the weekend is here

I have no set plans for this weekend but maybe hanging out with CJ tomorrow. Havent seen him in like 2 months which is just sort of ridiculous seeing as how we live in the same city. and these days thats about as good (and as close) as I'm liable to be from people.

This week was pretty normal I'd say. Usual hum drum school/read/meetings/life routine. Although I did come back on Tuesday morning from a long weekend in Baltimore which was basically phenomenal. I always forget to post about awesome stuff until like days (weeks) later when details aren't as fresh but we went on a brewery tour of Clipper City. It was a lot of fun, got to sample 5 different kinds of beer (in our souvenir beer glass!) and then got a tour of where they make and bottle it. Got to smush hops in my hand which is really stinky and sticky and tasted barley which was like cereal. Apparently the best way to enjoy a beer is in a non-frosted glass (not the bottle) after its sat out for 10-15 minutes.

Pancho and I also tried our hand at making homemade Cocoa Chile Truffles. They turned out awesome and were actually super easy to do. You melt butter, unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate with heavy cream, chill in fridge for 3 hours, and then scoop out balls and roll in confectioners sugar and cocoa chile powder. Done. The chile powder blend gave them a bit of a kick but very yummy.

And one night we ended out at this bar in Fells Point that had a really wide selection of Belgian beers and I got Lindemans Framboise which I haven't had since I was in Brussels (2.5 years ago) and I loved drinking this stuff. Though it was way way cheaper there. and sadly, it was not at all like I remembered, or perhaps something got lost along the Atlantic crossing. Its a fruit beer and its supposed to be sweet but whatever I had last week was like syrupy sweet. ugh. However, the drinking was salvaged by the hard cider I had picked up earlier at Wine Source. I now do my alcohol buying in MD because sales tax in Philly just went up to 8%. It kills me.

I've been to all my new classes now and they're going to be fine. Reading is just starting to pick up, so not entirely stressed yet. And I'm still working at my resolution to have more fun. The 1st year girls had a game night last night. I brought Bananagrams which I got for Christmas. Walking with it just the 4 blocks was pretty funny because people gave me odd looks. and we played Taboo and then just gossiped and ate cupcakes. lol. And tonight I went to the joint History/History of Sociology and Science grad happy hour. Yay for free cheese and beer. In consequence, I have missed Brian Williams twice this week. Its a travesty. But I did just watch the Jersey Shore finale. so you know, I'm not totally lacking in media and pop culture this week.

free time

Back in Philly and school hasn't started again. Hooray. Although I feel I'm sort of wasting time, but thats the point of vacation, right? I did get over to Williams Sonoma today, however. I was on a mission, though, which is a good thing because that place is like kryptonite. I want almost every single item there. Ostensibly, I needed to get a baking spray for my new cookie-shaped cake pans so the cake actually comes out, but I totally got sidetracked by the over abundance of amazing cooking stuff. I think I want to be an adult and have a job so that I can outfit a kitchen with fancy and completely unnecessary but wonderful things. But I did good, got out--just barely--with the most intense looking can of professional baking spray you've ever seen. Its not kidding around. Very excited to try it out next week when I make the cake again for my visit to Pancho. I'm sitting here writing about this and like actually longing to be back at the store. sigh. Damn you grad school and your complete command over my finances.

It snowed last night. Just an inch, but it was so nice waking up to see everything covered in white. The first time I've actually been in town when it snowed. I like it.

I bought a set of 10-lb free weights this week in hopes of getting toned again. They're like really heavy though. I get fatigued pretty quick. sad. I miss SW Rec so so much. Spinning class, all those machines. Can't wait to join a gym again but going to have to wait. I should probably also figure something out about the floor so I can do crunches and all that stuff because the hardwood right now is not inviting. at all. Eh. Taking a laissez-faire approach to exercising but maybe the weights will inspire me.

Brian Williams on Leno tonight. Gonna try to catch that! Feeling like I didn't get enough Nightly over the holidays.

01/01/10

...and another year is upon us. 2010 is going to be good. even maybe momentous? I can feel it. 2009 was all about lots of change which this year probably will be, too. more of the Major Life Events category. I have 2 resolutions: have more fun and wear my retainer. Definitely doable as well as good for my health. Have yet to work out exactly what more fun will entail, but I just know I want it.

After warm, glorious, sunny Florida for Christmas, I'm now in Georgia. My last Winter Break. Boy, I'm going to miss month-long vacations. Went to Chattanooga for the day on Wednesday. The Tenn. Aquarium is awesome. I want to be a sea otter in my next life. Also went to Ruby Falls which is the tallest underground waterfalls or something. Its 1000 feet down inside Lookout Mountain. really cool. Saw stalagtites and stalagmites and other bizarre water-dripping-related geology.

Spent New Years Eve baking my new Williams Sonoma cookie-shaped cake. It was adorable. And delicious but had some serious sticking problems. Watched the entire disc 4 of My So-Called Life and then went to a party where the next oldest person was 40. yup. I basically hovered next to the food the entire night. and thereby prevented any hint of a hangover for today. score. I also looked amazing if I do say so myself. Why didn't I look this good in high school? Better late than never I suppose. :)

And so far today I have made Pancho's Mom's texmex dip for the 3rd Friday in a row, watched Suze Orman approve and deny people to buy questionable (and expensive) items, read Ms., scoured ESPN and NYTimes online, and am now left with a wonderful dilemma-- nothing to do! Sugar Bowl game tonight, though. Going to settle in with the aforementioned dip, order some pizza, and watch Tebow win his last Gators game. Although I think one of the ESPN articles had it right. We're a spoiled fan base. UF returned 3000 of its 17500 tickets because they couldn't sell them while Cincy sold out in 3 days. I hope we give 'em a good showing tonight.

And.. finally. An excellent reason for me to continue not having cable. I haven't watched MTV since early fall 2008 when I gave up on The Hills for good (seriously, best half hour of my life gained back) and so I have been blissfully unaware of whats now on. EXCEPT last week when Eduardo alerted me to the absolute ridiculousness that is Jersey Shore. and having access to my parent's tv. Naturally, I had to watch it. It is so so soooo bad. yet I will watch the newest episode tonight right before the Sugar Bowl. I go back to Philly next week, a little terrible tv is perfectly acceptable. or is it? Also, in related news, Secret Life of the American Teenager is back for new season on Monday. For that, I have no shame. I relish the terrible acting.