Species Being

Post, Part 1: This gif of a dog getting a crazy birthday surprise! Had to share that today.

Post, Part 2: Some philosophy

I have a sore throat today, so I'm ending my day with my home-remedy for sore throats: Whiskey tea. The recipe is easy- put Jack Daniels in your lemon tea. Boom. As I sit and sip my tea, I'm reflecting on my day. Today made me remember some readings I did in college. I was a Sociology major and obviously we read a lot of Marx, Weber, etc. I remember, while reading a series of selections written by Karl Marx, that there was one philosophy of his that really resonated with me: the idea of "species being" or, what it really means to be a human. I think that reading was paired with several readings about labor and social classes, etc., but what I really took away from that particular set of readings is that being human is really about what you DO with your human-ness.

Before I get too crazy over here, I'll just paraphrase: I interpreted the readings to mean that we feel human when we do things that make us feel human. To each their own, here, because some people feel the need to create; others feel a need to serve, some to think and expand their thinking, some to love and be engrossed in social activity, and still others feel myriad other needs in order to feel human. I am a "create" person- I really like producing things which make me feel my time was well spent. I specifically enjoy producing things that give off positive aesthetic vibes, such as baked goods and useful crafts (hence the darn quilt I've been trying to finish forever...). I feel VALUE in the time spent on those activities, and the finished products give me something to feel positive about. I also feel human in service, which is why I teach, but that's for another day.

The point of this post is really that I am VERY much enjoying my summer schedule, where I can impact a child's education...for a half day, and then go home and craft. Or nap. Or blog. Or whatever I put on my to-do list in the morning. It's been a rather immensely relaxing 2 weeks off school so far, and I'm making the most of it!

Here's to being human! *clinks whiskey tea cup with empty water glass nearby*

Getting There

Today's activity brought to you by Pinterest, where I'm inspired to DO things in my "spare time":

-I have a terrible headache. Whatever, I'll just make these shortbread cookies. (Baking challenge: Unusual ingredient)

-I still have to finish the ties on my t-shirt quilt so I can post about that. Whatever, I'll just start a new project: family Birthday calendar! (I'll post a finished picture of mine. That image is just my inspiration)

-Birthday calendar reminds me my brother's birthday is this week. So. I wonder if Pinterest has a solution for that too...

A Blog Title!

So I've changed the name of the blog! Finally!

I think I may stick with this one. Changing the name, changing the direction a little bit too. I realized that I'm not posting because I keep thinking I need mountains of content to post. I need stories, pictures, full length narratives or recipes or ideas...and then I don't post because it will take so long to get that all typed, edited, and just right. So, until I have more time/stories/full length narratives, or take this blog anywhere serious, I'm going to change direction and make it my goal to just post SOMETHING daily. Whatever stands out. A link, a photo, a story, maybe a longer post now and then. Who knows.

Today's thought to share: My entry into a local brewery's baking contest to promote a new chocolate stout

You're looking at a prize winning setup there. :) 

Here's the process/recipe I followed: 

Step 1- Make the caramels. I used this recipe, http://butterwithasideofbread.com/2012/07/holiday-baking-homemade-caramels.html 

Note: it makes a WHOLE pan...a lot of caramels. You could wrap them and save them for later! Or give as gifts. Or eat them, with the leftover chocolate from Step 5. Mmmm. 

​Step 2- Make the brownies. You can use a box! I used this recipe: ​http://moneysavingmom.com/2013/10/ultimate-double-chocolate-brownies.html and that is probably my new go-to brownie recipe. 

Step 3- When everything has cooled, cut the caramel into squares, slightly smaller than 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch. I rolled them into balls after cutting, then you can see if they are too big to wrap brownie around. 

Step 4- I used forks to smash up the brownies in a bowl, kind of like you would do with cake if you were making cake pops. You should end up with a bowl full of small crumbs. Grab a small amount to just fill the center of your palm and place the caramel in the center, mushing the brownie around it into a ball shape. Place on parchment paper and refrigerate or freeze for at least 30 minutes . 

Step 5- I melted 1 bag of Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips in a double boiler with 1.5 tablespoons of shortening and dipped the brownie ball in. When they were cooling I sprinkled course sea salt on top! You can leave them to set or you can put them in the fridge another 20 minutes to set. 

A Series of Lists

      I completely blame hockey playoffs!! The Caps made it to the end of the 2nd round and that meant every other day for a month I was watching a hockey game in my spare (ha) time. Making it to the 3rd round would have been history in the making and I wanted to be along for every minute of every game.

Things that suffered on account of time spent hockey during the playoffs: 

Hockey memes are okay [source]

- keeping up with baking challenges
- grading student papers
- social relationships
- level of house cleanliness
- any and all exercise
- maybe personal hygiene (but only on the weekends...)




     I also blame the end of the school year! We've got 2 weeks left until summer break. So much to do, so little time. Last week I was at school every day until 6 or 6:30, which means I'm fried when I get home. Any blog post I'd have written would have been utter gibberish last week. And the week before. Come to think of it, this might also be gibberish...

Teacher memes are great  [source]

Things that continue to suffer because it's the end of the school year:
- keeping up with baking challenges
- social relationships
- level of house cleanliness
- most exercise
- maybe personal hygiene (but only on the weekends...)



I'm keeping this short:
- in the hopes that I write another one soon
- to try and reclaim some sort of exercise regimen (I'm supposed to meet people to play soccer in 40 minutes)
- to build suspense...


Here are some posts I hope to write about in the upcoming weeks: 
- I'm competing in a local baking competition for a brewery! It's really nothing major, just for fun, but I'm fairly competitive so I'm obviously playing to win (the keg)
- My summer job is pretty cool, and I'm being trained in something new this year so I hope to describe that a bit
- I need to do some painting this summer and want to share those
- Summer adventures in general!!
- I WILL finish that d%&$ t-shirt quilt I've been working on for 2 years now (actually). I plan to share my process as a moderate sewer who tried to get way too fancy, and how it all turns out


      Stay tuned! I promise I won't be so delinquent now that hockey playoffs are over.

One Month Later...

Whelp. I knew it would happen. This is why I have never really been a "blogger!" Life gets in the way people!

Top 10 things that have contributed to the large gap between posts: 

1. Work. Last week I was at school every day until 6:30 or 7. Possibly the week before as well. Ew. Gross. Ugh. 

2. HOCKEY PLAYOFFS. I'm a bit of a fanatic. Let's go Caps!! (obligatory #CAPSLOCK @washcaps)

3. Our outdoor soccer league is finally getting to regular schedule (rain kept us from playing the first several weeks)

4. Weekends away/with visitors. Springtime apparently = ALL the visits. 

5. More work. Writing IEPs, doing transition meetings, lesson planning...not enough time in the day!

6. Procrastination

7. Third Rock from the Sun is on Netflix! Game of Thrones is back!

8. We decided we are going to move this summer! Which led to apartment hunting and.. 

9. Cleaning out closets/stuff around the house (still need to work on this)

10. Warmer weather has meant we've been outside a lot more! At the outdoor bars, taking a walk, grilling dinner, etc. 

I started to try and type an actual post but all of those things in the above list (particularly #1 and #5) have made me what we (in college) call "cracked out." I'm so tired but I'm giddy but mostly tired but also not in a bad mood just really really really REALLY in need of bedtime happening soon. And I don't write as well. But it's more entertaining, from what I hear.

So, to make it up to you, here's some lovely pictures to show what I've been up to: 

--> Going to Williamsburg, VA to visit the ol' collegiate stomping grounds/spend time with friends who are moving halfway across the country in a few weeks. We had an enjoyable time wandering campus on my spring break, and pointing and laughing at the students who had classes/exams. We didn't actually do that. We just talked about doing that.

 <--  Enjoying the pleasant spring (less so enjoying the pollen that accumulates everywhere) by taking some walks and hanging out on the back patio*.

*This is actually not from my back patio.








 <-- Baking lots of things for Easter and in general. Easter was entertaining because I got my cousins to show my mom how to video chat me, and she took pictures of me (on her computer) video chatting with them, on her camera.

--> Spending time with friends on nice evenings! This is a picture of one of the games at our favorite local hangout. We call it "Barcade" because we never remember the real name. They have a bunch of old school video games and you can play any of them for 25 cents. It definitely brings back old memories!



 <-- My Easter Peep wreath from my grandma. She made this for me one year as a Christmas gift, and it is awesome! She also got me the peep basket and cover. Last week, my mom gave me some greeting cards and the front is a peep with the phrase "Inside, we're all the same." Can you tell my family likes Peeps? It's actually part of an Easter tradition I started where we roast the peeps like marshmallows.

DONUTS. DONUTS. I MADE THESE. TASTE SO GOOD. DONUTS.

Okay I think we need to end there today. I have some interesting baking challenges coming up and a few pre-summer crafts/activities I want to accomplish. Which means I'll be rearin' to go with material and clearly should not take another month to post. Clearly. Obviously. (Donuts?)

Feeling Springy

     The weather has finally gotten less "abominable snowman" and more "typical spring." We have had so much rain...thank goodness the temperature warmed up or we'd be in school until August! Living in a place where there is no plan for snow days and no good way to make roads safe when it does snow has been frustrating. I'm used to living in a place where it's not a state of emergency when you get a couple inches of snow, and I do love a good snow day. However, the last two years of "HOLYCOWTHERE'SSNOWLETSALLFREAKOUT" has been a little tiring.

I think that this image defines "Meh."
This is my beautiful curtain that looks
so blah in the low light. 

     Meh. I'm feeling meh. It's just that time of the school year where we teachers start wondering if we've really done all we needed to do, and figuring out our priorities for the last 9 weeks of the year. I've felt a little inadequate in the teacher realm lately due to being completely overwhelmed with paperwork. So I tried to do something this week that would make me feel like I made a positive impact. Which, of course, meant heading to the kitchen. My baking challenge this week was "fillings." Fillings? Fillings. The suggestions were all sweets, which I LOVE and I had so many ideas for all kinds of delicious, provocative, and sinful looking treats that I could make (most involved chocolate), but I challenged myself to go a different direction.

"One day, all of this will be yours." "What, the curtains?"

      See, I am not a breakfast fan. Don't get me wrong, I love breakfast foods. Brunch foods as well! There's so many delicious options! But in the morning, my body would rather be asleep than getting up, and for some reason my stomach wakes up dead last. It takes a while before I really want to eat something! I have learned in the last 2 years that going in to work before 8 and having to be professional while interacting with middle-schoolers takes two things: COFFEE, and breakfast. I usually stick with something like a half a bagel, or a banana, or granola bar...something small and really not that great for breakfast.

     So I made what I will call "biscuitmuffins," because they look like a muffin and taste like a biscuit. And I stuffed them with scrambled eggs, bacon, and some cheddar cheese. It's a sneaky way to add protein (and CHEESE omg) to an otherwise carb-based breakfast. I thought it might be a way to start changing my breakfast habits. Plus, it's just the size of a muffin (some were smaller than this one, even) so they were perfectly sized for my lacking morning appetite. Not only that, but they taste great. Like, really really great. Like the kind of great that makes your same sex coworkers ask how your marriage is, because they want you to get divorced and then they can marry you and you can cook for them all the time.

Cheesy bacon biscuitmuffin deliciousness.
Also, next up...photo editing software. 

     I followed the dough recipe from this site, and the process, and it made exactly 8 biscuitmuffins.  Looking back I could have made a few of these a little smaller and made 10, but that's really just me being picky. Happy eating!!

St Patty's Day Tradition! aka MOAR CUPCAKES

NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMmmmmmmmm...

     That is what it sounds like at work when I make cupcakes for a baking challenge. And for the St Patrick's day themed challenge, cupcakes were a must. I know they go around Pinterest like crazy, but I love making these. I've been told they should not be called "Carbomb cupcakes" as the internet calls them. Instead they should be called "Guinness Cupcakes with Whiskey fudge filling and Baileys frosting." I have been told via Reddit that the former title is offensive to Irish and that posting these on St. Patricks day is apparently ignorant.  I figured they were named after the drink which contains all of those elements, but then I learned that is also offensive.  Regardless of the name origin, unintentionally connected history, or lack of Irish-ness in general, these cupcakes taste phenomenal. And to me, they embody all the fun bits of the American version of St Patrick's Day shenanigans and incorporate some out of the ordinary baking ingredients. Guinness! Whiskey! Bailey's! Hooray!


     I followed a conglomerate of recipes because I've completely forgotten my "go-to" website for these babies. The cupcake and frosting recipes came from Liquor.com. The process was easy enough to follow, although I made a mess of it the first go around (of course). They turned out tasting light, fluffy, and chocolatey, but they were so light, actually, that when I put them in my cake holder to keep for the week, they starting melting- and not the frosting...the cupcakes! They were maybe a bit too light, but taste was not a factor. Also, I'm really not a fan of using mascarpone cheese in frosting, as it makes the frosting turn out a bit too soft for my liking. I had a lot of leftover frosting (hubs is not complaining) because I had to add more butter to stiffen it up! Again, however, it tasted delicious. It's hard to say if I'll keep using this recipe in the future.

The filling recipe came from Country Cleaver and OH MY WORD was it easy, delicious, perfect, and marvelous. Mmmmmmmmm.

Fudgy, whiskey-y goodness.

For me, baking is relaxing. Except for the whole "stressing out that I want it to turn out perfect, look perfect, and taste perfect" thing. Typically whatever I make looks like a hot mess, but tastes great! Curb appeal? Eh who needs it. I enjoy the process of making something and having it turn out to be pleasing, either to me or someone else. The feeling of accomplishment is very satisfying, especially when it tastes great as well!

So adorable!

This weekend was the jackpot, though. THESE cupcakes are absolutely sinful and somehow I hit the trifecta of not falling apart, tasting amazing, and looking pretty good too.
                                                       
                                    
                                    Happy St. Patrick's Day!