make sure everything I wear while working out is made out of dri fit and it has basically been a life saver. Today's workout had to include an ankle brace because for the past few days my ankle has been hurting so bad. I got on the treadmill today, walked for a minute and got off limping. Fine, I'll just do the bike today. Well, 15.5 miles and 253 calories later I finished the workout. And now I just realized it's back to the work week tomorrow...boo!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Day 3
Snow, snow, snow....does it ever end around here?!?! It's almost April and we're still getting snow? Something isn't right about that. You know what else isn't right? It was 62 degrees yesterday. What's up mother nature?
Ludwig doesn't seem to care to what the weather does. His main concerns in life are eating and sleeping...with eating being the TOP priority (sometimes the only one). For those that don't know, Ludwig is my English Bulldog. He's a year and a half old and weighs about 40 pounds. He's pretty much a miniature bulldog which is nice since I have to lift him up to practically do anything. Getting into the car? Lift him up. Getting on the couch? Lift him up. Going down a huge flight of stairs? Carry him. Ludwig also has various other nicknames....Mr. Wiggles, Wiggy, Luddy, Baby Wiggle, Monkey. He's my kid and I don't know what I'd do without him. But when he farts, that's another story.
On a side note- I was on google doing a search and came across another girl's blog doing the same thing as me. She was documenting a year of her life helping the children in Haiti. She was one of the unfortunate ones to die in the unexpected and traumatic earthquake there. I'm sure her good intentions there never went unnoticed.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Day 2
Ah the Larabar. This has been my breakfast of choice lately. My two favorite bars are Cherry Pie and Peanut Butter Cookie. The best part about these bars is that normally they only have like 3-4 ingredients. I had Cherry Pie today and the only ingredients it has are dates, almonds, and unsweetened cherries. AND they're gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegan, and kosher. ANNNND one bar is equal to one serving of fruit. I've made a conscious effort lately to eat more fruit, vegetables, and drink more water. I haven't had any pop since Sunday and I'm feeling pretty good people.
And while I'm on the subject of favorite foods, I'll go ahead and indulge you on a few others I have.
Smartfood popcorn clusters. I tried to get JT to eat just one small piece of popcorn and she wouldn't even try it! Was I surprised? No. When I did offer it to the man working at Noodles & Company, he kindly accepted. I just realized a stranger took food from me, that's a riskly little game. Anyways, it's good and good for you.
Lastly, we have SteamFresh. If it wasn't for being able to just throw the bag in the microwave and that's it, then I probably wouldn't even eat vegetables. Well, that and the cheese sauce. I mean, it's still healthy even if it's "lightly sauced" right? I think I was "lightly sauced" in Chicago last weekend, but there will be a Chicago feature in the upcoming months when I take the most indirect route ever to NYC in May.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Day 1
Well, if you're wondering where I spend 8 hours out of my day Monday-Friday....here it is. Looking at this picture now I should probably put something up on that back wall other than an old 24 Hour Fitness schedule from August 2009...and below it another from December 2009 (you can tell the months when I was really motivated to work out....but we'll save that for another post). As you can see from the picture I have one laptop and a second monitor. Yeah, it's that intense. Next you'll notice I have one cell phone and...what do you call phones these days if they're not cell phones? Well, I have one of those other phones too. A third phone is taking the picture, obviously of the cellular type. In approximately 20 days I have worked here for 2 years. Not in this exact spot though. This is actually my 3rd cube. In the basement. Or what they like to call "First Floor". I typically don't see daylight for 7 hours out of the day. If I stand up and turn to my right, about 20 feet down the row is a window. But that's about it. Some days I walk in with the sun up and then walk out pouring rain thinking "what the hell?".
Right now the cube directly across from me is empty. Alex used to sit there, we were "cubemates" for a year and a half before she left. It's hard to find good cubemates these days. Whoever sits there next has some big shoes to fill...and they certainly won't be able to place anything on the wall until I approve. If you're wondering what "the wall" is, let me fill you in. The wall is a common ground between those that sit between it. It was a gradual process for me and Alex. We slowly accumulated random things then would proudly display them on the wall. The little homies were Alex's that she left with me. Lucky me. The ghost and duck and other weird thing with a spring were things that were placed on our desks one Halloween and I'm pretty sure we still don't know who they were from. The stapler is non-functioning, it's just there to add some class.
The Wall
The reason why....
Wednesday's robbery at 7-Eleven, 8501 E. Bannister Road.
Gurpreet Singh knew what to do when a gunman approached the counter at the 7-Eleven in Kansas City where Singh was working early Wednesday: cooperate.
It was Singh's final shift as a night clerk at the store at 8501 E. Bannister Road. He was looking forward to starting a new full-time job next week at a hospital. All he had to do was make it a few more hours.
So Singh, 35, handed over the cash in a bag exactly as instructed.
The gunman took the bag and inexplicably fired a single shot into Singh's abdomen before walking out the door. The store's surveillance camera recorded the violence.
Singh dialed 911 about 1:10 a.m. and told police what happened. He collapsed on the floor and later died in surgery, leaving behind two children, ages 7 and 9.
Police can't explain why the gunman shot Singh.
"He didn't put up a struggle at all," said homicide Detective Jeff Cowdrey. "He did what he was supposed to do and got shot for it."
Singh, who went by the first name Tony, had only worked at the store for about a month, but Wednesday was the second time he had been robbed there and the seventh time the store had been robbed in 12 months.
On Feb. 22, shortly after 12:30 a.m., he and another clerk, who was in training, were stocking items in the back of the store.
The gunman grabbed the back of Singh's shirt, pointed a handgun at them and forced them to empty their cash registers into a plastic bag. The gunman then asked for three packs of Newport cigarettes and fled. No one was injured.
The robbery in February rattled Singh, but he continued his employment to support his children, friends said. He wanted to provide the best for them.
His family immigrated to the United States from India while he was in middle school. Since graduating from high school, he had worked in a variety of positions at St. Joseph Health Center, including the laundry room and radiology.
His current job there was part time, but he recently had been offered a promotion to kitchen supervisor, a full-time position.
Singh's brother said Singh had a strong work ethic. He could have failed to show up for his final shifts at the convenience store. But he had given his word that he would be there, Gurbhushan Singh said.
Tony Singh told his brother last week how happy he was about his promotion.
His kids proudly announced that he was going to be "the boss."
The divorced father had promised his children he was going to take them on a trip this summer.
Instead, Gurbhushan Singh had to wake them Wednesday and tell them their father had died.
"They know they're never going to see him again," Gurbhushan Singh said. "That was really hard."
Gurbhushan Singh said his brother spent nearly all of his free time with his children, taking them to swim lessons or Build-A-Bear. His brother liked everybody and never had a rude word to say about other people.
"That's why everybody liked him," Gurbhushan Singh said.
Gurpreet Singh knew what to do when a gunman approached the counter at the 7-Eleven in Kansas City where Singh was working early Wednesday: cooperate.
It was Singh's final shift as a night clerk at the store at 8501 E. Bannister Road. He was looking forward to starting a new full-time job next week at a hospital. All he had to do was make it a few more hours.
So Singh, 35, handed over the cash in a bag exactly as instructed.
The gunman took the bag and inexplicably fired a single shot into Singh's abdomen before walking out the door. The store's surveillance camera recorded the violence.
Singh dialed 911 about 1:10 a.m. and told police what happened. He collapsed on the floor and later died in surgery, leaving behind two children, ages 7 and 9.
Police can't explain why the gunman shot Singh.
"He didn't put up a struggle at all," said homicide Detective Jeff Cowdrey. "He did what he was supposed to do and got shot for it."
Singh, who went by the first name Tony, had only worked at the store for about a month, but Wednesday was the second time he had been robbed there and the seventh time the store had been robbed in 12 months.
On Feb. 22, shortly after 12:30 a.m., he and another clerk, who was in training, were stocking items in the back of the store.
The gunman grabbed the back of Singh's shirt, pointed a handgun at them and forced them to empty their cash registers into a plastic bag. The gunman then asked for three packs of Newport cigarettes and fled. No one was injured.
The robbery in February rattled Singh, but he continued his employment to support his children, friends said. He wanted to provide the best for them.
His family immigrated to the United States from India while he was in middle school. Since graduating from high school, he had worked in a variety of positions at St. Joseph Health Center, including the laundry room and radiology.
His current job there was part time, but he recently had been offered a promotion to kitchen supervisor, a full-time position.
Singh's brother said Singh had a strong work ethic. He could have failed to show up for his final shifts at the convenience store. But he had given his word that he would be there, Gurbhushan Singh said.
Tony Singh told his brother last week how happy he was about his promotion.
His kids proudly announced that he was going to be "the boss."
The divorced father had promised his children he was going to take them on a trip this summer.
Instead, Gurbhushan Singh had to wake them Wednesday and tell them their father had died.
"They know they're never going to see him again," Gurbhushan Singh said. "That was really hard."
Gurbhushan Singh said his brother spent nearly all of his free time with his children, taking them to swim lessons or Build-A-Bear. His brother liked everybody and never had a rude word to say about other people.
"That's why everybody liked him," Gurbhushan Singh said.
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