A Salute to Nutella

So yesterday was World Nutella Day. And what a day it was! Baking with Nutella was a must. On Wednesday, I spent far too much time browsing online to locate the perfect recipe.

Source

I settled on Nutella-Stuffed Cinnamon Sugar Muffins. Goodness gracious. I followed the instructions almost exactly, using half whole wheat and half white flour. I was especially excited to get tips on how to make muffins with nice tall domed tops. (Thick batter, full muffin tin cups, and the first 5 minutes of baking time at 425 degrees.)

Well, maybe excited is not quite the right word...interested, I was interested. The excitement hit around the time the oven timer went off...

They turned out quite nicely if I do say so myself. And the cinnamon and sugar coating on the top really takes these guys to the next level.

The amount of Nutella in each muffin is perfect. Honestly, though of course I love the stuff (as any sane person does), I don't go nuts with it. I notice when as I try to keep processed/sugary foods out of my diet that products like Nutella start to seem extra sweet. In a *yipes my teeth hurt* kind of way. So a little goes a long way! If you're looking to enjoy the good stuff, this is a nice simple recipe to try. And there's wheat flour in there, so it's almost a breakfast food, right? Right?

Hello, Sugar!

Nope.

Didn't do it.

Attempt #1 at the Sugar Detox was a fail. At least in terms of completing it. I made it 8 glorious days before I got concerned that I was doing something wrong.

I was feeling okay, not like I was starving myself. However, I was definitely missing out on "something."

I started feeling weak and lethargic. I could barely lift easy weights at the gym. I had heard that I might go through a short workout slump, but when it got to about my fifth workout and things were not getting better, I got concerned. I have worked way too hard at the gym to start losing muscle mass.

So I gradually added those carbs back in.

Am I right back to where I started? No. Believe it or not, I did learn a lot. For instance, how crazy dependent I am on sugar. How it ends up in practically everything I eat. I learned that vegetables and protein can be a meal. I learned more about what it feels like to be truly hungry versus bored or anxious. I learned that WOW a Gala apple can seriously taste like candy.

This past week, my meals have been mostly vegetables, instead of mostly carbs. I am working on key concepts like balance and fuel, as opposed to emotional eating. For me, eating better has been about planning and some extra work in the kitchen. Being prepared makes a big difference.

This is not the end of me trying new eating plans. I enjoy learning about nutrition far too much for that! However, if I do anything close to this plan again, I will not wait so long before eating a banana or two. My enthusiasm to try something new sometimes escalates into too much too soon. This leads to frustration.

I of course have to end this post with a new recipe I found! I have been enjoying coconut milk as a healthy fat, and this Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding has the perfect level of sweetness.

Source

Thank you, Olympics

Thank you, 2012 Olympics, for making sports simple and interesting to me.

You do this by:

- Making it obvious who to root for. No picking between random teams with random names, forced to choose based on color of uniforms alone. Instead...USA! USA!

- Exposing me to things I didn't know were sports, but are actually pretty cool. Synchronized diving, anyone? Craziness. Also, I was completely stumped when I saw what looked like basketball until someone threw the ball into a soccer goal. Um, confusion? Turns out it's handball. News to me!

- Showing the best of the best. If I don't want to see quarter or semifinals, I can skip right to the race for the medal! I only want to see the most important, most dramatic competitions!

- Making me feel like I can do anything. As I sit here eating my cookie, watching women rocket over hurdles, I think, Eh, maybe I'll give that a try, myself. I just love the irony of the people of the United States, the fattest nation in the world, plunking down every night to watch these feats of athleticism. Maybe the Olympics will inspire some exercise; we can only hope!

Thanks, Olympics!

Apparently I'm Four Years Old

So I have this problem.

It seems like whenever I eat chocolate, I end up with some around my mouth.

Now, I'm not a sloppy person. I use napkins. I eat delicately. It's not like I'm smooshing my face into a cookie and rubbing it into my mouth.

But somehow, some way, chocolate ends up in the corners of my mouth.

Okay, so this is probably also due to the fact that I like to lick bowls. I mean, who doesn't? The batter or the dough is the best part, honestly. And if I make brownies, am I just supposed to rinse the beaters out in the sink? I think not. Waste not, want not.

So then, because I forget that when it comes to chocolate I am four years old, I wander around with chocolate on my face until the next time I happen to glance in a mirror.

Oh, well. I guess one could say my messy face is a tribute to the fact that I really enjoy my chocolate. And of course by "enjoy" I mean devour. Possibly revel in.

Yum.

Actually, I'll Just Stand

Sore. I am so, so, sore.

Yesterday I thought it would be a good idea to go to a 6am class at the gym. Boot camp, they call it. Fun, they said it would be.

And it was, sort of. The hour went pretty quickly since we were doing so many different things. Free weights. Squats. Lunges. Crunches. Ouch.

I tried not to pay attention to the fifty-year-old women lifting heavier weights than me. It was my first time, all right? By the end of the class, I could barely raise five-pound weights over my head. Or just my arms over my head.

So all day yesterday I felt a little twingy, but that was it.

Not so today. After not moving all night (mostly), I am now trying to stretch out the aching muscles in my body. It's so annoying how a person can think she's in decent shape until she tries something new. Something new that kills her. And makes her body let out imaginary screams of pain when she tries to sit down in her computer chair to write a new blog post.

Really, this post couldn't be about anything other than the pain I'm in because it's kind of hard to think about anything else.

So, the lesson here is, go easy with the boot camps. And if you do, make sure you have some ibuprofen. Or chocolate.

Really, chocolate is probably better.

In Which I Share My Perfect Weekend

Ugh. I feel like summer camp is over.

You know the feeling? When you're sun-kissed, bug-bitten, tired, and so happy? You've had some good times, but now you have to go back to the real world.

Well, I had a marvelous weekend, and now it sort of feels like summer is over.

I got to see my closest friends over the weekend, I got a couple days off work, and I volunteered for a local production of Shakespeare in the Park. Lots of fun places to go, and in between were hot drives with the radio blasting and the windows rolled down.

Here's a taste of the perfection:

-picking strawberries in the hot sun, getting yelled at by a possessive bird.
-dipping said strawberries in chocolate. eating them.
-helping my friend's family pack and paint around their house in preparation to move.
-giggling at old, hideous pictures of me and my friends.
-going to three performances of Romeo and Juliet, laughing at the same parts every time. I KNOW it's not a comedy, but there's still humor...
-getting burned at the park.
-seeing pictures of people graduating and remembering how that felt.
-going out for ice cream.
-first bonfire of the summer.
-eating lots of apples.
-walking barefoot in the grass. and on hot pavement. and in a river.
-laughing really hard. making other people laugh.

And now, I'll be back to work in a couple hours. I thank God for these moments, hours, days, of pure happiness. Guess I'll take my tanned self back to the library and enjoy the summer crowd!

iWant to Scream

The other day I was working with the iPad for over an hour.

Frustrating. I had to-

walk around the library several times to pick up the best Wi-Fi signal, since it's not that great back in the office.

type in a crazy-long password what seemed like a million times before finally changing it to something shorter.

change multiple settings since someone had messed them up.

uninstall an app. try and reinstall it (sounds simpler than it ended up being).

wait. and wait. and wait.

use Google. a lot.
Why does technology make me want to "lash out irrationally"? (Bonus points if you know where that comes from...)

I get so mad! The rest of the library staff was laughing at me as I paced and talked to myself. Yes, there was also chocolate involved; not gonna lie.
Why is technology so frustrating? I usually keep a cool head. I don't get obviously angry or feel like throwing things unless I'm fighting with technology (or with someone I really love. Go figure.)

Maybe it's because I feel so helpless. Those times when my computer has had viruses or other issues, I've broken down in tears because I didn't know what else to try and I hated leaving problems unresolved.

Okay, pity party over. I troubleshooted and figured out what to do to the iPad (not chuck it out the window), and I think I learned a few things.

One thing being, make sure you have Google and chocolate readily available when dealing with a technological crisis.

Use Your Elbows!

So when did Easter egg hunts turn into the kids' version of Black Friday?

I keep hearing these crazy stories of egg hunts turning ugly or even being canceled due to the unruly kids and parents! Come on, people.

I know egg hunts are competitive. But let's try to stick to common courtesy! Not to mention, these so-called egg hunts are more like egg races. Eggs aren't hidden, like they were in my day, they're just scattered in fields. In these cases no one's searching, they're just fighting to get to the eggs first! And the parents are egging them on. (Haha, see what I did there?)



It's just silly. Everyone knows kids taking on kids in epic battles for prizes (Hunger Games, anyone?) isn't the point of Easter. Reese's chocolate peanut butter eggs are! Just kidding....

I hope you all had a great Easter with your family and friends. I made a few loaves of makowiec, which is a traditional Polish poppyseed bread. It took a while to make, but it was worth it. I ate about 17 pieces yesterday. Maybe that's an exaggeration. Maybe not. Anyway, I should go into business it was that. good. Want to try it out? Click here for a recipe.





Happy Monday!

Singing, Sneezing, Super Bowl

So yesterday was my birthday.

I celebrated by going to church, having a bad cold, watching the Super Bowl, and getting a lot I repeat a LOT of chocolate. This seems telling...

So yay for a birthday filled with chocolate! My friends and family know me so well. Actually, complete strangers could probably tell how much I love chocolate by how much I talk about it/eat it in front of them. The Super Bowl party I went to included a chocolate fountain *swoon*. Can you think of anything better than dipping potato chips and strawberries into liquidy chocolately delight?

It was kind of a bummer that I was sick, though. I started sneezing on Saturday, and then yesterday got all stuffed. Usually, I'm sneezing because of book dust or something. Now, my nose is just tickly all the time. I'm feeling pretty drowsy too, so no gym today. I had kind of a hard time taking deep breaths on the machines yesterday, and I don't feel like I have to put myself through that again today. And on the day after my birthday, too!

Hope you all had a great weekend, whether you watched the Super Bowl or not. As for me, I had my eyes glued to the screen practically the whole time, and yet still managed to miss the promised second Hunger Games trailer. Did I miss it, or did they not show it? Luckily I saw it online a few days ago. Otherwise my birthday would've ended in a fit of tears and pouting.

And that sounds like a previous birthday, quite a few years ago. Musical chairs, anyone?

2012

And Christmas is over. The food is eaten. The presents opened. The Christmas music wiped from all radio stations (It should definitely be on another week...).

Now we'll start seeing Christmas trees kicked to the curb. Along with ribbons, wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, and fruitcakes.

Christmas is over. But I am still partying! I have a couple more days off work, and I plan on enjoying them, thank you very much. In fact, I am eating chocolate right now. That's RIGHT, beore lunch! That's how I roll.

This week is the end of 2011, so let's pause and listen to "Auld Lang Syne."



Niiiice.. By the way, is 2012 really coming up already?

What is the deal?

I'm still writing 2010 on things. I haven't even gotten used to 2011.

Now I have to write 2012? Where did this year go, I ask?

What did I accomplish? Where have I been? Where am I going?

Hooray for the end of the year, when we can be filled with inadequacy and look forward to a new year where maybe we'll do that thing we always wanted to do.

I'm already a member of the gym, so I'm definitely ahead of the game on that one.

Any New Year's resolutions you need to accomplish this week? Quick!

Christmastime is Here

Aaaaah! Christmas!
Hope everyone has had a magical time leading up to this spectacular day. You only get to do some things once a year:

-Get to read lots of different Christmas cards. Yes, we know your child is an accomplished genius...Wow - thanks for sharing all your issues!...Who ARE these people, anyway??

-Get to sing loudly in public without people wondering why. "JOY TO THE WOOOOOORLD!"

-Get to watch lots of heartwarming movies and cry! Unless you do that year-round, in which case, pace yourself.

-Get to eat a LOT of food in the name of tradition. "These calories don't count! It's Christmas!" "Of course I'll try the dessert you made! It's Christmas!" We at the library feel very appreciated this time of year, when our beloved patrons shower us with baked goods and boxes of chocolate. Especially boxes of chocolate. I just pick out the coconut ones.


-Get to see people you only see during the holidays! Enjoy it. Stay up late, get out of your routine, and enjoy it. You can sleep in January...



-Get to go to church on Sunday on Christmas Day! No, this doesn't happen every year. But it's pretty special that it happens this year. Give me some old Christmas hymns and let's celebrate the birth of Jesus! Woo-hoo!

To all my faithful readers (even the ones in Saudi Arabia and Czech Republic who accidentally stumbled upon this blog...), Merry Christmas! Thanks for reading! May your weekend be filled with joy.

No Spookiness for Me, Thanks.

Okay, here's a quick Halloween quiz.

You see a commercial on TV, advertising some kind of frightening Halloween experience. Something involving loud noises, people with chainsaws jumping out at you, skeletons, demons, the works. You:

A) Turn up the volume and get excited about the trip you have planned to the haunted hayride.

B) Laugh at how lame the special effects are and get excited about the trip you have planned to the haunted house.

C) Get scared and change the channel because life is too SHORT to go scary places and do scary things, even if some people think it's funny because other people might get SCARED by loud things and sudden things I don't care HOW fake you think it looks!

I chose C. How 'bout you?

Let me just say that my idea of Halloween is definitely NOT to be scared by freakish things. NOT to enjoy horrifying movies. NOT to have to experience large quantities of fake blood.

Here are a few examples for you of what I would like for Halloween, as opposed to what I would NOT like:


Cute skeleton



Scary skeleton

  

Cute jack-o-lantern


 

Scary jack-o-lantern



Cute ghost


   

Scary ghost

Okay? Does everyone understand me and Halloween now? Just keep the scary away, please! And I will mind my own business over here by the cute chocolate Halloween candy.

Go Ahead. Be a Cookie Monster.

Usually, I'm a planner. But some things you just have to go for when you feel like it. No second guessing. Just do it.

For me, that means spontaneously baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

What a great stress reliever! Measuring ingredients, mixing dough, plopping spoonfuls of chocolatey goodness onto the baking sheets...then enjoying the end product!

Want to make some of my world-famous chocolate chip cookies? I'm going to share the recipe that has been passed down by my family for generations. Either that, or copied off the back of a chocolate chip bag. Can't really recall...

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Also, pour yourself a glass of milk in preparation.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup margarine, 1/2 cup shortening, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup sugar.
Make sure the margarine is nice and soft. If I don't plan far enough ahead and set the margarine out on the counter, I just zap it in the microwave. Don't let it melt!

3. Beat in two eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Now, this is the step everyone used to be worried about. Eggs! Bad! Raw! Ignore that silliness. Taste away!

4. Beat in 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
I don't put in all that salt anymore, ever since my one friend claimed to be able to taste the salt in cookies. Thanks to her, I can now taste it. So I usually just throw in a pinch.

5. Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.
If you like more, add more! But I prefer less, myself. The gaps with no chips are just as important as the chocolatey bits.

6. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Don't forget to keep tasting. You want to make sure they're still good.

7. Bake 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Make sure you take them out in time! Watch closely...

8. After each batch comes out of the oven, put them on cooling racks.
This helps them stop baking! Don't let them cool and stick right on the cookie sheets.

You're done! Hooray! Share these cookies with your friends, and they will compliment you on your sweet baking skillz.

Enjoy!

Wait For Me

Hang in there!

I'll be back soon!

This week and next will be busy for me. I don't have much time to be creative.

But I'll post here and there as I can. And soon I will be back full force. Crazy as ever!

To fill the time when you would normally be reading my posts, I suggest the following:

1. Clean or organize something. You KNOW you've been putting it off.

2. Bake chocolate chip cookies. Eat chocolate chip cookies.

3. Read all seven Harry Potter books. Then watch all the movies.

4. Visit your local library. Hug a librarian.

5. Take a stroll around the neighborhood. Rescue worms or snails that have crawled into the road.

Thanks for sticking it out! Soon, all will be back to normal.

Midnight M&Ms

Well, last Thursday night, my brother and I were where all the loyal fans of Harry Potter were...the midnight premiere of Deathly Hallows, Part 2!

I'd never been to any midnight movie premiere before, so I did a lot of online research (Googling...) to find out things like how early to get there, what to wear, etc.

I thought a lot more people would dress up than actually did...I'm glad I just went with the simple scar on the forehead. It was fun to see how other fans really got into it. Lots of them at least had some kind of wand to brandish. Although I could've done some hunting for an appropriate stick, I decided I didn't need anything else to lug around.

So we got there a little after 9pm, and got to be first in line for the regular 2D movie. (There were already lines for IMAX and 3D.) Right after we got there, it seems like everyone else came, and in a couple minutes a huge line stretched behind us out the door and around the theater. My brother and I just sat there reading the final book (our own copies..), very smug at our sweet location.

After about an hour, we were allowed to actually enter the theater. Where we sat for another two hours. I was kept informed about the time, because excited fans kept yelling out things like, "Only one hour left!" and I had to check where I was in the book and try to read faster.

Finally, it began. I waited until the first louder part came in the movie to open my bag of M&Ms (didja wonder when they were going to show up?). From the first minute, I was completely engrossed in this, the final Harry Potter movie!

It was super fun to sit in a theater full of fans who really appreciated all that this story is. We all cheered when our favorite lines from the book popped up, and quietly whispered things like "Wait, did this happen in the book?" And there's nothing like hearing absolute silence from the fans as we all watched the deaths most of us knew were coming, before listening to the quiet sniffling begin. I was alternately crying and giggling as I got sucked into the emotion of the story, as well as laughing at how pathetic we all sounded. Those were great moments, though. We all love the story and the characters, and we're all sad that it's ending.

If you've seen any movie that was made from a book you love, you understand that it's not going to be the same. There were some parts I wish hadn't been changed, added, or removed. But on the whole, I thought this was an excellent movie.

We dried our tears, I tied up my M&M bag, and everyone slowly filed out to the parking lot. Where I couldn't budge the car from its spot for 45 minutes. Which gave me more time to both reflect on the movie and listen to my eyes yelling at me. Why are we still open...? Shut up, guys. It was totally worth it.

But What Should I WEAR?

Last week, I wrote about taking the plunge into piles of clothes in my room to pick out a decent outfit.

Today, I would like to begin this post with tears.

Tears of frustration. Pain. Anger.

Let me tell you something: sometimes, when a girl gets ready in the morning, she hits a few bumps in the road, so to speak.

She realizes that the shirt she thought of last night as she was starting to fall asleep, now that it's on her, actually looks ridiculous.

The skirt that had taken her three minutes to find (three minutes she cannot spare in the morning) now makes her look fat.

She can only find one earring of the only pair she feels like wearing.

Standing there in front of the mirror, eyes glazed over and a pile of crumpled material under her feet, this girl wonders if it's too early for chocolate.

Suddenly, a sorrowful glance at the clock reveals that she is now ten minute behind. And she'll barely have time to brush her teeth, let alone pick out the perfect outfit.

Luckily, there is time to grab chocolate.

There's always time to grab chocolate.

That's Write

"I thought authors had to be orphans, or have a drug problem, or be out having lots of sex – and none of those things were me! Once I realized that the only difference between everyone else and writers is that they write, I felt I had cracked it."

This quotation is by Diane Setterfield. She wrote The Thirteenth Tale, a novel I just read for my book club at the library. I recommend it, by the way!

Anyway, this quotation makes me think about why I write.

Most days, I don’t feel like I have anything much to say. Pretty insignificant topics, ranging from squirrels to hair products to chocolate to library books.

Why do I write? I’ve never been the kind of writer who feels like she needs to. I’ve always been kind of jealous of those people who simply have to write their thoughts down. Those people who’ve kept journals since they were 9 years old. And are always writing poetry. Just because.

Sorry, that’s not how I roll.

Maybe I write because I just like something to do. I know, sorry. That’s not very earth-shattering. I like to write consistently. To be disciplined. To write even just a paragraph every day.

Also, I like to make people happy through my writing. To make them laugh. To give them something to think about. My writing is for reading.

Writing also helps me think through issues or topics or whatevers that are running through my mind. Sometimes, through writing, I realize something about myself that I hadn’t previously acknowledged or understood.

“The only difference between everyone else and writers is that they write.”

I’m a writer, for better or for worse!

It's Almost Easter! What?

I can't believe it's nearly Easter! I know it's really late this year, but it still snuck up on me. This probably has something to do with the riDIculously chilly weather we've had.

Oh, Easter. So many great memories of sunrise services, Easter egg hunts, and plenty of that fake green grass from Easter baskets.

Easter is such a happy time of year.

It's a reminder of new life, of hope, of Jesus' sacrificial love for us. It makes me want to stand up and sing THIS song, although I could never sing it with this level of cuteness:




I hope that you all have a wonderful Easter with the people you love. And I hope it's filled with chocolate. Specifically, peanut butter eggs. If I eat no other candy besides peanut butter eggs this Easter weekend, I will be satisfied.

See you on Monday!

It's a Celebration!

Happy National Library Week, everyone! I'm sure you've all been anticipating this week for quite a while now. Well, it's FINALLY here! Thank you in advance for all the gifts, cards, and chocolate.

Ha! Not sure how the "real world" will respond to this week, but it's big in the library business. There's a contest going on here where you can tweet a "twaiku" about your love for the library for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.

According to the American Library Association, National Library Week was first observed in 1958, with the hope that, if people were motivated to read, they would support their libraries. So not only is this a time to celebrate with dedicated patrons of the library, it's a time to get the word out to those who haven't realized how great the library is. The library needs PEOPLE!

The whole month of April is School Library Month. Tomorrow is National Library Workers Day (who's your favorite? hmm?), Wednesday is National Bookmobile Day (reaching those who can't get to a library), and Thursday is Support Teen Literature Day (I recommend the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. Movies are in the works, but read the books first because they ROCK).

So how can you celebrate National Library Week? Start by supporting YOUR local library. Don't have a card? Get one. Check out the programs. Try something new. Get involved. And encourage others to give libraries a try! Most people have no idea what modern libraries can offer them. Take advantage!

I just have the best job ever! How lucky am I? Happy National Library Week!

Day Off

So I had a day off yesterday. (Because I work Saturday, in case you were wondering.)

And I decided not to blog, because nothing came to my mind to write about. Which actually happens about 95% of the time, until I sit down and make myself think of something... But yesterday I decided to take a break. Writing five days a week gets a little exhausting, to be honest. So hopefully no one was TOO disappointed yesterday. And thanks for coming back, by the way.

So, a day off.

I realized that, since my life is kind of wrapped up in the awesomeness of working at the library, when I have a day off I don't quite know what to do with myself.

I have gone to other libraries on my day off. I have checked my work email on my days off. I have thought about the library on my day off. I have blogged about the library on my day off.

But when I'm not doing library-related things on my day off, I'm cooking and cleaning.

That's right, I turn into some kind of '50s housewife. Though I didn't put on an apron yesterday, it was only because I didn't think of it. Because they are super fun to wear.

My day started late because I got up late and then ran (inside on the treadmill, because there was snow on the ground outside. Grrr.) But after that, I looked up some new recipes online and got to work planning, shopping for, and then creating an elaborate feast for my family.

In case anyone's wondering, here's what I made:

Chicken and Asparagus Fettuccine (with a few modifications)
Wheat rolls (using our bread machine recipe)
Peaches (from a jar, sprinkled with walnuts)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes (basically the most fantastic thing I've ever put in my mouth)
and frosted with Chocolate Cookie Buttercream Frosting

Beautiful, delicious meal. If I do say so myself. Not only was the food beautiful, but when I make dinner, I have to make sure the table looks good. Although I don't make little flowered place cards like I did when I was eleven, it's the same kind of idea. Being an oldest child, I kind of tend to go overboard.

So anyway, in between preparation for this meal, I was bopping around with my iPod dusting, vacuuming, and generally tidying up. Very satisfying.

The only time I left the house was to go shopping, where I only had to buy three ingredients, but stood there and thought carefully about each one. I think I spend way too much time deliberating in the grocery store aisles. An employee even came up to me and asked me if he could help me make up my mind by describing the difference between pasteurized half and half and ultra-pasteurized half and half. It turns out, I figured it out myself, but it was nice to hear I was right. I like to hear that I'm right...

So that was my day off. Pretty wild, I know. And this was a long post, comparatively speaking. Well, now you can feel like you didn't miss out too much with that whole "no posting" thing yesterday.

You're welcome.


Hmmm...now all I need is a man...