Eat Drink One Woman

I started writing this entry called "Favorite Restaurant Foods" while on the phone with BGS and he thought I was talking about one of those "You Are What You Eat" entries on Eat Drink One Woman. So I decided to write both :)

Name: Tammy

Occupation: Student/Eternal Intern

Borough: Suburbia a half hour outside The D, MI

Relationship: Taken, by someone I'm head over heels for!

What did you eat today?
I'm ashamed to say because I ate so poorly today! An iced tea, croissant, and banana for breakfast/lunch, and another iced tea and dumplings with rice and corn for dinner.

What do you never eat?
Tomatoes... even though I like salsa, marinara sauce, and ketchup. Not a big fan of olives or seafood with tentacles.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:
Shredded Mozzarella cheese, apple juice or high pulp orange juice, baby carrot sticks or some other kind of veggies for dipping, Marzetti's Veggie Dip to go with the previous item, fresh frozen fruits for smoothies or other desserts (in my freezer), eggs, sliced turkey, and a roll of croissant dough.

What is your favorite kitchen item?
My Magic Bullet, which I realize sounds like a sex toy but it is really just a small, powerful blender that I constantly use for smoothies, milkshakes, and dicing foods like boiled eggs for egg salads. Best used for pulverizing though.

Where do you eat out most frequently?
Beirut La Pita but probably because it is close to work, fast, inexpensive, tasty, and everyone I'll go out to eat with likes their food. They have this amazing dip they just call Garlic Dip, which I could live off of.

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?
A four course fondue meal at the Melting Pot with a couple close friends (which I've mapped out below), and a ridiculous amount of wine:
1. Cheddar fondue: Aged, medium-sharp Cheddar and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses, lager beer, garlic and seasonings. Served with diced apples, celery, and bread cubes for dipping.
2. California Salad: Mixed baby greens, Roma tomatoes, walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese, with a raspberry walnut vinaigrette dressing.
3. Coq au Vin fondue: Flavors of fresh herbs, mushrooms, garlic, spices, and burgundy wine. Served with chicken, shrimp, teriyaki beef, broccoli, potatoes, mushrooms, yellow squash, sauces for dipping (curry, chipotle, teriyaki, sour cream & chives, and Gorgonzola cheese dip), and two batters for breading (tempura and a sesame seed batter)
4. Yin Yang chocolate fondue: half dark chocolate, half white chocolate. Served with strawberries, bananas, pineapple, graham cracker covered marshmallows, oreo crumb covered marshmallows, cheese cake, and pound cake.

Blogging about blogging

I regularly leave my blog un-updated for longer periods of time that I would like when these things happen:

1. I have absolutely nothing to write about.
2. I have so much to write about, I don't know where to start, so I just don't.
3. What I want to write about should not be posted where everyone can read.
4. I have something super good to write about that I'd rather just think about it.
5. I have something super bad to write about and I'd rather just think about it.

Time is not an issue - I always make time to write if I really want to.

In this case:
1. Nope
2. A lot has been going on with a newer part of my life.
3. I met someone amazing :)
4. Did I mention I met someone amazing?
5. And I got in a ridiculous car accident this past Friday.

I bought these babies today

Soooo dress? Check. Shoes? Check. Date? Nope. Still deciding if I'm going by myself or going to try to con a guy friend into going with me. If only I could buy those off Amazon also. Or I could just not go. Wait who am I kidding? This is going to be the night my shoes make their big debut. I can't rob them of that :-P The only thing is, I have what is apparently called toe cleavage. When I put the shoes on and saw my toe cleavage, I sort of freaked out that my toes had somehow grown abnormally large recently (I didn't have this problem with any other shoes). But I asked CE, who is much more with this stuff than I am, and I guess it's the new, somewhat popular style. I checked online, and sure enough. It's a hate it or love it kind of look but I love these shoes so I'll risk looking like I have freakishly long toes just to wear them.

On a separate note, my new computer toys came in at work today! You'd thinking being in IT, we're spoil ourselves by always having the latest equipment. Nope. It wasn't until recently did Claude tell me to go ahead and order Kristi and myself Dell Latitude D830 laptops! To order them in a certain price range, we had to make sure everything "upgradeable" was as low of a spec as possible. Then we can, as Claude said to me, "pimp it out". It has a 15.4" screen, Core 2 Duo (2.20 Ghz), 24x CD/DVD RW, and 256MB NVIDIA® Quadro NVS 140M graphics card. I already upgraded the RAM (it had 512 MB and I added 2GB) and plan on upgrading the hard drive from 60 GB to 80 GB or 160 GB. Hmm what else can I do to actually pimp it out so it looks nice? I also have a new 22" Dell widescreen monitor to go with it. Claude let me have his old monitor when he got a new one, which then got traded out for the 22" (the old one was a 20"). Definitely super geeked - ahhh!!

I've forgotten to mention! Props to Blogger for all these awesome new features ! By far, Blogger has got to be the best and most sophisticated blogging site I've ever worked with. I feel like I'm finding new features every week that make editing entries and the template easier and more customizable. The best is that I've been looking online for a long time for an HTML code that will simply allow readers to flip through entries that are older or newer rather than having to click on all the archive links.

A few things I'm really looking forward to:

CE's Swedish meatballs on Friday - CE and BGS and I have gotten into this swing of cooking together/for each other. I'm have to boast I'm pretty impressed at what I sort of did. CE decided we would make some sort of asian noodles with veggies and some sauce her roommate had. I used my exquisite taste (not really, haha, I was just hungry) to add some soy sauce and PB to make it a little more Thai. Then over the weekend, BGS made chicken and peppers grilled in Italian dressing with the rest of the noodles we didn't use from the Thai dish. I already have my plans for food laid out, but it looks like that won't be until after Friday.

Zoo Day on Saturday - like last year except this year it will be at Toledo and not Detroit, and there will be no plus one for me :(

Maybe they just don't get got.

I haven't been on the computer for awhile or writing here, partly because I've been trying not to write when I only want to rant, and partly because I've just had so many other things to do in my free time.

My winter break started off on a great note (mostly because finals went so well), except I was also sick for most of break. Because you all love my lists and I am too lazy to write solid sentences:

- Annual family Frakenmuth trip to Bronners- Christmas Eve with the Brhliks and the rest of the Hungarian gang- Christmas at home with the family and Anna's family
- Lots of family games like Chinese Checkers, Jenga, and Extreme Jenga
- Cooked dinner with Yvonne- Martinis and daiquris with the group (didn't have margarita glasses with me though)- Playing "Santa" to Olivia and Antonia
- Goulash party/bonfire... outside in the middle of January
- Ate at Jim's restaurant, City Cellar, curtesy of Jim, the head chef :)
- Pool at Tom's with the group
- Bowling with the group (which I am terrible at)

Just five cools things

1. My adorable puppy

2. Cube Fabulous - I would love to enter this! It's like Extreme Home Makeover except it's for your cubicle! The Beach Bum guy is the funniest!

3. I found a way on Blogger to compile all my entries into one document and export it into Word using HTML. I've always wondered if I'd be able to eventually print out all my entries for keeps, since I'm all about documentation.

4. Allrecipes.com has quite possibly bumped its way up to the top of my list for favorite websites! Haha, now I just have to try the 20 I bookmarked. This includes tackling sushi and fondue (not together of course) - my top two favorites!

5. My aunt sending over a box of milk tea and other festive treats :)

Steamed buns and cute dresses

On separate occasions this week, my mom and I and then D and I decided a new thing for us to do together is cook. My mom and I decided we should quit complaining to each other every time we come home from work/school about how we're too lazy to cook dinner. So now her and I have to cook for each other at least once a week, and the recipes we like we'll compile. D and I decided that we go out to eat too much so we should start trying out our own recipes too.

I saw this adorable little dress at the mall the other day, and it's the exact same dress as the one I obsessed over during New Year's (when I finished contemplating and decided to get it, the store didn't have it anymore) but it has different colors. So I'm trying to justify myself by finding a reason to buy it. E's wedding? Well I have the pink/peach dress I bought last summer for that, which I actually spent more money on than this one is worth. We'll see - maybe I'll just spoil myself because my birthday is coming up.

Things about Ricardo: State of the Nation address, DieselMax event, President said hi to me, too much work (and driving to work) is a pain.

Tagged by galiatovi, but since the people I know who read this blog don't blog, I dunno if I should tag anyone...? Here are my top ten:

1. Airplanes that fly really low over me on 94 when driving to work is real cool
2. My pup is always super excited to see me when I come home
3. Singing my heart out to a really good, really loud song when driving
4. I don't know why, but reunions with old friends I haven't seen in awhile
5. Goregous fall days when all I need is a sweater
6. Long, deep discussion in my philosophy class that leave me mind boggled
7. A steaming, hot bath with bubbles and a good book or magazine
8. Compliments on something I've worked really hard on
9. Spending time with high-energy friends that make me constantly smile and laugh
10. Lounging in absolute comfort with my favorite :)

I wouldn't be caught dead in this place

Cool blog I found today: Google Maps Mania. There's actually a map you can get of New York based off of smells. So supposedly, if you train your nose to the smells of alcohol, urine, chemical waste, and so on, you can use this map to find your way - hahaham.

I sat down at work today with all this ridiculous stuff I've been getting from JVA. At some point, I stopped thinking about what I was doing, just machined through it, and started thinking about how I haven't been myself lately.

With balancing my life, I think I've been really irresponsible. With school and work, I've been more responsible than usual. I have a huge potty mouth now and can't seem to stop swearing or saying bad things, and I think I've been losing my patience much more easily lately. And I think, overall, I've started getting sappier (is that a word?), and I've started acting more impulsively. I think at the wrong times, I've become pretty bitter and cynical too.

But I'm slowly trying to get myself back on track, so I guess I'm not all downhill.

I walked past Pete's office today and he yelled out the door "I thought you were supposed to be in school!" and I yelled back "I'm playing hooky to be at work!" And then I poked my head in his office and he was like "No, seriously, what's your schedule like?" So I told him, and he said, "Glad you're still with us here" and smiled. That was nice.

I got home from work and realized I got distracted when Dusan called me as I was walking out the door, so I forgot everythig I meant to take home. Long story short, he kept me company when I drove back to pick everything up. I gave him a tour of Ricardo, and just for fun, I took him by Visteon City (aka their headquarters, which is HUGE). We blasted music the whole way home, and it was just good to laugh with him and talk about funny things.

Oh yeah, I re-enabled the comments feature with word verification even though I still haven't posted my blog anywhere. Wait I take that back, I think I might have posted it on facebook, but I can't remember.

I wrote a narrative paper about Coldstone (yeah I know it's not one word but I like it that way). I couldn't figure out what else to write about since I've writen about everything already... robotics, Ricardo, training, piano, statkeeping... Anyway, the point is, I didn't realize until now how much I really loved that job. Sure there was drama at the end but I loved working there and with the crew. Hmm good times, good times.

Ahhh I gotta study.

Fully part time... or something.

I'll never forget the time in robotics when one of the engineers asked Matt if he was going to work at Bosch, or something like that, and he just smiled and said "fully part time!"

I haven't been writing a lot lately, which is odd considering how much has been going on. I won't say it's because I've been busy because even when I am, I make time to write. I will say that it's been difficult trying to think of something kosher to write when I get on blogger because I know who does and doesn't read this (at least I think I do) and a lot of what I'd write would be... well yeah. I guess there is a lot going on I don't want to announce...? Yeah.

Maybe that's okay. Maybe hiding out for awhile is okay.

On a separate note, today was my first full week of classes and part time working during school. For the most part, it's been going hectic but not bad. One thing that's kept me going is my Philosophy class which I looove. I walk out of their and my head is in the clouds thinking about things I haven't thought about or thinking about things from a completely different perspective than I usually would. It'll be good, this'll be a good class.

I know I don't know you

("Secret" - Maroon 5)

Well, what's new? I finally joined facebook and started classes. The plan is to go up to MSU and party it up with Yvonne this weekend.

My mind is drawing a blank. Sometimes blogging is nothing.

Cuz I'm not built that way

("Duck and Run" - Three Doors Down)

I laid down at 11:30 after coffee with Winky, buying spray roses (which are adorable), some hard lemonade with leftover stuffed cabbage from the party, and D coming over and fixed some stuff at my house. It's now freakin' 1:30am and my mind is racing, and I'm panicking.

Part of me just wants to close my eyes (figuratively) and machine through these fears without thinking about how numbing it will become, part of me is freaking out. I've come to the realization that: I've changed my mind about everything I've thought about everytime I've thought about it in the last few weeks, which pretty much means I need some time to re-think things for myself. Yeah that sentence made more sense in my head.

Last night I had this ridiculous dream about a war that involved everyone in my life. Completely randomly, I was fighting with and against people from every part of my life as I ran for my life, dodged bullets, hid, and ultimately, woke up when a huge explosion almost killed me. I woke up numb, heart racing, sweating, kicking my blankets off, and clutching my pillow like my life depended on it. Wow, what is going on with me?

How in the heck am I going to juggle school with Ricardo?

Oh chariot

("Chariot" - Gavin Degraw, Stripped)

Didn't do much this weekend. Mostly lounged with the pup and today I've got to do some laundry or I'll run out of clean underwear.

I had the weirdest dream yesterday. As always, it was a series of events I fear that will happen in real life.

I dunno why I started this entry, I can't think of much to write. Maybe I'll write later.

"Thirty six, twenty four, thirrrty six. Owww!"

Oh Rick James, you're the mighty mighty brick house!

Something weird about howI sleep: I seem to fall asleep better with my arms up. I sleep with my arms stretched out above my head as if to imitate a hot dog. But then I wake, bring my arms down, and groan at the immensely painful tension in my neck and shoulders until I realize I've hit the snooze button one too many times and I'm late.

I'm in this ridiculous marketing class (I know you're all thinking, "did Tammy just say marketing is ridiculous?" - no, the class is ridiculous) at school full of underclassmen and under-drugs upperclassmen. We're supposed to create a presentation selling something - anything - to the class. Dewitt, the ADD teacher, goes around to see what everyone wants to sell and the answers are like iPods, cell phones, and golf clubs. I'm like "A kitchen appliance... like a blender?" and she's like "NO! It's gotta be something like skis or jewelry or shoes." So I'm supposed fake sell something that doesn't actually do something.

I went to the dentist today which most people dread, but strangely I don't. I think that's because my childhood addiction to sweets landed me many visits at the dentist's office, and I not only got used to laying back with my mouth wide open, but actually began to enjoy fluoride.

The new season of The Apprentice starts today! Yusss I am so excited. This season is supposed to have an international twist to it. So do not disturb me (except during commercial breaks) on Monday nights at 9pm while I'll be watching it with D.

Cute blog I read today: Vegan Lunch Box

And I'll leave you with a funny comic that Josh sent to Dusan who sent this to my Ricardo email:

You remind me of the times

After clicking link after link after link after link, I somehow stumbled upon the blog of an old friend who I haven't heard from in years. Of course, if I had the guts, I might leave her a comment or call her or something... but of course, I don't know what I'd say and I fear a response along the lines of, "All the years we haven't kept in touch, and now you call me?". Not to mention that I looked up to her growing up and can't bear the thought of getting the even slightest hint from her that all she doesn't approve of me. How dorky.

I can't stand Xanga, Live Journal, and MySpace because they're not really blogs, I don't think. I mean, everyone I know that owns a MySpace are always talking about people they've met through my space and who's linked to their MySpace and yadda yadda yadda. I want somewhere where I can actually write to write without all the trouble of the "who's who" kind of thing, if you know what I mean. And for the first time in my literate life, I haven't written anything in months.

I tried to make lemonade the old fashion way today, as it if was summer or something, except I used the Juiceman juicer we have instead of squeezing by hand. I poured 7 cups of water in the pitcher and then the lemon juice and sugar but then it was too sour and the pitcher wasn't big enough to add more water. Hmm, maybe I'll fill up a bottle of this stuff and drink it tomorrow morning, and maybe I can use it to wake me up

Deuce and I have been arguing a lot this week, and I don't really know why. We argue about arguing and then it becomes a "he said she said" conversation. I don't even know where all this came from, because it's not normal for us to argue about arguing. Of course, I'll blame that we he worked and went to classes well over 55 hours this week and I worked 20 outside of school this week.

But on Friday he brought a case of of my favorite: Ferrero Rocher chocolates

And yesterday, he did something really sweet: Anyway, he wrote an email to my primary address where the subject line was like "I'm sending you something..." and the email said "... to your other email address". So I check my other email account (which has more space) and he sent me pictures of us from Christmas dinners, New Year's parties, and basketball games and it melted my heart! :) Here's Christmas: