Kindle

So I finished my first book on my Kindle... in less than 24hrs. I can see my bank account diminishing as fast as my eyesight if I continue at this pace. I was so curious to see how reading an entire book on this slim plastic tablet compares to the paperback books I've known all my life. Was I ready to give up flipping pages, spine-bending to accommodate my tired hands, and overanalysis of cover art, wondering if I could think of a better suited visual?

I'm ready.

I think of myself as a highly adaptable person. I don't love change with certain things, but I'm always open to trying a newer, better way.  I'm not swearing off paper books at all, but this new toy might break all my past records for books read per month (and no more books piling on a bookshelf I'll never read again taking up space!) Thankfully, I'm a fast reader and a session will never be less than 50 pages at one sitting. Anything less and I can't get my mind into the story. I know I'm focused and into something when I have to stop, look up, and take a second to remember I'm at home, laying in bed, and not part of the story!

This whole concept still amazes me.  Not just the Kindle thing, but the entire internet/social media/never-ending stream of information hitting us from every angle. So much has changed in the past ten years. I remember being in middle school, and thinking the only thing I wanted was to bed able to sit in bed and chat on the Instant Messenger! Life was much more simple back then, but why didn't I think I could someday be sitting in bed, shopping from a cell phone, AND IMing at the same time?? Was I not thinking far enough outside the box? Was I not exploring the most creative depths of my imagination, and just stuck in the "now" of what was not possible?
It's nuts. Really nuts. I can hold a BlackBerry in one hand, an iPod in another, and in 5 minutes I can listen to a song, watch a video, and buy hundreds of dollars worth of whatever I want on whatever website I want, just like that. Not to mention telling everyone about my purchase via Facebook status update or Tweeting the awesome music video- all from the same two devices. I'm in awe of this because I remember a time when it didn't exist. I can understand most kids 10 and under are unphased by what I describe, but what shocks me even more are my own peers, who never stop to think of how fast all this information is flying at us. Is it too much? I think so, and I've had this discussion with others. Not that too much is a bad thing, but where does it stop? When do we throw up our hands and scream "Enough already!!"

I'm not quite there yet, but I want to walk that fine line where I'm in the know, and on top of the latest and greatest, without being a slave to the gadget. Or am I already falling behind the trend by sitting here and questioning how fast change is happening? I've never considered myself a person who needs all the newest things (I'm one of the last few remaining non-iPhone owners, I'm pretty sure), but even someone like me has enough to require a seperate basket to house all the cords/adapters/docking stations needed to power these things.  So two laptops, a BlackBerry, an iPod Touch, a Kindle, a Garmin GPS, a digital camera, and a digital SLR are all the items in this non-techie's toybox...?

What's next??

Courtesy of Google images... No Gameboy in this house!

A walk through the past

If you've lived in suburban Philadelphia all your life as I have, you tend to take for granted things like Valley Forge Park. A short 15min drive and I'm on the same grounds the as the Continental Army in the late 1700s during the Revolutionary War. Pretty cool.

It was a nice day, so I decided to pay VF a visit. Change it up from my usual park across the street. Lots of people, tons of dogs, and a 5.3mi trail that left me begging for a nap. (After I hit the button on this- off to bed I go! Something I never do). It was about 60 degrees, the sun was shining, and for a moment, looking out upon the hundreds of acres of barren fields, it could have been 1777! Over 200 years ago, a soldier could have been standing in the exact same spot, seeing exactly what I was seeing! Then I looked further from the top of the hill and saw the sole reason that area is a traffic nightmare King of Prussia Mall. I lovvvve that mall, don't get me wrong; every now and then though, the former history buff in me like imagining places the way they were, before the Wal-Marts and Rite Aids started popping up on every corner.

Borders and Barnes & Noble had a really fascinating collection of paperbacks which caught my eye a few years back. They're called "Images of America", which you could easily spot by their sepia-toned cover. They were in the "local" section and had every place from Conshohocken to Bucks County to Center City Philly, giving a short history of the town and lots of photos.  It's full of major intersections we still travel today, and pictures of everyday people... working and living. Well, that "living" thing is a toss up after reading this article: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/32946

But anyway, those books are worth checking out, especially if they have your town! Back to the topic, Valley Forge is quite nice, and I can't wait to get back there once Spring arrives!

Hard Worker's Club

The Hard Worker's Club. This is a phrase coined by my sister and her friend, describing the exclusive club one belongs to when they work 2 or more jobs.

I'm a long-standing member of this club, and I can honestly say I reallly enjoy it. I've worked 2 jobs for at least the past 10 years, and I don't see it stopping any time soon. I don't need to do it, which is probably why I haven't burnt out by now. It's not easy, but the trick is to make sure the second job is really fun, pays well, or is incredibly satisfying (bonus if all 3 apply!). Organization and proper planning is an absolute must in the multi-job world... life can get really tricky if you start double booking yourself or missing deadlines. I'm lucky enough to love my FT gig AND my side job, which is exactly why I push myself to work more than I should, later than I should, and put in those 12hour days when I really don't have to. This sounds like too much, but throw in 3-4x/wk gym visits on top of that as well as hang outs with friends, phone calls, etc. I ask myself, what other time in my life will I have the energy and flexibility to keep up with this chaotic schedule? Never- now is the time! The key is grabbing the opportunities when they're staring you in the face. You can nap another day or when you're 85 and sitting playing cards in the retirement home. Now's the time to work hard, suck it up, and make that MONEY!

I've put in more than my share of years babysitting. The cash is so tempting and so easy (don't forget tax-free!), but unless you're lucky enough to find a family with really well-behaved kids (I have been that lucky on 3 or 4 occasions), after a while, it's just not worth it. The dream families usually end up moving away, or have children so mature and well-behaved they can stay home alone years before their hyperactive, misbehaving peers. I had dinners ordered for me, generous birthday and Christmas gifts given, an invitation to accompany one family on their vacation to Atlantis in the Bahamas (I declined), and a job offer to work for one family's very successful business (also declined, which was an excellent move as they ended up divorced 5yrs later).
So after one too many times sacrificing my Saturday night to end up arguing with 6yr olds about taking a bath vs shower, trying to avoid the end-of-day cranky meltdown, or fetching that glass of water they needed to be brought to them in bed, I threw in the towel and retired as a babysitter. I have continued working a job closely relating to this, only I've made the genius decision to trade people for... dogs! Being a pet sitter is by far the greatest.job.ever.

So this 12hr day has left me pretty useless tonight. No biggie though, there will be plenty of other Fridays, and with the $$ I've made, I'll be able to thoroughly enjoy the nights I don't have to work! Having 2 jobs going definitely keeps you sharp, and adds a forced efficiency to your life you wouldn't find in non-HWC members. So it's gonna feel really strange the day I go back to just one job... not sure I'll know what to do with myself. It's amazing how much you can handle if you push yourself and run a tight schedule. Take it from me, it can be done. Come talk to me when you're ready for your induction into the PA branch of the HWC.

Bday!

+1
Add one more year to my total. 

Another great birthday! Thanks to the ubiquitous social media of present day, the birthday greetings came from every direction- email, facebook, and Twitter, not to mention phone, text, and US mail. What I like even more are the super late night messages- because those who know me know I'm always up late, as well as the pre-7am messages because, again, whose who know me know I'll be up that early too : )

Did a little rummaging through some photo albums while I was at my parent's house tonight. It all started with a question from me regarding the whereabouts of my birth certificate. You know, just to make sure I am really as old as they say. My mom swore I had it; now I have a lot of stuff, but I knew there was no birth certificate in my possession. So up the stairs she went to get the fireproof box with all the important papers, and lo and behold- there was my birth certificate! Along with my fingerprints taken in elementary school (in case I ever got kidnapped), and some other random items. As my mom is rummaging through this stuff, she asks me if my papers are in order and in a fireproof box, if I have a will, and what if my house catches on fire? I have all these things safely placed in a box (a shoebox, whoops) So if Mr. Fire ever decides to pay a visit, my life in documents will be ashes in about 5 seconds! Then she said probably the funniest thing I've heard in a while:

"You should really have these things in a safe place, and draw up a will for all your stuff. I mean, if something happens... we don't know anything about you!"

A bit of an exaggeration there, but still reallllly funny in the moment.  Guess after 32 years it's time we start getting to know each other  : )

Here's a few pics from the old albums. A birthday one to keep with the theme and some others.

These are a few of my favorite things...

No raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens here... much more exciting!
I'll narrow this down to a specific group of items...(drum roll).... things found at Sephora!! If you've never been- we need to talk. Right now. This store is the Candy Land and Willy Wonka of cosmetics! There are hundreds of shadows, liners, glosses, etc to try- I could spend hours in there. Easily. Writing about all of this is even more fun!


Sephora on the strip in Vegas. I was a frequent visitor!

 My best finds at Sephora are:

• Laura Mercier Lipstain in Mulberry has an intense berry hue and a slightly dry consistency for application that stays put, unlike most glosses.
• Laura Mercier Secret Concealer is a must-have. I use #1, since I'm a ghostly shade of pale all year long. This little pot of miracle is perfect for any dark circles some people have naturally, or to hide those nights of less than 5hrs sleep (right here!) It's a really great product, and the smallest amount makes a huge difference!
• Too Faced Shadow Insurance. You wouldn't paint your walls without priming them first, right? Then no excuses not using a shadow primer before all shadow/liner application. This creates the perfect base for layering/smudging/blending colors, wet or dry. You'll thank me next time you try rockin that smokey eye and use this first!
• Bare Minerals SPF15 Foundation. Lightweight with fast application, it takes about 3 minutes to sweep the fluffy brush across your face and get a nice, even, light coverage. The SPF is key so unless you want wrinkles, you better use it everyday!
• Sephora Eye Pencil in Stingray. This is a deep plum, and goes on super smooth, complementing blue/green eyes nicely. It's the same quality as NARS or Stila liners and half the price.
• Sephora Body Butter in Apple Pomegranate. This found its way into my stocking this Christmas and I love it! Not overly fragrant, it absorbs quickly and doesn't leave the greasy residue beyond like other lotions. Your skin will be super soft all day long.
• Burberry London (eau de parfum). This stuff is the real deal. I've been wearing it for at least 7 years and it works perfect with my "chemistry". It's true, a fragrance will rarely smell the same on two people. I remember in middle school when CK One was the hottest thing around, and it smelled 10x better on my friend than me. You gotta find a scent that works with you. This is mine!
  After all these years, I still go somewhere and have a stranger stop and ask me what I'm wearing. That's when I answer "Oh, nothing! I was born smelling this great" OK. I lie. My secret is combing two scents (it's called layering), so no one can ever smell just like me. Less is more with this approach, unless you want people wondering if you got doused at the Macy's counter by an aggressive saleswoman.
  
  And no, I'm not telling you the other secret scent : )
  

  

  The goods

  

Changin it up

Another 2hr delay? I'm not complaining, but now that I'm in the midst of super busy season at school, I'm going to pay dearly later today for that extra 2hrs in my warm, soft-as-a-cloud bed. At least it gave me some extra time to waste get a few extra things accomplished... like taking a full 2 minutes to decide whether I wanted Cocoa Pebbles or Cheerios this morning. (The Pebbles won easy... but you don't want to rush important decisions like this if you don't have to)

After seeing a commercial for Cirque du Soleil last night, I decided to change things up this morning and bust out some new age music on the iPod.  I happen to have some of their music and enough Enya to make you feel as if your house has transformed into a yoga class or spa. I definitely can't listen to this kind of music in the car, but I was feelin it this morning, so it was a nice change from the stuff I've been listening to lately. Don't worry though, I'm not turning new age on everyone... Flo Rida was the next track (don't hate... I heard "Sugar" at my job this weekend and HAD to put it back in rotation) 

Food!

I love food as much as the next person, and in recent years I've become a big fan of... making my own! Shocking, right?  Why go through all the trouble of buying the ingredients, dirtying 10 dishes, chopping, slicing, dicing, frying, baking when you can go to any local restaurant, order, and in 20min get whatever you want without breaking a sweat? I'm not sure about you, but I can only order the bacon cheeseburger and side of fries so many times without getting sick of it. 

There are soooo many different things to experiment with, we're seriously selling ourselves short by limiting our choices to the same 15 items found on every chain restaurant's menu. And if you've ever worked in the food biz or have seen the movie Waiting... that might send you running sprinting back home to the safety of your own kitchen!

I've had my share of successes and failures with cooking.  Baking desserts is usually a guaranteed win... except that one time I decided to bake cookies while home on break from college. Chocolate chip cookies from scratch! No cheater break-and-bake here. I was in the mood, I had every I needed, and thought that big container of Crisco waaaay in the back of the cabinet would substitute just fine for the remainder of the butter I was missing. Oh, was I wrong. One bite of my cookies and my dad was spitting them out, asking why they tasted like gasoline?! Apparently that Crisco was a little on the expired side. I took his word for it. And... in the trash went all my hard work.

I also fouled up an angel food cake after I got my new mixer. It was the easiest recipe ever! Simple, low-fat, and the perfect dessert to bring to my parent's house. Who on earth could screw up flour, sugar, and egg whites?? That would be me. Seems I didn't comprehend the instructions when it said to beat the egg whites into "stiff white peaks".  What should have been a 6in fluffy cake turned into a rock-hard 1in high pancake-looking thing that also went... right in the trash. So two minor screw ups in the kitchen, it happens. To my credit though, my banana bread is really really good! Counts for something, right?

On to non-dessert items, there's a really fabulous dish I borrowed from a local restaurant that took me a few times to perfect at home. It's from Tango in Bryn Mawr http://www.tastetango.com/ and it's their Angel Hair Spicy Shrimp. Below I posted a pic of this dish from Tango's website. It's the dish in the background, so you can sorta see it. I'm not a big pasta fan, but I order this almost every time I eat there, and it's oh so good! Here are the ingredients:

• angel hair pasta
• medium shrimp, butterflyed
• diced pancetta
• broccoli rabe
• pepperoncini
• diced tomatoes
• chili pepper oil
• minced garlic
• salt/pepper

I don't know the exact portions to write out a formal recipe, but I'm good at guesstimating, and I'm pretty sure the Food Network isn't going to be calling me any time soon... 
You just cook the pasta and throw the rest of those ingredients in. Voila! It took me a few times to figure this out, but you have to be really heavy handed with the peppers and spices. The hotness of the oil and peppers goes really well with the saltiness of the pancetta, but if you're too light on the flavors, there's no "wow" factor for the taste buds and your guests won't be impressed (for the record, my guests have always acted impressed. Let's hope it wasn't an act)

Maybe next time I'll share some more tasty recipes I've come up with (or stole from other places). Being your own chef is so fun and rewarding... if you don't screw it up!

I gotta go... time to preheat the oven now for that frozen pizza... just kidding