...that you really do want dessert.
Sometimes I get a sweet tooth and I know its just in my head. I may have already had something sweet and may just be wanting more, or I may just be bored and need to distract myself.
Tonight after dinner I felt like I wanted something sweet to eat and decided that a couple of the apple cinnamon mini muffins I had previously made and frozen would be a healthy option. I placed them on a napkin in the microwave and turned it on, walking away to do something else.
Within about five minutes, I was wandering back to the living room and started to feel like I wanted something sweet to eat. I walked back to the kitchen wondering what I could have and I remembered the muffins which were waiting for me in the microwave. I guess I really did want it this time. :)
Showing posts with label How to. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How to. Show all posts
Friday, March 7
How to make... Part II
I really didn't comprehend what had happened and why I couldn't open the car door...
I stood there in shock as the realization hit me that I had just chosen the worst snow storm of my life to lock my keys in my car... with the engine running.
As I thought back about the button click I had heard earlier, understanding and utter despair washed over me. All I wanted to do was hit the UNDO button... but unfortunately, that option only exists for small mistakes in the world of paper-writing.
I repeatedly pulled at multiple door handles, willing them to open, kind of like when you watch Titanic and can't help but hope that this time it won't sink.
When I had finally accepted my fate, I called my dad (yes, miraculously my phone was in my coat pocket instead of in my backpack locked in the back seat of my car) and he gave me the number for AAA, which I didn't have because it was locked in my car.
After being passed around to different AAA operators (because my 408 area code automatically routed me to California, which wasn't going to help), I finally submitted my request for assistance and they had no time estimate for me. The weather was terrible and even if no one else was in need of assistance, it was difficult to determine how long travel would take.
I called my roommate in hopes that I might be able to guide her in the search for my extra car keys (which I haven't seen since I moved in January)... I even called a random friend who seems to have odd talents on the off chance that he might be able to break into my car for me...
Having no luck talking with anything but voicemail services, I decided it was time to admit defeat and abandon my car. It really felt like I was abandoning my poor Jackie as I walked back to the school building, ice scraper still in hand. I showed up in the school commons and explained my predicament with a shrug of my shoulders and a courtesy laugh, and they all looked almost as shocked and concerned as I felt.
To kill time, I walked with a friend to find lunch in another building and spent much of the time in line on the phone giving my roommate suggestions about where she might find my keys (knowing full well that I wasn't going to let her drive all the way up to school in the snow even if she found them).
Back in the Commons, it was suggested that I call Campus Police, but I had no idea that they could help me with this sort of thing. But, given the fact that my car had been running for an hour and there was no sign of AAA, I thought it was worth a shot and called the Operator.
Hearing, "You silly, silly girl..." from the Operator in response to my drama-laden tale was shocking, but oddly comforting... calming. She told me that she would send someone over to the building to pick me up, so I waited some more.
By the time the AAA guy called me, it had been almost 2 hours. We miscommunicated on the phone several times before we both ended up at my car. But, by the time I hung up with the Campus Operator (having been informed that Campus Police had shown up just as I was leaving the building to meet up with AAA), my car door was open and the AAA guy was getting back into his truck.
I thanked him profusely, and cautiously, almost suspiciously, sat down in the driver's seat. It was so strange to think that Jackie had been running for 2 hours without me.
My windshield was very clean, and I couldn't help being amused that if nothing else the 2 hours of melting had successfully freed my wipers, making everything once again visible through my windshield.
As I slowly drove home, occasionally sliding in the slushy snow where a road hadn't been plowed, I felt exhausted but happy, and I couldn't quite figure out why. Regardless of the many frustrations I was facing, the snow was beautiful, my midterm had been postponed, and it was Spring Break, so what did it matter?
I stood there in shock as the realization hit me that I had just chosen the worst snow storm of my life to lock my keys in my car... with the engine running.
As I thought back about the button click I had heard earlier, understanding and utter despair washed over me. All I wanted to do was hit the UNDO button... but unfortunately, that option only exists for small mistakes in the world of paper-writing.
I repeatedly pulled at multiple door handles, willing them to open, kind of like when you watch Titanic and can't help but hope that this time it won't sink.
When I had finally accepted my fate, I called my dad (yes, miraculously my phone was in my coat pocket instead of in my backpack locked in the back seat of my car) and he gave me the number for AAA, which I didn't have because it was locked in my car.
After being passed around to different AAA operators (because my 408 area code automatically routed me to California, which wasn't going to help), I finally submitted my request for assistance and they had no time estimate for me. The weather was terrible and even if no one else was in need of assistance, it was difficult to determine how long travel would take.
I called my roommate in hopes that I might be able to guide her in the search for my extra car keys (which I haven't seen since I moved in January)... I even called a random friend who seems to have odd talents on the off chance that he might be able to break into my car for me...
Having no luck talking with anything but voicemail services, I decided it was time to admit defeat and abandon my car. It really felt like I was abandoning my poor Jackie as I walked back to the school building, ice scraper still in hand. I showed up in the school commons and explained my predicament with a shrug of my shoulders and a courtesy laugh, and they all looked almost as shocked and concerned as I felt.
To kill time, I walked with a friend to find lunch in another building and spent much of the time in line on the phone giving my roommate suggestions about where she might find my keys (knowing full well that I wasn't going to let her drive all the way up to school in the snow even if she found them).
Back in the Commons, it was suggested that I call Campus Police, but I had no idea that they could help me with this sort of thing. But, given the fact that my car had been running for an hour and there was no sign of AAA, I thought it was worth a shot and called the Operator.
Hearing, "You silly, silly girl..." from the Operator in response to my drama-laden tale was shocking, but oddly comforting... calming. She told me that she would send someone over to the building to pick me up, so I waited some more.
By the time the AAA guy called me, it had been almost 2 hours. We miscommunicated on the phone several times before we both ended up at my car. But, by the time I hung up with the Campus Operator (having been informed that Campus Police had shown up just as I was leaving the building to meet up with AAA), my car door was open and the AAA guy was getting back into his truck.
I thanked him profusely, and cautiously, almost suspiciously, sat down in the driver's seat. It was so strange to think that Jackie had been running for 2 hours without me.
My windshield was very clean, and I couldn't help being amused that if nothing else the 2 hours of melting had successfully freed my wipers, making everything once again visible through my windshield.
As I slowly drove home, occasionally sliding in the slushy snow where a road hadn't been plowed, I felt exhausted but happy, and I couldn't quite figure out why. Regardless of the many frustrations I was facing, the snow was beautiful, my midterm had been postponed, and it was Spring Break, so what did it matter?
Wednesday, March 5
How to make...
...the most of a snowstorm.
Yesterday, it snowed all day long. It was literally a downpour of snow like I'd never seen before. I had class at 10am and then a mid-term in my 3pm class. I was exhausted from my weekend class, and generally stressed out about multiple things, including the fact that I had not been able to study for my midterm.
I aimed to leave home at 8:30, knowing that I wouldn't get away until 9... and that I would need every minute of that time to make it to school in the snow. Up until this point, I had never had to leave home on any of the "snow days" for class, and I wanted to be prepared.
I meticulously scraped the thin layer of ice from my car windows after pushing away the piled snow. I also carefully cleared the snow from the path of the windshield fluid squirters. After testing the wipers and finding that only the left one even came close to clearing my window, I attempted to knock away the ice from the rubber blades. I tested them again, only to get frustrated that the right one was still useless.
Determining that whatever was causing the problem would melt with time, I started on my way. I pulled the wiper fluid lever, but saw nothing emerge to assist my wipers in clearing my windshield. The visibility through my windshield continued to get worse as I drove a couple blocks through residential streets.
I decided that I had to pull over because the small clear spot of the windshield just in front of my steering wheel would not suffice for maneuvering on city streets. I made little progress on the wipers, and ended up stopping again two-thirds of my way to school.
The drive (usually 15-20min) took 45 minutes, and I was delighted to find that there were still parking spots in my second favorite lot (which is usually full by the time I show up for a 10am class). Normally, I have to park in the far lot, which is a 5 minute walk from my building... and this seemed particularly disagreeable in a snow storm.
After my 10am class, I set myself up at one of the tables in the common room, determined to finish my assignment that was due before the midterm, and absorb as much of the test material as possible.
Before the first hour was up, I was interrupted by a couple people at a nearby table, attempting to break through the music coming through my head phones in order to get my attention. I only vaguely recognized them (there are so many people who showed up last semester who I don't have the energy to meet), but they knew me from our 3pm class. They wanted me to know that I didn't need to keep working because class had been canceled, and the midterm postponed until after Spring Break.
My first thought was of disbelief... like, they might be playing a prank or something just to see if I'd fall for it. But then I realized I wasn't in high school... so I put my books away, trying to let relief take over.
I trekked back to my car, so excited that I got to go home and chill with my roommate (who had a snow day) for the afternoon. And after placing my backpack in the back seat, I sat down in the front seat and heard a click as I accidentally bumped one of the buttons on my keychain with my gloves. I didn't think much of it and started my car, ensuring that the defrost was on.
I grabbed my ice pick, closed the car door, and proceeded to spend 5 minutes cleaning off the 2-3 inches of snow that had fallen on my car while I was in class. And when I finished, and reached for the door handle, I really didn't comprehend what had happened and why I couldn't open the car door.
To be continued...
[This is far longer than I anticipated... ha ha]
Yesterday, it snowed all day long. It was literally a downpour of snow like I'd never seen before. I had class at 10am and then a mid-term in my 3pm class. I was exhausted from my weekend class, and generally stressed out about multiple things, including the fact that I had not been able to study for my midterm.
I aimed to leave home at 8:30, knowing that I wouldn't get away until 9... and that I would need every minute of that time to make it to school in the snow. Up until this point, I had never had to leave home on any of the "snow days" for class, and I wanted to be prepared.
I meticulously scraped the thin layer of ice from my car windows after pushing away the piled snow. I also carefully cleared the snow from the path of the windshield fluid squirters. After testing the wipers and finding that only the left one even came close to clearing my window, I attempted to knock away the ice from the rubber blades. I tested them again, only to get frustrated that the right one was still useless.
Determining that whatever was causing the problem would melt with time, I started on my way. I pulled the wiper fluid lever, but saw nothing emerge to assist my wipers in clearing my windshield. The visibility through my windshield continued to get worse as I drove a couple blocks through residential streets.
I decided that I had to pull over because the small clear spot of the windshield just in front of my steering wheel would not suffice for maneuvering on city streets. I made little progress on the wipers, and ended up stopping again two-thirds of my way to school.
The drive (usually 15-20min) took 45 minutes, and I was delighted to find that there were still parking spots in my second favorite lot (which is usually full by the time I show up for a 10am class). Normally, I have to park in the far lot, which is a 5 minute walk from my building... and this seemed particularly disagreeable in a snow storm.
After my 10am class, I set myself up at one of the tables in the common room, determined to finish my assignment that was due before the midterm, and absorb as much of the test material as possible.
Before the first hour was up, I was interrupted by a couple people at a nearby table, attempting to break through the music coming through my head phones in order to get my attention. I only vaguely recognized them (there are so many people who showed up last semester who I don't have the energy to meet), but they knew me from our 3pm class. They wanted me to know that I didn't need to keep working because class had been canceled, and the midterm postponed until after Spring Break.
My first thought was of disbelief... like, they might be playing a prank or something just to see if I'd fall for it. But then I realized I wasn't in high school... so I put my books away, trying to let relief take over.
I trekked back to my car, so excited that I got to go home and chill with my roommate (who had a snow day) for the afternoon. And after placing my backpack in the back seat, I sat down in the front seat and heard a click as I accidentally bumped one of the buttons on my keychain with my gloves. I didn't think much of it and started my car, ensuring that the defrost was on.
I grabbed my ice pick, closed the car door, and proceeded to spend 5 minutes cleaning off the 2-3 inches of snow that had fallen on my car while I was in class. And when I finished, and reached for the door handle, I really didn't comprehend what had happened and why I couldn't open the car door.
To be continued...
[This is far longer than I anticipated... ha ha]
Wednesday, February 27
How to spend...
...20 minutes recycling an aluminum can (not to mention the 30 minutes I spent writing a blog about it):
I read about 10 pages of my book (and its for a book report, so its definitely more like a novel and less like a text book and therefore should be easier to focus on, but alas...) and started to lose my concentration. I decided that I'd try pacing and reading like I used to do in college (but I usually can't use this technique because the books are too heavy and bulky), so I finished the last couple gulps of my Diet Coke and squished the can in the middle as I walked to the recycle "bins" in the kitchen.
We separate the paper and cardboard, but the rest of the recyclables go together in the white "bin" that used to be the kitchen trash can. When I moved in and brought my black trash can, we decided to use the white one for recyclables since the little mini trash can, which had bee previously used, was obviously incapable of handling the amount of recyclables my two roommates produced on there own. Add me into the mix and the little guy was going to be sorely overwhelmed.
As I placed my squished can into the big white bin, I was reminded how full it was getting (the lid didn't close anymore), and I decided that I should at least pull it out and replace it with a fresh bag so that Lori (the roommate who kindly disposes of the recyclables) wouldn't have to deal with an overflowing mess.
Pulling out the full bag revealed the bottom of the white bin, which was no longer white, and looked as if it might be growing something... Obviously, it had not been restored to its former hue since its days as a trash can. But, with the handy work of several Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, the thing that might have been living was definitely extinct, and the inside of the trash can was now relatively safe, clean, and white.
Then, I noticed that the outside of the white bin had some dried splatterings of something or other, and I promptly wiped those away as well. I was careful not to be too thorough, and to clean only as much as was necessary (just so that it looked clean from afar)... I wouldn't want to get too carried away!
But as I threw away the last cleaning wipe and returned to the wipe dispensing container (intending to put it away), I remembered that I had been thinking about cleaning the kitchen counter for a day or so... and I already had the wipes out, so I thought I might as well just go for it.
Throwing away the last wipe for that job reminded me that the black trash can was looking like its lid could use a good wipe-down, but I resisted. I could do that when it was time to empty that trash can, which wasn't necessary at the moment.
I then realized how silly it was that this all started when I set out to recycle my Diet Coke can so that I could get back to my book... welcome to my world.
And now back to my book... hopefully...
I read about 10 pages of my book (and its for a book report, so its definitely more like a novel and less like a text book and therefore should be easier to focus on, but alas...) and started to lose my concentration. I decided that I'd try pacing and reading like I used to do in college (but I usually can't use this technique because the books are too heavy and bulky), so I finished the last couple gulps of my Diet Coke and squished the can in the middle as I walked to the recycle "bins" in the kitchen.
We separate the paper and cardboard, but the rest of the recyclables go together in the white "bin" that used to be the kitchen trash can. When I moved in and brought my black trash can, we decided to use the white one for recyclables since the little mini trash can, which had bee previously used, was obviously incapable of handling the amount of recyclables my two roommates produced on there own. Add me into the mix and the little guy was going to be sorely overwhelmed.
As I placed my squished can into the big white bin, I was reminded how full it was getting (the lid didn't close anymore), and I decided that I should at least pull it out and replace it with a fresh bag so that Lori (the roommate who kindly disposes of the recyclables) wouldn't have to deal with an overflowing mess.
Pulling out the full bag revealed the bottom of the white bin, which was no longer white, and looked as if it might be growing something... Obviously, it had not been restored to its former hue since its days as a trash can. But, with the handy work of several Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, the thing that might have been living was definitely extinct, and the inside of the trash can was now relatively safe, clean, and white.
Then, I noticed that the outside of the white bin had some dried splatterings of something or other, and I promptly wiped those away as well. I was careful not to be too thorough, and to clean only as much as was necessary (just so that it looked clean from afar)... I wouldn't want to get too carried away!
But as I threw away the last cleaning wipe and returned to the wipe dispensing container (intending to put it away), I remembered that I had been thinking about cleaning the kitchen counter for a day or so... and I already had the wipes out, so I thought I might as well just go for it.
Throwing away the last wipe for that job reminded me that the black trash can was looking like its lid could use a good wipe-down, but I resisted. I could do that when it was time to empty that trash can, which wasn't necessary at the moment.
I then realized how silly it was that this all started when I set out to recycle my Diet Coke can so that I could get back to my book... welcome to my world.
And now back to my book... hopefully...
Tuesday, February 26
How to arrive...
...15 minutes early for an interview:
I had a School Social Work Practicum Interview this morning before class. I live in South City and the interview was in North County... not so easy. I looked up directions last night and programmed my route into the traffic checking website so that in the morning, all I had to do was refresh the page to see what traffic was like.
Well, I had class at 10am, and I remembered seeing that I had scheduled the interview for 8am. And I knew that normally, the drive would take 30 minutes, and that with traffic, I would need an additional 15. Well, leaving an hour before the interview sounded ridiculous (this is St Louis, we're talking about... and I'm from California), but I tried to be ready at 7am anyway...
Well, recently, I've been getting up at 7 or 7:30 anyway, but man! I didn't expect 6am to feel so awfully early! I was running a little behind, but I decided that taking the time to make a lunch was important since I would be at school all day and I didn't want to buy something.
Right before I walked out the door, I looked up the traffic and found that there were 10 minutes worth of delays, so I bolted out the door since that's about how much time I had to get there before 8am.
We've been getting a lot of weather in St Louis (I love all the snow... even if it doesn't really stick around), and this morning it was a mixture of small ice pellets and rain... and unfortunately, this weather caused crazy back-ups on the main freeway I needed to take and I didn't know of any other options.
By the time I got there, I had spent an hour on the road, and I had left a message with someone at the office at 8am knowing that it would be better to let them know where I was rather than to just not show up.
I was feeling very embarrassed and frustrated as I found my way to the right office and attempted to calm myself down. The secretary informed me that they were "a little behind" and that I could just have a seat.
A little behind?!? It was 8:15! Well, I sat there for the next 15 minutes, having relaxed a little because they hadn't been waiting on me, and trying not to think about how little time I would have before I had to race off to class.
Around 8:30, one of the women came out (I had previously met her at the Practicum Fair), said hello, and told me that they were running a little behind because the first person was late... and then it hit me: My interview wasn't really at 8am, was it? I immediately pulled out my planner and discovered that my interview had been written in as 8:30am the whole time... I had been 15 minutes early!!!!
If only I were able to trick myself consciously, rather than solely by mistake... ;)
I had a School Social Work Practicum Interview this morning before class. I live in South City and the interview was in North County... not so easy. I looked up directions last night and programmed my route into the traffic checking website so that in the morning, all I had to do was refresh the page to see what traffic was like.
Well, I had class at 10am, and I remembered seeing that I had scheduled the interview for 8am. And I knew that normally, the drive would take 30 minutes, and that with traffic, I would need an additional 15. Well, leaving an hour before the interview sounded ridiculous (this is St Louis, we're talking about... and I'm from California), but I tried to be ready at 7am anyway...
Well, recently, I've been getting up at 7 or 7:30 anyway, but man! I didn't expect 6am to feel so awfully early! I was running a little behind, but I decided that taking the time to make a lunch was important since I would be at school all day and I didn't want to buy something.
Right before I walked out the door, I looked up the traffic and found that there were 10 minutes worth of delays, so I bolted out the door since that's about how much time I had to get there before 8am.
We've been getting a lot of weather in St Louis (I love all the snow... even if it doesn't really stick around), and this morning it was a mixture of small ice pellets and rain... and unfortunately, this weather caused crazy back-ups on the main freeway I needed to take and I didn't know of any other options.
By the time I got there, I had spent an hour on the road, and I had left a message with someone at the office at 8am knowing that it would be better to let them know where I was rather than to just not show up.
I was feeling very embarrassed and frustrated as I found my way to the right office and attempted to calm myself down. The secretary informed me that they were "a little behind" and that I could just have a seat.
A little behind?!? It was 8:15! Well, I sat there for the next 15 minutes, having relaxed a little because they hadn't been waiting on me, and trying not to think about how little time I would have before I had to race off to class.
Around 8:30, one of the women came out (I had previously met her at the Practicum Fair), said hello, and told me that they were running a little behind because the first person was late... and then it hit me: My interview wasn't really at 8am, was it? I immediately pulled out my planner and discovered that my interview had been written in as 8:30am the whole time... I had been 15 minutes early!!!!
If only I were able to trick myself consciously, rather than solely by mistake... ;)
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