(24/365) Pork, it's what's for dinner

I will miss you, Bob's 66, when I move back to Atlanta!

Amanuensis

According to Merriam Webster:

Main Entry: aman·u·en·sisPronunciation: \ə-ˌman-yə-ˈwen(t)-səs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural aman·u·en·ses \-(ˌ)sēz\

Etymology: Latin, from (servus) a manu slave with secretarial duties

Date: 1619

: one employed to write from dictation or to copy manuscript

Context: Mastered by Love, by Stephanie Laurens. 

Example sentence: I refuse to work as an amanuensis. In fact, if you want me to me your amanuensis, I'm going to have to insist that you talk to this hand.

Where the hell is Cheryl Cole from?

If you're not already familiar with Cheryl Cole, a British pop singer from the girls group, Girls Aloud, then you'll probably want to. I mentioned her once, here.

She was most recently featured in a L'Oreal commercial that's caused a lot of drama because it is trying to hawk shampoo that claims to make hair thicker, when in reality, Cheryl has a ton of hair extensions intermingled with her real hairs. Anyway, take a look at her commercial to see the tiny tiny sign that says that hair extensions were used, but really, pay attention to the words that come out of her mouth. Where the hell is this girl from?

Her accent is NUTS. I had no idea what she was saying the first time. But she's totally gorgeous. So who cares?

Read here if you really did want to know where Cheryl Cole is from.

New word that I read today

Escutcheon. Merriam-Webster says:

Main Entry: es·cutch·eon

Pronunciation: \is-ˈkə-chən\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English escochon, from Anglo-French escuchoun, from Vulgar Latin *scution-, scutio, from Latin scutum shield — more at esquire

Date: 15th century

1 : a defined area on which armorial bearings are displayed and which usually consists of a shield
2 : a protective or ornamental plate or flange (as around a keyhole)
3 : the part of a ship's stern on which the name is displayed

[escutcheon illustration]

Found in: Mastered by Love, by Stephanie Laurens.

Example sentence created by me:

Look at the escutcheon hanging on the chapel in Frederiksborg castle of Hillerød, Denmark.

Captured Jul 11, 2005

Graph Jam is totally my jam

Graphjam.com illustrates awesome things that you've probably considered, created by people just like you, but in graph form. Formed by the people of lolcatz, get ready for awesome hours of procrastination.

Example!

Preach it, Graphjam.

(23/365) 24 hours out of the oven

These are the chess squares I made, 24 hours after I pulled them out of the pan.

...or corn. Corn.

First comes LOVE.

Then comes disillusionment.

Next, frustration.

A rekindling.

and now.... LOVE, again. Although she's really not as cute as before. All she has to do is stand there and talk and people love her!!

CUPCAKE SAGA!

So, as I just noticed by scrolling up and down my blog, it's become a photo album and nothing more. I'm here to remedy that, immediately.

In these past few months, beginning with my birthday, I've begun to have a small obsession with baking cupcakes. I don't mess with the cupcake itself. Funfetti is IT. Why mess with a mix that has already put the fun in it? (and an extra cup of pudding! for moistness - moist moist moist moist moist moist eeeuuuyuck)

Here is the progression of my descent into obsession:
First came these:

Total baking time: 3+ hours.

Then, these.(Halloween inspired...) Since I work with kids all day, I make the cupcakes for THEM :)

 

Well, November came and I decided to continue with my treat. But what would be my theme? I had originally wanted to make turkey cupcakes in honor of Thanksgiving, but trust me, it involved candy corn, which was already inaccessible since it was post Halloween and some damn the possibility for some heinous looking turkeys was not encouraging.

Hmmm... as it was for the kids, I couldn't truly experiment with the flavor of the cupcakes, because many of them don't like chococolate, and forget about pumpkin spice or some other sort of delicious treat that's more sophisticated. I work with six year old babies that are not afraid to reject my love.

Back to the icing board. How to decorate? I searched for cupcakes via cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/ and found rainbows! I could dye the cake (too complicated) or.. just do lots of different icing colors... in rainbow order of course.

With my delicious decision formed, I got to work. First came the Funfetti. Sooo fun.


Then, the icing mixtures. Apparently, on the back of the food dye, there's a small chart that teaches you how many drops you need to make the colors, oops. Didn't see that until I was finished.

And finally, the hardest, most complicated part, to make fun swirly designs on the cupcakes to make them special for me, while knowing the entire time that the kids won't even notice as they shove those cupcakes in their mouths. After a lot of pondering and mixing, here are some of my favorites:

I love how the sun hits this one!

These are in honor of autumn, my favorite season.

 

And here's a sampling of the rest:

After I baked them and photographed them to the best of my ability, I put them in this Martha Stewart cupcake carrying case and took them via the Metro all the way to class! In the end, they arrived safe and sound into the mouths of babes.

The best part of making cupcakes is that I actually don't like eating them. I only like the smell of them and the process of creating all the designs on the tops. Total baking time: 4+ hours. It might be a while before I give it another go.

(22/365) Target dress up!

I can't help that when I see a body suit, I just want to slither in it! GUESS WHAT GUYS, it's officially Christmas time!... and if you were wondering, the shoes are connected!!! Those are NOT slippers.

(21/365) Not my room, Thanksgiving, part le deux

Remember how I said that I would post another picture of my room to make up for the fact that I basically forgot to take a picture for the day? Well, I fixed that one. This is what I found on the room next door!

Hello, Kitty and various and sundry items of things that I've loved in the past! LOVE Nancy!

(21/365) Thanksgiving Redux

I admit it, today of all days, I forgot to take a photo. Out of all the pictures I should have taken, I didn't. Instead of just taking a random picture of my room, which is clean now, BTW, I will post a favorite of mine that I just re-discovered. I was going over some pictures of past vacations, and this is one from Budapest in 2006. Behold the New York Palace. Ooo lala! Who doesn't love a little bit of opulence and $6 coffees? Safe travels to everyone who is driving and jet-setting this long weekend!

(20/365) Hello ring!

My 35th anniversary Hello Kitty ring arrived! 

Speaking of eyebrows....

PLEASE watch this video of Sandra Bullock being made over into a CHOLA.




DEAR GOD. This is. amazing.

(19/365) Will you be my friend?

So you're saying I should consider waxing my eyebrows?

(18/365) Proof

Proof that I'm not actually just taking random pictures of some boy that I don't know. It's me at work!

Dear Old Love,

I just waited outside for 35 mins in  43 degree drizzle with no umbrella because I left my favorite blue umbrella from Japan on the Metro. I'm in a terrible mood and things didn't get better when I started reading dearoldlove.com. It's all the things you want to say to your ex. Most of them are sad, some of them are great. Here's one I like:

Kylie's Back.... and with Justin?

WTF. This girl is the luckiest girl alive and she doesn't even know it!



STILL, so cute. But nothing compared to THIS.

(17/365) Cupcake Stop 'n Go!

Every so often, I get inspired to bake a few cupcakes for my kids. My first foray into cupcake making was Hello Kitty, then I did come Halloween/Orange and White cupcakes.. this month's theme? Rainbow Cupcakes!

(16/365) Bed with a view

AH, the wreckage. Material things, I love you. Yes, I'm currently using at least 5 handbags simultaneously.

(15/365) Not Frankie

He was practicing drawing Christmas cards for me. I love him. Especially when he's not crying. I'll miss him when I move back to Atlanta :(

(14/365) The Road Often Taken

This is my walk home. In the rain, in the dark, barefoot, up a hill.....

Things that I say that I mean. Really.

Mariah needs to have a reunion with Boyz II Men, pronto. I need to hear One Sweet Day again, live.

Youtube it here.

George Lopez in New Moon

Here George reads from New Moon. It's dramatic and trashy, just like the book. Or so I assume, since I haven't read it yet.

THIS JUST IN!

The lady who is nurse at my school, let's call her Nurse Joan, has a mustache and chin whiskers.

Are you familiar with the concept of scheduled meeting?

Is there any other kind of meeting? An extemporaneous meeting? A meeting of the minds? A meeting that was conceived in the heat of the moment? All cute ideas, but let's get real. A meeting is scheduled and people are expected to show up. To whom it may concern, stop scheduling meetings, then 1) not telling people when they are, 2) planning on them, then CANCELING THEM LAST MINUTE FOR TRIVIAL REASONS, 3) wasting my time.

Thanks Toothpaste For Dinner

Call me a haughty bitch (or a hottie bitch! ha, homonyms make me laugh), but when a meeting is planned and I have to attend them, I would actually like to HAVE THEM. STOP PLANNING MEETINGS IF WE AREN'T GOING TO HAVE THEM. OO MY SWEET BABY JESUS. Thank God for those snowmen. See previous blogpost.

(13/365) Brrrr, baby it's Cold. Outside.

I like to draw creatively when I'm at work.

(Click to Enlarge)

These are some snowman that I hope will inspire my kids to crank out some genius Christmas cards next week after Thanksgiving (the less commercial holiday, but more historically important, IMO)

(12/365) The View

Why, hello there! Hello Kitties.

 I own you.

(11/365) Falling into the baby GAP

Business in the front, party in the back? Business in the front, party in the front? Babies wearing clip-on ties. Classy, real classy!

Have you seen Signs? NOT the M. Night Shyamalan version

It's a 12 minutes silent movie that was one of the 2009 Cannes Lions Winners.. Half film winner, half Schweppes ad - it's tre romantic.

If you don't have time to watch, wait, watch it when you have time, but until then, it's definitely an interesting take on love in the city, where there are so many people, yet you can be so alone... and the boy is cute.

Miss Dior Cherie! Happy Le Monday Night!

I've seen this commercial a lot and every time I want to post it. I ruv it! Ah, Miss Dior Cherie!



There's something about the colors and the way it presents Paris that is so sweet and muted and lovely.

(10/365) My 2.5 hour metro home

I spent a lot of time waiting for metro cars this morning. From Ballston to Metro Center, from Metro Center to Cleveland Park, Cleveland Park to Grosvenor - Grosvenor drive to my house = total trip time = 2.5 hours. Hell.

(9/365) From Beijing to DC

Sara brought it home from Beijing, and last night, I saw it again. Needless to say, I cuddled the shit out of it.

Everybody knows somebody...

According to the new Honda ad campaign, everybody knows somebody that LOVES a Honda... and universally that's how we can all be united. By love. Isn't it grand?

Too bad real life doesn't work that way. When I first saw this commercial, I thought about if I knew someone that loved their Honda. Hmmm, my cousin. Whoa, this commercial applies to me!

But, on second thought, I realized, she doesn't love her Honda at all! She OWNS a Honda, but she would definitely prefer to own another car entirely. Sadly, I realized that if possession and love meant the same thing, then this ad would be true, but since I'm sure any professed Honda lover would sooner LOVE a .. say.. Lexus, this ad has no hold. Unity - FAIL.

(8/365) Washingtonian

Taken at midnight. Where law sleeps at night.

(7/365) Boy that I love

He was crying, but he's my favorite! Shhh... don't tell the others!

(6/365) Hot Mess

Pile. Pajama pants, bra, sweat shirt, towel. on chair. Happy Veteran's Day! I didn't see anything exciting today!

Ed Westwick, I still love you!

I lied here. Look at this article and you will see this:

OMG. He is my Salivation. I take back any doubts that I had, I still love Ed dirty Westwick with the disgusting feather tattoo. But really, is he wearing jeans to a wedding?

Thanks usmagazine.com for being trashy and beautiful enough to post this pic.

New Day, New Diet

...Just in time for the holidays! I've decided to embark on a tiny diet that involves working out and eat less. No fads for this girl. Being healthy is hard..but easy at the same time. Easy, because logically to lose weight all you have to do is eat less, move more. Sim-PLE. I've been on this bandwagon a few times now and it's always successful.

For a while though, instead of riding on the bandwagon, I've been dragged by my feet by that damn cart. I've got a leg up and I've got calories drastically to diet levels while doing cardio for 60 to 90 mins a day plus weight training. My goal is to lose 3 lbs a week. Mostly this involves being obsessed with food, yet NOT consuming it. HARD. It's only been two days and already I've had crazy cravings. Who eats Pringles anymore?

Today, I literally had to quell my urges to put on pants, get in my car, and buy a can of Pringles from the grocery store. UGH, it was only sheer laziness that stopped me from burning all that gas and put more fat on this ass. The problem with dieting is the mental thing. Quell the mind and your body will thrive.

Wish me success!

PS Pringles are 10 cal/Pringle!! AHHH. and yet, my body hungers for this processed potato product. It's not even considered a potato chip........ UGH. Time to research more chip replacements! Here's my luck so far...and here too!

(5/365) Daily Life Continued

Sorry I've not posted REAL posts... I'll most likely post a real one immediately after posting my daily photos. This is the metro stop I frequent the most. LOVE the red line. LOVE it.

(4/365) What I deal with on the daily

Remember my closet from Atlanta? Well, mine in DC is just as hard to deal with. I have to clean my room about.. once a day, if not, then I live in a sty for a week until I get around to it on Sundays.

(3/365) Oh, hello.

I think he's supposed to be either a piece of toast or tofu. He holds my cell phone sometimes! RAWR SO CUTE.

Blair is cheating on Chuck Bass with Robin Thicke!!!

Who is admittedly... pretty hot.
In case you didn't know, Robin Thicke is the son of our favorite Growing Pains father, Alan Thicke. He's a huge R&B star and.. BTW, I'm not talking about Blair but Leighton Meester. She's collaborated with Thicke on her first new single, which is a paltry display of her singing abilities but a pretty great display of her hotness! Robin Thicke kind of looks like Brad Pitt in this video too!

Click here to see it!

Inquiring minds want to know: Are Bert and Ernie gay?

But we'll never know because journalists are politely advised against asking, according to BBC. This year represents the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street, a show that I wasn't completely obsessed with as a child. With that being said, even I wanted a Tickle me, Elmo. Remember THAT craze?

It always creeped me out that there were people operating the puppets that were Sesame Street. The puppets didn't creep me out, it was just the lack of recognition that these were puppets - that we weren't allowed to see the puppeteers. Are kids supposed to believe that Sesame Street is full of living furry beings? WHOA. Way unrealistic.

The BBC also mentions that people are told to remember that Elmo is supposed to be a 3 year old and to talk to him accordingly. I would like to meet the guy that is the man behind Elmo, his laugh is AWESOME here.



Obvi, Ricky Gervais has given no regard to the fact that Elmo's age here. "Do you know what necrophilia is?" Either that or this is the way that he talks to children. I love Ricky Gervais.

(2/365) Story of my LIFE

I am addicted to caffeine. Truly.

Project 365 (1/365, Friday Nov 6, 2009)

I've decided to participate in Project 365, which is a popular trend that's been done on Flickr by about... everyone, apparently. The premise of the project is to take a photo every day and be able to see the progression of your life - for a year. So, to prevent myself from cheating... I'm going to post photos - with the subject being the day number out of 365, daily. Yay for seeing what I see.

They say that you should take a picture of yourself at least once a month. Day 1 it is! 

I'm taking advantage of my good hair day and post a pic of a friend and I at ChurchKey, which I thought was called Latchkey because what is ChurchKey? ChurchKey is a trendy bar located in Dupont.

Remember, Remember! The fifth of November!

this mask is creeeeeeepy. and used in V for Vendetta...

You've been looking forward to this day all year. It's Guy Fawkes day! Hanged, drawn, and quartered, Guy got the full treatment for trying to kill King James I by blowing up the Parliament while he was inside.

We used to be a Commonwealth of Britain, so we should probably participate in a little burning Guy Fawkes in effigy, no?

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

The gunpowder treason and plot,

I know of no reason

Why the gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

Of all the plots in English history to remember, we remember the Gunpowder Plot of 1605?

The Notable City of Cincinnasti

No, I did not mis-type. This summer, I went to Cincinnati for a wedding. Truly, I hadn't considered going until about 1 week prior, but having gone, I can tell you that I learned a few things. There is a scenic bridge. The city is quaint and walkable. Kroger, Macy's, Inc., and Proctor and Gamble are all HQ'd here and it's a true American original. With that being said, I mostly enjoyed their Skyline Chili, which almost tastes Asian but was actually started by a Greek man. I would have to say, there were two most interesting things I discovered throughout my city walk through Cincin:

this: (it's a bench)


and these: I call these my fountain boys:


(Frederic)
and
(Dieter)


Yep, these two statues at Fountain Square are perhaps Grecian inspired boys with slithering serpents emerging from their loins. With water flowing steadily out. No bigs. The most hilarious part of this fountain is that it looks relatively new. WHAT city council saw this sketch and didn't see 5 men just rocking out with their cocks out in bronze form? WHAT council saw this and voted YES, they want this created for perpetuity?

LOVE it. Cincinnasti, indeed.