... wishin good luck

They gave me a Juris Doctorate? They gave me a JD!

2013-05-22T14:34:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness, the last few weeks have flown by incredibly fast. After finishing my last classes, last finals and papers and going to South Carolina for a week to relax at the beach, I finally graduated law school this past Sunday.

Now that things have quieted down again, I've had a little bit of time to reflect. (I'll also be back to blogging regularly again.)

It's been a wild three years and it's hard to imagine that come next fall, I won't be packing my car up and headed down to the valley by the Blue Ridge mountains. I'll miss the hiking and the wineries, I'll miss the intimate music venues and the fact that there's a Cookout down the road. I'll miss the brick lined streets and the Jeffersonian architecture, I'll miss going to class and I may even miss outlining. But mostly I'll miss the incredible friends that I've made here and hopefully the memories of the last three years will sustain me as I make the strange and surreal transition to a new city to start a new life, surrounded by new people.

Some snapshots of the people, places and things that I have loved for three years. Oh, and some of graduation as well:

I've been listening to Macklemore's Cowboy Boots on repeat as I pack up my apartment, which is only making me more nostalgic. I am excited and scared about the next step, but considering we don't have much choice... it's time to move on.

xoxo,

Protein Bars: An Odyssey Three Years in the Making

2013-05-01T12:20:00.000-04:00

Just so we're on the same page: This isn't a sponsored post, I'm not endorsing any kind of protein bar over another, I wasn't given any of these bars to try and I've never spoken to anyone from from any of these companies. I've just been on a series of trial and error with protein bars over the last few years and thought I would share.

About two years ago when I started law school, the style of my life suddenly changed. My 1L year I kept hours from 6 am sometimes until 2 or 3 am. Sometimes I would grab lunch from the student cafeteria, sometimes lunch would be cupcakes from one of the various student organizations bake sales. I ate occasionally and not very well.

I distinctly remember a night in the middle of first semester finals when, crying out of sheer exhaustion a girlfriend of mine and I crawled into bed each with a bag of dark chocolate M&Ms, a bottle of wine and finished both. Did I also mention I was 1.) being a baby and 2.) had yet to learn to manage stress?

When I finished my first semester finals I went home and was sick for two weeks straight. Second semester I decided I needed to set some priorities. I still didn't have time to even go grocery shopping, much less actually meal plan. My alternatives were Lean Cuisines and pre-packaged snacks. I started going running and to spin class as stress relief and knew enough to know that these snacks were not going to cut it for energy. I needed protein.

Enter the dark mysterious world of protein bars.

THIS is what I thought of when I thought of a protein bar:

It's back day, brah, gotta get my swell on.

Something the massive gym-rats from my freshman dorm used to consume along with their protein and creatine shakes. Never in my life had I seen a girl eat a power bar. I had absolutely no idea where to start.

But the connivence store at law school sold CLIF Bars and I was hungry, so that's where my adventure began. Eventually it lead to a series of trying different bars. I get bored easily so it's been an interesting few years. I have various leftovers of previous bars in the back of my cabinet, just in case. Here are my thoughts on most of them:

CLIF bars:

Taste: 100/10 A++++

I mean really, have you had these guys? Yes, yes you have. There is a reason why they're so popular. They're incredibly delicious. Carrot cake? Mmm. Cool mint chocolate? To die for. The texture is totally normal too. They have a ton of different flavors to keep you interested too.

Ease: 10/10

They sell them just about everywhere. Grocery stores, CVS, at school, where-ever.

Nutrition: 5/10

These are just too high in calories for my daily consumption. Ranging from 250 to over 300 calories per bar, these are more for meal-replacement. They also offer protein on the lower side of the scale, usually around 10 (but sometimes up to 20) grams. Additionally, like many other protein bars, they're high in sugar, again hovering around 20 grams. For perspective, true candy bars have between 20-30 grams of sugar in them.

SlimFast Bars

Taste: 9/10... if you have a sweet tooth.

These suckers are really really sweet. I mean really really sweet. If you can get over the weird texture of the protein (a re-occuring issue in almost all protein bars) they taste so much like eating a candy bar, it's almost unfair to candy bars. In the end though, there just isn't enough variation and I got very sick of their super-sugary-ness rather quickly.

Ease: 5/10

You really have to find these in the diet/special needs isles of the grocery store, next to the Ensure usually and the maybe one or two things of whey protein your store might carry. They're hidden in the back of connivence stores, but only sometimes.

Nutrition: 5/10

SlimFast bars are lower in calories (around 200 a bar) and in sugar, around 13g. a bar but also lower in protein - hovering around 8g. a bar. To me, they tasted like eating a candy bar and that alone was enough to confuse my nutrition based side.

Special K Bars

Taste: 3/10... no thanks.

Blech. So these were NOT for me. I didn't like the texture at all. It was like a sad, wannabe rice crispy treat. Too chewy and not crunchy enough. Such a strange combination, which was disappointing because I really love almost everything else Special K makes. They have some kind of magic touch. The bars are also very, very small.

Ease: 5/10

Again, you can find these mostly in the diet/special dietary needs area of the grocery store. I haven'tt seen them at my local CVS although I hear rumors that they're in some.

Nutrition: 5/10

Checking in at 170 calories, 10g. of protein and 15g. of sugar, they're about average, but not exceptional in the nutrition area.

Luna Bars

Taste: 0/10... no thanks.

Confession: I've never been able to eat a whole one of these. I'm lucky if I can get to a second bite. They're chewy, crunchy-ish and taste like you're eating cardboard. I don't understand at all how they're so popular.

Ease: 5/10

Again, you can find these mostly in the diet/special dietary needs area of the grocery store. I have not seen them at my local CVS although I hear rumors that they're in some.

Nutrition: 5/10

Between 180 and 200 calories, 1 g. of sugar and 10-12g. of protein it stacks up similarly against other protein bars, but still doesn't offer anything to make up for it's disgusting taste. I just don't get it guys - what am I missing here?

Lara Bars

Taste: 1000/10... absolutely delicious!

These guys are probably the most delicious little things in the world. The peanut butter and jelly tastes exactly like a PB&J sandwich, the cherry pie and apple pie versions are a perfect dessert snack. Sadly, they're even smaller than the Special K protein bars - only about an inch by 2.5 inches, maybe 3.

Ease: 8/10

You can find these just about anywhere, although my favorite place to get them is at Sams Club where you can by a large variety box for pretty cheap. The biggest downside is they're a little expensive, but you can always make your own at home. Just Google "Larabar recipes"

Nutrition: 6/10

Between 180 and 230 calories, Lara bars really straddle the range. They aren't really a protein bar though, most hover around 5g. of protein. They do offer something really special that none of the other bars do: simple, non-additive ingredients. Most of the ingredient lists are between 3-5 recognizable ingredients long. Usually including dates (for the sweetness and chewy texture) and whatever is added for the flavor (peanuts, etc.). The sugars are also high: up to 20g. again, even though they're natural and not added sugars.

Balance Bars

Taste: 8/10

I probably spent the longest amount of time eating Balance bars because they have the greatest variety of flavors. Some are better than others, but overall they do the best at masking that strange protein texture. I really liked the chocolate chip cookie dough, yogurt honey and peanut butter ones... the flavors were very true to what they said they were.

Ease: 4/10

Again, you can find these mostly in the diet/special dietary needs area of the grocery store and at Target, but not every grocery store caries them and they definitely are not in most convenience stores.

Nutrition: 5/10

Between 180 and 200 calories, around 15g. of sugar and 15g. of protein it's a little heavy on the sugar but also gives you more protein than the other options.

Think Thin Bars:

Taste: 0/10

I'm going to be honest here, I spat these back out. I even tried three flavors: chocolate, peanut butter and white chocolate. I ate less than a bite of each. I can't even... ugh. And they leave this nasty rubber-like aftertaste in your mouth for hours.

Ease: 4/10

I picked up a bunch at Whole Foods and I know they have them at Target but I haven't really looked around too much for them. I grabbed these because they were a new option at Whole Foods I hadn't tried and thought you guys might like to see. BIG MISTAKE.

Nutrition: 9/10

Well, to their credit, these bars have 0g. of sugar and 20g. of protein for about 240 calories. I'm also convinced they contain rat poison because they taste so foul, butttttt that's just my opinion.

... and the winner is...

Quest Bars

Taste: 8/10

These guys are pretty good. Some flavors are really closer to a 10/10. They have a different texture than the usual protein texture, but they still have a slightly grainy taste to them. They are 100% better microwaved for 10 seconds though. It's like eating a completely different bar. Just 10 seconds, or they get hard and strange. But that 10 seconds turns them into a warm, soft, gooey delicious meal.

Ease: 2/10

This is probably the worst thing about Quest bars: they're not easy to get. You either have to order them online in large amounts (at least 12 at a time) or track them down at your local nutrition store like GNC, which is what I did. I'd love to see these become more popularly available because so far, they seem like the best option.

Nutrition: 10/10

Between 160 and 200 calories, Quest offers two lines of bars, their 99.95% natural and 100% natural lines. They're also both low carb and gluten free and are very, very, very low in sugar, which is the reason I found them in the first place. Most bars are around 1-2g. of sugar and all of them are around 20g. of protein, offering the most protein and the lowest amount of sugar while still tasting delish. I also like that they use whey protein and not soy protein, since I'm still wary about my soy-intake.

Right now Quest bars are my go-to bar. I love the idea that they're so low in sugar (sweetened with Stevia, not Splenda or other artificial sweeteners). I'm hoping in the future low-sugar bars will become more in-demand, forcing other companies to lower the sugar in theirs and broadening the options. For right now though, it's worth the trip to my local GNC and fighting the lax-bros because they're delicious and nutritious.

Have a favorite protein bar?

Any other suggestions for me to try out?

xoxo

Weekend Wrapup: Horse Race Edition

2013-04-29T09:53:00.002-04:00

The closer I get to graduation, the better my weekends are. It's like they really don't want me to leave this place. It's hard to remember even where to start!

Friday I found out an appeal I wrote a brief in opposition to was denied, so my friends and I went out to celebrate.

(English translation: when a someone is unhappy with their trial in court and has been convicted, they can appeal the decision to a higher court. In order to do so they, or their lawyer, must write a brief, or a long paper, explaining why they're appealing. Usually that the judge applied a rule of law wrong or some part of the judicial process didn't meet the set requirements. Then opposing counsel, or me, in this case since my office was responsible for the conviction, writes an opposing brief making all of the counter arguments. If we win, the case is final. We won and the case doesn't have to be retried, saving my office a lot of work.)

Good friends, pizza and Sam Adams summer

Saturday we were up early and off to the races:

We had a great time. Played a lot of cornhole, made friends with the undergrad Glee Club and won a couple of serenades from them, bet on some horses, lost those bets, and ate a lot of bagels and fried chicken. The weather was perfect - mid 70s and sunny.

I've decided SPF 55 isn't doing it for me any more though - I need SPF Irish.

I spent Saturday night nursing my sunburn (which I have dubbed "funburn") and catching up on Game of Thrones.

... and just in case you thought I was having too much fun this weekend, I leave you with a picture of my Sunday and every day from here on out:

Casebooks, supplements, outlining and ice cream.

... and that's what I'm going back to. Sigh. Come back weekend!

xoxo,

LAST Last Day of Class Ever

2013-04-26T15:33:00.000-04:00

I know these "I'm graduating OMGEEE" posts are going to get old. But they aren't going anywhere for a little while yet, because I just can't get over how weird it is to be done with my formal education for good.

Yesterday I had my last day of classes, ever.* I felt mostly excited and slightly bittersweet. I haven't loved every second of law school, but I have always loved education and learning. At the end of classes, we applaud our professors out of the classroom (old school) and my last class happened to be with one of my favorite professors ever. I was biting back the misty eyes a bit.

Anyway, please excuse if things are a little quieter around here. I know I am terribly behind on responding to comments and emails. I'll still be posting 3-4 times a week if I can, but not every day. I have finals to study for now (yuck) and I'm really trying to live every moment of my last month. (Expect an update about the horse races I'm going to tomorrow though, because hello! horse races!)

In the meantime, check out the Spotify playlist I've had on repeat while I study:

* For those interested in law/legal careers - I'm considering getting my MPH (masters in public health) in a few years because I'm hoping to get involved in my firm's medical malpractice defense practice group, but it would be part-time while working and not the same as this full time graduate school business.

xoxo

Obsessed: It Always Comes Down to Food

2013-04-23T13:24:00.002-04:00

Because everyone should know about the things that I'm currently obsessing over, here's a list of some of my favorites this week:

1. Hemlock Grove

The new original series by Netflix is like a combination of American Horror Story, Dexter and Teen Wolf. I'm about halfway through the season and I still haven't entirely figured out what's going on yet, but I like that about the show. It's also really, really well produced. Warning: It is both graphic and freaky as all get-out.

2. White Chocolate Wonderful Peanut Butter

I had this stuff for the first time Sunday on our hike and promptly went out and bought my own jar. Since then I've eaten about half of it. Lesson learned: don't keep this in the cabinet. But sooo good.

3. Mellow Yellow Nail Polish

I wanted a fun spring/summer color and originally went hunting for neon yellow but picked up this gem when I saw it. I love the warm, sun-shiney yellow and can't wait to show my nails off.

4. Artic Zero "Ice Cream"

Ever want to eat the entire pint of Ben and Jerry's? I do all the time, even though I really, really, really shouldn't. An entire pint of Arctic Zero however, is only 150 calories. It doesn't taste quite like ice cream and is made with whey protein, but it's gluten and lactose free and the mint chocolate version is quite delicious. Pro Tip: Strawberry tastes SUPER fake and Vanilla Maple is just plain weird. The Chocolate Peanut Butter version is delicious in shakes, but the Chocolate Mint is so good I eat it right out of the carton.

5. The Tone It Up Girls

I mentioned earlier that I'm trying to get back in shape and these girls have been my saving grace. From easy to plan and remember meals to lots and lots of YouTube workouts to daily motivational emails and tweets, these girls are really pushing through the month to graduation.

6. Trader Joe's Cinnamon Almonds

They should really just call these what they are, "cinnamon SUGAR" almonds or "delicious almonds" because that's what they are. I've used these to replace my usual sweets/desserts and have had no sugar cravings whatsoever. And this is coming from a girl who just can't give up her chocolate.

7. These Sparkly Gold TOMs wannabes from Target

Meet all of my requirements: comfortable, cheap and sparkly! I wish they were as friendly as real TOMs so I could feel good about my purchase, but since they're going to be worn in the mud at a horse race, I didn't want to pay full price for TOMs only to ruin them.

That's it for this week, anyone on board with me for these?

xoxo

Weekend Bucket-Listing

2013-04-22T09:26:00.001-04:00

As of today I have exactly 25 days until graduation. (Yay!)

I have absolutely loved living in central Virginia for the last few years, it's absolutely beautiful. I woke up a few weeks ago and realized all those things I had been putting of because I had school work to do were never going to get done if I didn't start on my bucket list. This weekend was one for the record books.

Friday: We spent the day hitting up the vineyards. It was kind of dreary and we were bored. That's the most amazing thing about this area. What do you do when you're bored? Casually suggest hitting up some vineyards.

Saturday: My small section from 1L year got together to play a reunion softball tournament. We wore our first year shirts, had our first year banner and found our first year walk out songs. It was both nostalgic and horrifying - I really have no desire to rewind three years. But we had a ton of fun and you can bet your butt that I brought everything a good softball mom should: orange slices, capri suns, chocolate chip cookies, gushers and fruit roll ups.

Some fantastic looking tournament not-winners.

Sunday: Some of my more adventurous friends and I woke up really early on Sunday to hike Old Rag. It's a 8.5 mile hike in the Shenandoah Valley to one of the most beautiful views on the East Coast. We ended up having an absolutely gorgeous day for it - sunny but cool - perfect for a longer, more strenuous hike.

Besties, chillin on a mountain.

It was a wonderful weekend and I am very bummed to be back to the grind this morning. I am excited that this is my last week of classes ever!

xoxo

Preview to Summer: My Three Favorites

2013-04-21T22:39:00.002-04:00

I love recommending books for other people, I love to think about who they are and what kind of books they like and make a few recommendations with the hope that they'll like one or two. So I really loved this prompt as part of the Preview to Summer blogger book swap, what are your top three favorite books? I have so many favorites I was so excited that I get to pick three, so I picked from three different genres.

1. Modern Fiction

Gone With the Wind
Margaret Mitchell

Forget the movie if you've seen it, while it's a classic in it's own right, it doesn't come close to capturing the amazing characters in Gone With the Wind. From the strong, independent, overly passionate Scarlett to the infuriatingly charming, tempered, snarky Rhett. These characters quickly become your best friends.

“No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.”

2. Chick Lit

About That Night

Julie James

Julie James writes what I like to call "smart girl chick lit." If you like strong female characters who are just as capable both personally and career wise as their very steamy counterparts, then you have to pick up a Julie James book. About that Night is still my favorite after all these years.

“Kyle had to give her credit; it took skill—plus no heart and a serious abuse of the English language— to break up with someone in fewer than 140 characters.”

3. Memoirs

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling is a smart, strong, funny, confident woman... but she wasn't always that way. She captures all of the insecurities and hilarities of daily life with the style of your best friend whispering in your ear. If you haven't read this yet (I hope most of you have) no book will make you feel better about your own doubts and fumblings through life.

“If I’m at a party where I’m not enjoying myself, I will put some cookies in my jacket pocket and leave without saying good-bye.”

Other favorites that I didn't include, because if I included them on every favorites list I'd never talk about anything else include: Harry Potter, Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series, anything by Chuck Palahniuk or Gillian Flynn, The China Garden, and The Time Traveler's Wife.

I already love how interactive and creative this book swap is and can't wait to find out who I'm paired with this week!

xoxo,

Why Law School is High School, Pt. II

2013-04-17T13:19:00.002-04:00

I have a love hate relationship with law school. I love the law. That part is simple. Learning about it, practicing it, applying it. I hate law school. It's an extremely outdated model for a professional school but that is a conversation for another time.

Know what else I had a love hate relationship with? High School.

Coincidence? Not so much, considering how law school is just high school 2.0, this time with alcohol:

We have lockers (nice wood ones, but lockers nontheless) and we use them and congregate around them with our jackets and backpacks.

We have a cafeteria. The first day of school I called a friend at home and told her I was going to have to sit by myself and someone was going to give me a swirly because I wasn't cool. She laughed. I was serious.

Everyone knows everyone's business. Some people are better at staying out of the gossip mill than others, but in a small school (and I go to one of the larger law schools) everyone inevitably gets bored with their own lives and starts looking at each other's instead.

We all take our classes together. Our first year "section" of about 30 students is the equivalent of your high school homeroom. First year you take all of your classes with them. They are your brothers, sisters, friends, family, lovers and mortal enemies... depending on the day.

There is an insane amount of drama. (See above two points.)

We have cliques. First your section is your clique. Then 30 people breaks down into smaller groups of 5 or 6, then those people realign themselves with other people in other sections. Happens every year.

We go on field trips. To boring places like courthouses but with astonishing frequency.

We watch movies in class. Also boring but frequent.

People start talking to each other entirely. For years. People who were their best friends. Because someone dated someone else that someone said wanted to date their friend instead.

Speaking of which, everyone dates everyone and people just get passed around. I'd like to say this is restricted to the single ladies and fellas, but there are always a fair handful of girlfriend/boyfriends/fiancees that come in 1L year and don't make it very long.

The "cool kids" have a "hang out spot." I wish I was joking about this one, but it's a running joke. The kids who have dubbed themselves "cool" all gather in one lounge area. Heaven help you if you're a 1L hanging out in their lounge because you don't know better.

We have a "law school prom." Every law school has something called "Barrister's Ball" which is really just an excuse for us to dress up nicely and go out. And, just like high school, it never ends without someone crying in the bathroom.

We know each other's families. People need a lot of support in law school and parents come to visit frequently so I know the Mr. and Mrs. So-and-Sos of most of my friends the way I didn't in college.

At least if we have the bad things about high school we get the good too.

Like beach week!

xoxo,

Read, Sip, Swap Jackpot

2013-04-16T11:10:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back, Jen from That's What She Read posted a "Read, Sip, Swap" blogger swap that involved a few of my favorite things: mugs, books and getting to know new people. It's no small secret that I'm a bookworm at heart and one of my favorite ways to get to know someone is by talking about their favorite books and what they like to read, or don't like to read. Luckily, this has translated so well into blogging.

This was my first blogger swap ever and I was incredibly moved by how much fun I had. I also hit the jackpot with my swap partner, Kim from Simplicity. She was actually one of the first people I followed when I started my blog and I was so lucky to have a chance to get to know her better through the book swap. She's such a strong incredibly amazing woman and beautiful writer. All of her posts are genuine and well-written, instead of blogging only about what everyone else is blogging about, she really takes time to self-reflect and explore her life and the world around her. (You should really check out her reflection on baptism and on surviving deployment.) She's really inspired and shaped the way I look at the blog world. If she's not on your blog roll yet, you should check her out.

I was so excited when I saw her package sitting on my doorstep. She was extremely thoughtful and had suggested we exchange short lists of books that were on our "to be read lists" and then choose not one but two books I've been dying to read:

I can't wait to dive right into both books. I've been buying so many books on my Nook lately I forgot what it was like to have a real book in hand. Priceless.

She also included the most adorable card I've ever seen:

... and who doesn't love a hand written card? There's something really special about old fashioned mail these days.

But I have to say the best part of the entire package was this hilarious mug she sent with a "how to" of the moonwalk... with an astronaut. I mean, have you guys ever seen anything like this?

Not only is she smart and a great writer, but she's got a great sense of humor too. My roommate keeps trying to steal the mug from me (ain't gonna happen, I'm on to you rooms!)

In case you think you missed out on all the fun, Kim is co-hosting the Preview to Summer Blogger Book Swap. I can't stress enough how much I enjoyed getting to know Kim through this experience, emailing her and learning about her taste in books. If you're interested in connecting and getting to know other bloggers with a love of reading in a truly unique way you should sign up for the Preview to Summer Blogger Book Swap, registration is open until Sunday April 21st.

xoxo,

Guys, a "Fun Run" is NOT Really a Run but it is Fun

2013-04-15T13:14:00.000-04:00

Just in case you're as delusional as I was.

A few weeks back my friends and I signed up for a "fun run." I was told that it was a 5K fundraiser run to raise money for the Law Vets student organization. It sounded like a worthy cause and a reason to get myself into shape.

Fast forward to Friday evening. I show up at the school auditorium to meet with our team and I'm handed this shirt to wear:

(TANGENT: What is the deal with bro tanks guys? I just don't get it. This was the first time I've ever worn one and I don't think they're my thing at all but people down here seem obsessed with them!)

It only took me about thirty seconds after getting the shirt to realize this fun run is not what I thought.

Not a "fun"-draiser run. A "fun" run. The "run" takes place on ~3.5 mile stretch from the law school to downtown, stopping at seven bars along the way for the teams to take the bar's sponsored shot and continue on the run. First team to the end (wasted, but alive and in one piece) wins.

SAY WHAT.

I'm not proud to say I actually was really nervous. My belly got all butterflied up. I don't do shots. I sure as heck can't handle seven of them. While running. IN 85 DEGREE HEAT. But when I decide to do something, I do it. So I got all fancied up with gold spandex pants and bright pink shades.

My friend had completely lapped us, his team was Star Trek themed "Drink Long and Prosper."

And so we ran. The first few bars were the worst. We headed out at 5, it was hot as blazes and the bars were pretty far apart.

(Left: Our favorite bar, beautiful weather, crazy costumes and a wedding reception.

Right: Some questionable "running" going on.)

Luckily I dubbed myself "official photographer" and "team lightweight" and was able to hand off the shots to other people. We still posed for pictures at each bar with them though. We were the last team out of the gates, somehow passed everyone by bar three, and were the last team to arrive at the final bar. So we didn't win, sadly.

I ended up having a ton of fun at the "fun run" but just in case you guys are as clueless as I am. A "fun run" is not really a run, it's a drinking event. A competitive drinking event.

Saturday we ended up going to a local wine festival. All of the Virginia wineries gather on the downtown mall and you pay one fee for six hours of tastings. It was much cooler, sunny and there were candy, cheese and bread tastings to balance the wine out. Much more my style. I have SO much catching up to do today.

Stick around tomorrow to hear about the awesome book swap experience I had with Kim from Simplicity and an opportunity for you to sign up for a book swap that she's helping to host!

xoxo,

I'm Going to be Late to My Spin Class...

2013-04-12T11:35:00.002-04:00

... annnnd I don't careeee.

Anyway. It's Friday. MKH from Blair's Head Band tagged me in a lovely five things post earlier this morning and since I had nothing planned to blog about today and we all know how I feel about LISTS, here you go:

1. I'm an effective planner but I hate to do it. On the other hand, I loathe to delegate it if someone is terrible at it. (Type A, all the way.) I'd rather do it myself, and hate it, than to suffer through someone else doing it wrong. We're going on a beach week vacation with a large group of law school friends in the week between the end of our finals and graduation in May. In a matter of two days I was able to round up a group of people, find a house, shake said people down for a deposit and secure the house. Talk about efficiency.

2. I'm trying to work on my health and fitness. There are two things that are notoriously terrible for your health and fitness: not caring and stress. I'm at the worst of both right now. After three years of stressing through school I've put on the weight and generally am not at the fitness level I've always been at. Conversely, after three years of stress I'm finally at the point where I can spend time getting back in shape and I can't find the motivation to care anywhere. One of my greatest regrets from college was the way I looked in my college graduation photos, so I should really get on this. (I believe the description my mother used for those photos was "dumpy." Thanks Mom!)

Snow White and I share two things: fair skin and a bad habit of eating baked goods.

3. I am the fairest princess in all the land. Speaking literally of course, my German-Irish genes have condemned me to a pale existence. I couldn't tan if I wanted to. I get slightly less pale or more freckly, but I don't get tan. Or I sunburn and look like a lobster. I've come to terms with it over time and embraced it but with this warm weather occasionally I still wish I could be a bronze goddess instead of a fair princess.

4. My favorite movie of all time is That Thing You Do. Starring Tom Hanks, it's about a one-hit-wonder band and their rise to stardom. It's cute, it's hilarious and I grew up watching it over and over again with my Dad, who can quote the whole movie. Every once in a while I'll throw out lines "You guys look great in red, have I told you that?" and inevitably they fall awkwardly flat.

5. I can tolerate Trivia but I hate Karaoke. I'm horrendous at both which I'm pretty sure is where the dislike stems from. Trivia I can at least go sit at a table with my friends, eat some greasy food and nod enthusiastically whens someone else sounds like they have the right answer. Karaoke though is a different story... something about sitting quietly ALWAYS makes people come sing to me. Then I turn red. Then people laugh. Then EVERYONE is singing to me. It happens nearly every time. No thanks!

Have wonderful weekend!

Hope you are all finally getting some of this Spring weather!

xoxo,

The Book Chat: Books Set in Europe

2013-04-11T10:42:00.001-04:00

I'm loving the personal touch of this week's Book Chat. Our usual host, Jessica from Sweet Green Tangerine is in the process of moving to Germany! I've never lived out of the country and only just got a passport last year so I am so excited for her and to follow along. Appropriately, with co-host Seema from Love Seems, this week's topic is books set in Europe.

In the Garden of Beasts - Erik Larson
Berlin, Germany

I think I've talked about how much I love Larson before, but naturally In the Garden was the first book that came to mind. Larson has an incredible way with words and the imagery will easily transport you, even if you've never been to Berlin.

Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
Limerick, Ireland

While part of Angela's Ashes takes place in America, a good part of the memoir is set in Limerick, Ireland. I'm including it on my list because the parts set in Ireland were by far by favorites of the book - they really helped illustrate the kind of life his family came from, their values and their homeland.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer
London, England

Any reader is bound to love a well written book about books and their impact on the individuals who come to love them. More than a novel about a long-distance book club, it's a book about relationships and the strength of human commonality.

The Reader - Bernhard Schlink, Carol Brown Janeway (Translator)
Various cities, postwar Germany

A calm but passionate novel about guilt, love and forgiveness and redemption set in post-war Germany, Schlink's novel is often considered a classic for a reason. I haven't seen the movie, but I doubt anything could live up to the beautiful descriptions the author leaves in The Reader.

I had a really great time going through my list of favorite books for this one. I was surprised to discover how many book I've read that are actually set in the Middle East, Asia or India, far, far more than in Europe - go figure. I also resisted in keeping Harry Potter off the list this time, it seems to sneak on every list for the Book Chat!

xoxo,

How Not to Say the Wrong Thing (...and Other Life Tips)

2013-04-10T11:04:00.002-04:00

I'm someone who struggles with social norms and graces. I know how to be polite and considerate but in general, my anxiety comes out more in large or high-pressure social situations. I've always embraced two different theories in learning how to gracefully navigate the adult world:

1. Fake it till you make it and
2. Learn everything you can

As part of the second theory, I like to keep an eye out for great life tip sites like Pretty Smart and Awkward, which gives tips to be little bit prettier (inside and out), a little bit smarter and a little less awkward. Along those lines I'm also a fan of The Prepary for work and job-search related tips, and Rules for My Unborn Son for general life tips. Rule 501 "Never shake a man's hand sitting down." has served me very well in the last year and a half.

Lately I've been obsessed with Adulting and her sage advice, ranging from "Washing your hands with a jacket on always ends in disaster" to "Today is probably really not the worst day ever."

Most recently, the author of Adulting shared an op-ed in the LA Times called How Not to Say the Wrong Thing, which I thought was both brilliant and one of the most helpful things I've read lately.

An unfortunate part of growing up is dealing with very difficult personal situations both things that happen to you, and things that happen to people you know. It's hard to know how to empathize with someone else's grief, or their distress and I thought this article gave a really nice guide to how to support someone else who is suffering.

The "Ring theory" helps people avoid saying the wrong thing in these situations. From the article:

It works for all kinds of crises: medical, legal, financial, romantic, even existential.

Draw a circle. This is the center ring. In it, put the name of the person at the center of the current trauma. Now draw a larger circle around the first one. In that ring put the name of the person next closest to the trauma. Repeat the process as many times as you need to. In each larger ring put the next closest people. Parents and children before more distant relatives. Intimate friends in smaller rings, less intimate friends in larger ones. When you are done you have a Kvetching Order.

Here are the rules. The person in the center ring can say anything she wants to anyone, anywhere. She can kvetch and complain and whine and moan and curse the heavens and say, "Life is unfair" and "Why me?" That's the one payoff for being in the center ring.
Everyone else can say those things too, but only to people in larger rings.

This technique made so much sense to me. Comfort goes in towards the center of the circle, and pain and complaining goes out. I could have smacked myself in the forehead when I first read it, and it's definitely something I'll be keeping in mind from here on out. I'm sure you can think of as many situations as I can that this can apply to.

I know we bloggers spend a lot of time thinking about ourselves so I thought it would be fun to share an article about how to think about other people in sensitive situations.

xoxo

Judgey-Judgey

2013-04-09T13:27:00.001-04:00

Ever have one of those moments where you stop and go, "what happened?!"

As I was running from class to work today, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and did a double take. When did I become a suit-wearing, Perrier sipping, protein bar eating, cell phone toting working stiff?

I had DREAMS, man. I was going to be a submarine operator, a superhero, a Spice Girl (and later, a rock star more generally), a baker, an astronaut, a dog breeder, a firewoman...

...and somehow I ended up a wannabe lawyer.

I can't help but feel like my 7 year old self would be so disappointed.

But if you'll excuse me, this protein bar ain't gonna eat itself, Perrier was the only non-caffiented drink in the school bookstore, this grey suit makes my legs look long and I'm about to go see if a trial I've been prepping for months is going forward tomorrow.

So, I'm sorry 7 year old self, I have no idea how we got here... but we're happy and that's all that matters anyway, right?

xoxo,

A Raleigh Wedding

2013-04-08T12:45:00.002-04:00

On Saturday one of my good friends from law school married the love of her life in Raleigh.

In her toast, one of the bridesmaids said she had once read an article on how to be successful that said you should always be the most enthusiastic and positive person you know and thought she might not be all that successful because after all,

"Meagan has always been the most enthusiastic and positive person I know."

I couldn't agree more and consider myself very lucky to know her and her husband, Billy (who is probably the second-most enthusiastic and positive person I know). It also helped that the reception was almost entirely 2000s rap and pop. We danced like crazy and had an absolutely wonderful time.

I'm sharing a couple of my favorite shots from the weekend below, but only a few since Meg is also a pretty private person:

I'm so glad I was able to be a part of their special day. I couldn't be happier for them.

xoxo

When In Doubt, Make a List

2013-04-05T16:12:00.003-04:00

Things I'm grateful for today:

It's Friday.
One of my best friends is getting married tomorrow.
It is finally over 60 degrees outside.
We have a softball tournament tonight.
My new haircut that means I can shower and blow dry in 20 minutes flat.
Lowes cheap key replacement (because I keep losing mine).
That Megan from Semi-Charmed Kind of Life introduced me to The Following because it's all I've watched for the last five hours.
My boss asking/trusting me to take on more work.
Road trips.

I leave for Raleigh, NC tonight for one of my law school friend's weddings tomorrow. I am so excited. She and her (soon to be) husband are two of the most down to earth people I know and I'm really touched that they decided to include us in their celebration. They have such a wonderful relationship, it's something that inspires me on a daily basis.

The invitational was super cold last year, sadly...

Before that though, my law school hosts a large softball invitational tournament where schools from around the country come to play softball for the weekend. It's huge and always a lot of fun so I'm going to some of the games tonight to see some of my friends from college who are at different law schools but in town for the tourney.

Have a lovely, lovely weekend!

xoxo

The Book Chat: Favorite Children's Books

2013-04-04T17:25:00.003-04:00

This week's The Book Chat is hosted by Jessica from Sweet Green Tangerine and Mia of The Chronicles of Chaos. I missed last week's because of the show, but I am very excited for this week's topics: children's books!

I don't have any kids and I'm not old enough just yet for my friends to be having children (even the ones who are married are waiting a bit) so I thought I'd talk about some of my favorites from when I was a kid that I'm sure will make appearances in many baby shower gifts to come.

1. Where the Wild Things Are

by Maurice Sendak

"Don't go. I'll eat you up, I love you so."

Life lesson: Always eat your dinner.

2. Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstein

"If you are a dreamer, come in,

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...

If you're a pretender come sit by my fire

For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.

Come in! Come in!”

Life lesson: You are not alone.

3. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

by Laura Numeroff

"If you give a mouse a cookie,
He’s going to ask for a glass of milk."

Life lesson: Some people will take your kindness for granted.

4. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

by Judith Viorst

“I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I think I'll move to Australia."

Life lesson: Some days are like that. Even in Australia.

5. The Phantom Tollbooth

by Norton Juster

“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that.”

Life lesson: the journey is greater than the destination.

Are any of these favorites from your childhood?

xoxo

The Dark Side of Pinterest: Perfectionism and Feminsim

2013-04-03T09:52:00.000-04:00

image via digitaltrends.com

This morning I opened my Facebook newsfeed to find two articles shared by a good friend of mine, How Pinterest Ruined My Wedding and How Pinterest Is Killing Feminism.

My friend is getting married this weekend. Reading the articles, I suddenly had some insight into what she'd been struggling with for the last six months. While the rest of us focused on our law books, she's been balancing a full course load with wedding planning. In an effort to be healthier (I say that specifically because this friend has one of the healthiest attitudes of anyone I know) she's been going to Pure Barre five days a week. She's constantly emailing and calling her mother states away and making three hour trips on weekends to iron out details.

While I don't agree with everything in the articles, and I truly believe that Pinterest has done more good than evil, I understand where these authors are coming from.

On Weddings and Wedding Planning:

I don't have a "dream wedding" board. I believe wholeheartedly in jinxing things, so naturally if I made a dream wedding board, I would never get married (don't ask, it's a strange quirk). But I still scroll past a thousand barn weddings, vintage wedding dresses and beautiful ivory flower bouquets and sometimes I wonder... what if that's not what I want for my wedding?

Even if it is what you want, how does your own wedding compare? The author laments,

"It might have seemed like my Pinterest Wedding was coming along nicely, but in reality the anxiety was mounting. You see, every time I planned a small detail, I would see someone do it better, with more whimsy, on Pinterest."

She talks about comparing every aspect of her DIY wedding to the perfect ones seen online. Nothing seems to quite measure up. But in the end, the author sees Pinterest with the sort of reality check that many of us already do:

"In reality? It rained all day leading up to our ceremony. Our getting-ready photo shoot time was spent with my bridesmaids yelling at the rental company and me obsessively checking the weather radar. We walked through the mud, so our hand-painted burlap aisle runner looked like a used coffee filter by the time I got to see it, and the bottom of my dress looked like a tea bag.

But you know what? I was so overcome with joy that I did the ugly cry all the way down the aisle and through half of the ceremony. It was perfectly imperfect, and absolutely beautiful. My Pinterest Wedding turned into a Real Wedding, and it was the most wonderful day of my life."

Pinterest isn't the only wedding-phenomenon to cause this kind of wedding-envy. There are still thousands of bridal magazines, bridal shows, and of course, the worst kind of envy... when we covet something our friends have instead of sharing in their joy. Although, if you guys are like me, what you really covet is your friend's strong and love-filled marriages, and that in my opinion, is both a high compliment to them and an expression of love.

With the easy accessibility of Pinterest, I can see how stress levels rise. But, I've never planned a wedding, so I'm only projecting. The second article struck much closer to home.

On Feminism? The Dichotomy Between Food and Diet Pins

The second article, How Pintrest is Killing Feminism starts with a stark contrast, taking issue with the general content of Pinterest as a whole:

"Pinterest's user-generated content, which overwhelmingly emphasizes recipes, home decor, and fitness and fashion tips, feels like a reminder that women still seek out the retrograde, materialistic content that women's magazines have been hawking for decades — and that the internet was supposed to help overcome."

I'll be honest I wrinkled my nose at this one. A little extremist, I thought. While accurate, I'm a feminist who also believes that if I want to become a chef, a personal trainer, a mother or a stylist, I should be 100% free to do those things. I'm a feminist who simply believes we should stop pressuring women to make certain societal decisions period. Instead of having them be women's decisions, why don't we just let them be decisions. Personal decisions. Why attach a gender at all?

But the author quickly backs off and begins to address the difference between Pinterest, print magazines, and online sites like Jezebel who stay away from diet/fitness/fashion type articles. The article is also is quick to defend Pinterest's positives. It's user-controlled, you can choose what you want to see or not see based on what you like and it's lack of advertising and media influence right now is refreshing:

"So maybe Pinterest is a natural evolution in online women's media, a place where old print titles and younger outlets like Jezebel intersect. Pinterest might come with airbrushing, but at least it lets you decide just how much of it becomes part of your own user experience."

While I don't feel any guilt over pinning work outs (I want to be healthy!) or food (I love to cook, so what?) and I actually pin very few fashion items (we have discussed my lack of style) - the combination of them hit me. First, I recognize that together, these things are counter-effective. And second, I realize that for everything I pin, I have very little motivation to do most of it or recreate most of it.

The part of the article that touched me the most was the interview with Lauren Sherman, executive Digital Editor of Lucky magazine, whose words hit home hard:

"This ideal, Sherman thinks, is less about dieting down to a certain size than having the best manicure, the perfect lipstick, or just the right assortment of mismatched bracelets on your wrist (detail shots of things like this are very popular on Pinterest, Sherman has noticed).

"It's more about the whole life you live now. It's about building this world. Your Pinterest board reflects your taste in food, fashion, your home — it's the life you want to reflect and less about a very specific prize and, 'I'm not a size two, but I have all this other great stuff going for me,'" Sherman explains.

"I don't necessarily think that is any better. You're still trying to achieve the impossible."

Pinterest is life as a whole, for all of the good and bad that it brings. For us perfectionists, there will always be something out there - whether it be on Pinterest or the internet or the woman sitting next to us, that makes us feel slightly less perfect. I think Sherman has a point.

The hardest part is trying to achieve the impossible instead of recognizing ourselves as perfectly imperfect the way the first author realizes about her wedding.

Have any of you ever struggled with Pinterest-envy?

In life? In wedding planning?

I'd really love to hear your stories about this, I think open discussions between women on these kind of topics are what allow us to use things like Pinterest in positive ways instead of negative ones.

xoxo

Show Life

2013-04-02T14:55:00.001-04:00

So it's been over a week since I stopped by last. I promise I'm not becoming a MIA blogger, but this week has been one of the craziest (and most wonderful) of my life.

Our law school comedy show performed this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so all of last week was spent running around like a crazy person. In addition to being IN the show, I was also stage managing. Which is hilarious if you know me, because I know nothing about stage managing.

Except that I can craft.

Therefore, I can make props. And costumes.

Somehow that qualified me for what is probably the most difficult job I've been asked to do. I think I slept about 2-3 hours a night since last Friday, painting, sewing, wiring, building tables (!!). Moving things in and out of storage and generally making sure that everyone got on and off stage when they were supposed to. With a cast of over 100 students, that's not as easy as it sounds.

Thankfully it was a HUGE success. We laughed, we cried (only once, at like three am because I was about to drop dead and a friend of mine brought over a doze roses) and somehow we didn't terribly offend any of the law professors.

For the most part I didn't have a camera on me (my hands were full of duct tape and microphones) but check out the few I did manage to snap via Instagram:

1. One spreadsheet to rule them all.

2. The final dress rehearsals begin.

3. One of my favorite props

4. Flowers from my extremely kind and understanding friends

... the downside of being a stage manager?

Moving lots and lots of chairs and tables in and out of an auditorium for over a week... and bruises.

Thanks for putting up with my absence for the last week

I'm so excited to have my life back and to be back!

xoxo

Pride and Prejudice and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries

2013-03-22T10:39:00.001-04:00

I realized through The Book Chat link ups that a lot of you are fellow book lovers like me, so I sharing a little book nerd fun!

Have you guys heard of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries?

It's a webisode modernized adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and it might be the best thing to happen to Jane Austen since the A&E version with Collin Firth.

Each webisode is only 3-4 minutes long, but be careful, it's super addicting! I watched most of the season in about a day. It's hilarious, you'll fall in love with the characters all over again. Plus, it was developed by Hank Green and Bernie Su, so you know it's good. Yes! That's John Green's brother.

Just don't forget to start at the beginning:

.... and, if Game of Thrones is more your thing, don't worry they have a web adaptation of that too called School of Thrones! Families are cliques and "winter" is prom. Although in my opinion, it's not quite as good, the high school thing is a little overdone:

Have a wonderful Friday!

The Book Chat: Currently Reading

2013-03-21T09:32:00.002-04:00

This week on The Book Chat (hosted by Jessica of Sweet Green Tangerine and Erica of Looking to the Stars), we're discussing the books that we're currently reading.

I just started Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff.

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

Hannah's best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal but she still has visions of Lillian’s ghost, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders. Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed and why she keeps thinking about Finny, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets.

___________________________________________________________

To be honest, I stumbled on to this one by accident. I thought it would be a nice young adult book with a touch of romance. (Fineeee, I was judging the book by it's cover.) But I am so glad it's not what I thought it was. I'm only about a third of the way through it but it is super creepy.

The Characters: Hannah's best friend Lillian died from an eating disorder, and sees her dead best friend on a constant basis. The girl literally follows her around and so far, Hannah hasn't told anyone. She just accepts it in this strange, dead, nonplussed which is really making me question Hannah's mental state. (In a good, creepy way, not in a "this is unbelievable" sort of way.)

The Setting: City. Sickening summer heat. Birds are dying. Girls are dying. There are so many things about the setting that make me physically uncomfortable that I've found myself shifting in my seat while reading the book. Something about the atmosphere Yavanoff has set up just doesn't feel right.

The Writing: So far I love Yavanoff's writing. It's very direct and descriptive without being over the top like so many YA novels these days. She writes with a certain clear, dead preciseness that fits the tone of the novel perfectly.

I am seriously excited about this one and will probably devour it in the next day or two.

What are you currently reading?

I Can't Believe It Wednesdays

2013-03-20T10:12:00.001-04:00

Most weeks I get to Wednesday and suddenly I'm looking around going "How'd I get here?" and "Am I alive?" Mondays and Tuesdays are brutal for me, schedule wise. Especially ones spent catching up on assignments and readings after break. So Wednesdays are a perfect day for me to share my bewilderment with the world. Or you know, you guys. These are the things I'm having a hard time getting my head around this week.

I (still) can't believe... that my spring break is over.

I can't believe... that the "Delta Gammas" on The Mindy Project last night yelled "Wamma Bamma Delta Gamma" and threw drinks in people's faces. What the what.

I can't believe... that today is the first day of Spring and it's supposed to snow again tonight.

I can't believe... how amazing the season finale of HBO's Girls was. I'm sorry I ever doubted you Lena.

I can't believe... that I spent an hour synching up this dancing panda gif to music last night instead of studying. Seriously guys, try it, he dances to anything. (Especially Bruno Mars's Lazy Song.)

I can't believe... that we're already in our tech week for the comedy show.

I can't believe... that I have exactly two months before I graduate law school.

I can't believe... that I'm actually planning my bar trip to Vegas in August.

but most importantly...

I can't believe... that this is a real headline on weather.com:

"Large Asteroid Headed to Earth? Pray, Says NASA."

Ummm, excuse me?

Linking up with Robin from The Sunshine Diary for I Can't Believe! Wednesdays.

On Videos and Vanity

2013-03-18T13:20:00.002-04:00

I had the really unfortunate experience of watching myself on video not once, but twice in the last week. One video was a semi-professional promotional-type video for the school I go talking about where I work. The other was an amateur video filmed for the school's comedy show. Both were uh... ~~horrific~~ eye-opening? Let my experience be a lesson to you: videos are extremely humbling.

Lessons I Learned From Watching Myself on Camera

1. I'm vain.

Nothing makes you realize your own vanity more than being horrified at a video of yourself. Is that me? Am I that ____ (fat/chinless/pale/blinky/stuttery/terrblelooking)? are thoughts I usually rarely think. VERY rarely. But holy cow if it isn't the only thing I've thought about since watching these videos.

2. I really need to start working out.

Being confronted with my new apparent chubbiness (does the camera really add 10 pounds?) means I need to do ALL of the gym activities. SPINNING! ELLIPTICAL! PURE BARRE! BUNS AND GUNS! (That's a thing right?)

3. I'm not just pale, I'm translucent.

On the upside, I didn't have to worry about having a double chin because you can't even see the chin I do have. Or my lips. Or my eyebrows. Or my jaw line. I'm a fleshy, pale face-blob. One of these days the Ghostbusters are gonna hunt me down.

4. ~~Pink is so not my color. Er, neither is blue. Suits are unflattering.~~ I need a stylist.

So I get a big F at trying to be an adult. I apparently am not capable of pulling off a suit. Or you know, dressing myself. At least on the formal front. Work wear just isn't my jam. It took me years to develop my personal casual style and now I have to do it all over again with business formal? Sigh.

5. Lights are unflattering.

See above comment about being a pale blob. Best argument I've seen for a "lights off" policy. Just kidding... mostly.

6. ~~A close headshot is extremely unflattering from a low angle.~~ A close headshot is always unflattering.

Haha guys, funny, funny. Can we retake this video from about 10 feet back and from a slight right angle. No really, that's my good side. No? Maybe we could have at least not zeroed in on my face and shoulders like I've got some kind of supermodel face?

7. Insecurities so quickly outweigh so many other great things.

I think this has been the hardest lesson.

I sound really intelligent and professional in my interview. I sound like I know what I'm talking about. I sound like a smart, kind, capable attorney-to-be. I have a great voice. I'm calm and measured. I use an appropriate vocabulary and don't swear! Not even once!

In the comedy video, I'm funny. It's funny because I'm such a terrible actor, but hey I can laugh at myself, and I do. I put myself out there, not once but twice. Usually my personal confidence is just fine, I had no problem volunteering for the videos where some people refused. (Hmm. They might have been on to something.)

And yet, for some reason I'm having a very difficult time focusing on anything other than how I look. I don't want to be, or think of myself as a vain person. Ouch.

Don't worry guys, it's not a life-shattering moment. Just one of those bug-eyed, holy cow realizations. More than not liking what I saw on camera, I don't like how I reacted to what I saw. Sometimes it's hard to convince ourselves that we're the amazing, smart, strong, funny women that everyone else sees us as. But we are. I'm pretty convinced that in the long run, I'll get over it and I'll have learned a thing or two about myself in the process.

... in the meantime, these videos are going out to the entire school soooo, ugh. Life lessons are tough.

xoxo,

Happy St. Patrick's Day: Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

2013-03-17T11:21:00.000-04:00

St. Patrick's Day is probably my favorite holiday after Christmas. I'm about 88% Irish (that's year-round folks) so St. Patrick's is always celebrated!

I made Irish Carbomb Cupcakes for the first time for St. Patrick's Day last year and they were a huge hit. I mean like, people fighting over the last few and having to split them in half with their fingers huge. I mean, they do have your three Irish drinking staples:

chocolate Guinness cupcakes filled with...

chocolate Jameson ganache and...

topped off with Baileys buttercream frosting.

via www.seebrookecook.com

If you Google "irish carbomb cupcakes" or "chocolate Guinness cupcakes" you'll get a million different sites with recipes. This is the one I've used both years and loved, adapted both times for what I had in the kitchen.

Recipe, pictures and instructions after the jump!

First, you'll need to gather your supplies:

(I should note you really only need 12 oz. of Guinness and 1 tablespoon of whiskey, so if you aren't a big drinker of either of those, you may want to see if you can just borrow some.)

I followed this Guinness cupcakes recipe from My Baking Addiction, but if you have butter on hand and would rather use that, last year I used this recipe from Our Family Eats. Personally I liked this year's version better and thought they were both moister and sturdier for the filling:

Guinness Cupcakes (adapted from My Baking Addiction):

12 oz. (1 bottle) Guinness Draught
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Godiva)
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

In a large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients together until combined. In stand mixing bowl, carefully combine the bottle of Guinness, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Add eggs one by one to the liquid ingredients. Add the sour cream until mixed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Batter should not be lumpy.

Divide into cupcake pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until middles bounce back when you touch them. I was able to make about 24 large cupcakes and 16 mini cupcakes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Once cupcakes have cooled, using a small paring knife, cut out a small hole in the middle of the cupcake (about the size of a nickel). Discard (or eat) the extra cake from the middle of the hole.

Jameson Ganache Filling (adapted from Smitten Kitchen):

8 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon Jameson whiskey, room temperature

Chop bittersweet chocolate finely and place in a medium heat-proof bowl. On the stovetop, bring heavy cream very slowly to a simmer over medium low heat. Keep a careful eye on it so it doesn't boil over. Once hot, pour over chocolate. Allow to sit for 30 seconds to a minute, then stir. Keep stirring. Stir until the chocolate melts and is completely combined with the cream. Allow to cool another minute.

Add butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Be careful, if your butter and whiskey are not at room temperature your chocolate might seize. Allow to cool another five or ten minutes before spooning carefully into the middle of the cupcakes.

Baileys Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Smitten Kitchen):

1 cup (2 sticks unsalted butter), room temperature

5 tablespoons Bailey's

3 tablespoons whole milk or cream

6-7 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter in a mixing bowl, add 5 tablespoons of Baileys to butter mixture. Very slowly add in 6-7 cups of powdered sugar. Add remaining tablespoons of whole milk or cream until you reach your desired consistency. For me, the original frosting was too thick and I had to add quite a bit more milk to make it piping consistency.

Top cupcakes with green sprinkles, or cute shamrock flags you found at the grocery store! Bring them to large events and watch people fight over their deliciousness:

Can't wait to give these guys out today.

How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Is it as rainy and gross where you are as it is here?

Friday Flashback: 90's Jam Session

2013-03-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Happy (90's) Friday!

I am officially at the end of my spring break and it's back to writing memos, reading casebooks and going to class for me. To keep me from getting too bummed about the end of break, I've been going through my 90s playlist on my iTunes and I thought I'd share some of my favorite flashbacks with you.

Dance in your seat, laugh a little and start your weekend at 4:30 instead of 5 today.

(And dangggg, 1997 was a good year...)

Del Amitri - Roll to Me

circa 1995

So look around your world pretty baby,

Is it everything you hoped it'd be?

The wrong guy, the wrong situation,

The right time to roll to me.

Sugar Ray - Fly

circa 1997

All around the world, statutes crumble for me,
Who knows how long I've loved you?
Everyone I know's been so good to me,

25 years old, my mother God rest her soul...

Two Princes - Spin Doctors

circa 1993

Marry him, marry me,
I'm the one that loves you, baby can't you see?
Ain't got no future or family tree,
But I know what a prince and lover ought to be.

Tal Bachman - She's So High

circa 1999

Somehow I can't believe that anything should happen,

I know where I belong and nothing's going to happen,

She's so highhhhhhh, high above me, she's so lovely,

Like Joan of Arch, Cleopatra or Aphrodite.

Smash Mouth - Walkin on the Sun

circa 1997

So don't delay act now supplies are running out,

Allow if you're still alive six to eight years to arrive,

And if you follow there may be a tomorrow,

But if the offer's shunned you might as well be walkin' on the sun.

Sublime - Doin' Time

circa 1997

Summertime and the livin's easy,

Bradley's on the microphone with Ras M.G.,
All the people in the dance will agree,
That we're well qualified to represent the LBC.

The Wallflowers - One Headlight

circa 1997

Hey, come try a little, nothing is forever,

There's gotta be something better than in the middle,

Me and Cinderella put it all together,

and we can drive it home with one headlight.

Hootie and the Blowfish - Only Wanna Be With You

circa 1995

I won't dance, you won't sing
I just wanna love you but you wanna wear my ring
But there's nothing I can do
I only wanna be with you

Sister Hazel - All For You

circa 1997

It's hard to say what it is I see in you

Wonder if I'll always be with you

But words can't say, and I can't do

Enough to prove, it's all for you

Blues Traveler - Run Around

circa 1994

Why you wanna give me a run-around,

Is it a sure-fire way to speed things up,
When all it does is slow me down,
and shake me and my confidence.

Eve 6 - Inside Out

circa 1998

Swallow my doubt, turn it inside out

Find nothing but faith in nothing.

Want to put my tender heart in a blender,

Watch it spin 'round to a beautiful oblivion.

Hope that makes your Fridays go a bit smoother! Maybe next week we'll do round two with the 2000s.

What are your favorite hits from the 90s?