Teatopia

The Coolest Purse Ever

Is this not the cutest purse? I'm hoping to get it for my birthday (Feb. 6) I know it's kind of funky, but I would carry it with pride. :-)

Old Friends

I may have 2 dogs of my own, but I will always love the family dog I had when I lived at home. We miss eachother still, but I visit a few times a week.

Sex and the City

I am a fairly conservative person and I used to think badly of Sex and the City. For one thing, the women sleep around, something that is completely foreign to me. Lets just say wearing white on my wedding day really meant something to me and actually for James too. :-) And although it's a decision many friends could not understand, we're glad we both made the decision. So you get the idea that I'm kinda innocent. Anyway, I just thought Sex and the City was a bad influence promoting something no so good. But then my friend Rebecca insisted I borrow her DVD's on Seasons 1 & 2. I became totally addicted. And I learned that although the show promotes behavior I don't agree with, there are valuable moments and lessons and I can relate to something about each woman on the show. I begged to borrow the others, and I watched up to season 5 last summer. Rebecca gave me the last one a few days ago and we watched it last night during the freezing rain we were getting. I was so touched and moved by the last episode. I'm sure I'm like the last Sex and the City fan to watch this episode but let me just say it was worth the wait. Everything worked out as it should have and it was completely believable.

Charlotte: Found Harry (who grew on me) and got her baby. This touched me because we want to adopt from Asia too and when they got the photo of their baby, I cried. (Even James was teary-eyed).

Miranda: Sceptical, Cynical Miranda has the husband, house, kid and a dog and the process of aquiring these was completely believable. When Magda watched her bathe Steve's ill mother, I cried again. She has grown so much as a person.

Samantha: She looked fabulous even through the cancer. I loved the various wigs. When Smith came back and her flowers were blooming, symbolizing the changing of the seasons, and then they made love and he told her he loved her--aaaah!--tears again!

Carrie: What can I say? She ended up with Big (although I would've been just as happy if it were Aidan, if he wasn't married), and most importantly, she went back to NYC to her apartment, friends, and column .

Now when are they making the movie?

The Call

Today God gave me a big wake-up call. Lately, I have been somewhat discouraged about my job. I say somewhat because I am mostly happy, but lately there have been issues that would make anyone re-think this profession.

Today my students wrote letters about their goals for the rest of the year. They wrote letters at the beginning of the year about their fears about school-- not being able to open lockers, not having friends, etc.-- and about goals and other thoughts. Today they wrote an update letter and several students chose to write about me, which I never even suggested. They wrote about how they love me and my class. Half of them wrote that Mrs. Chambers was their favorite teacher. Also, a little girl I've been helping left me the sweestest note propped up on my computer. I felt loved today. :-) There were just so many compliments and hugs today from students-- more than ever and on a day I really needed them because there was an issue with a student. A black father inferred that I was prejudiced for not selecting his son for a spelling bee when 1) spelling bees are based on ability and 2)the boy I did choose WAS BLACK. Um, hello! Why do people have to bring race into everything. Anyway, I needed all positive attention today. Thank you Lord for letting my know that at least for now, I'm doing what I'm meant to. I really do love those kids. (Most of them anyway) :-)

Pina Colada Muffins

Last night I baked Pina Colada muffins (more like cupcakes really) and they turned out superbly. They are totally addicting! To keep myself from eating too many, I decided to bring the remainder into work today, but all of a sudden I am feeling selfish and am considering hiding them until the end of the day when they can come back home with me so I can eat them all anyway. *evil grin* Click below for the recipe. 1 box coconut flavored cake mix (or you could use yellow cake mix) 1 t. pure coconut extract 1 t. pure rum extract 1 C. flaked coconut 1 can crushed pineapple - (8 oz.) with liquid 1 can coconut icing Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare the cake batter according to package directions. Add the remaining ingredients to the batter and mix for 1 minute. (Do not over-mix.) Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool on wire racks. Serve. Yield 24 Muffins

A Sexy Feast

Yesterday's Daily Candy was about food as an aphrodisiac. This company, Aphrodisiac of the Month, "offers its members the chance to taste hard-to-find, specialty gourmet foods you aren't likely to see in your local grocery. But more importantly, we offer you the chance to experience some of the world's most powerful natural aphrodisiacs, delivered right to your door." Sounds good, huh? As a foodie, this sounds pretty cool. I've never really kept anything, uh, sexual, in mind as I cook, but it'd certainly be fun to see what affect, if any, these foods have.

Limeade

I never much liked the limeade in the carton . . . But then our dear friends Stef and Mike moved, leaving us with several cans of Minute Made Limeade concentrate. Now, I am totally addicted. It tastes nothing like the already made stuff. We always have some made in the fridge now and I'd rather drink it than almost anything else.

Rum Cake

I finally got to make my rum cake. It turned out really well and very moist. I am pleased because I had difficulty finding a recipe that looked good and I think I hit the jackpot. I brought it to my parents' and everyone loved it. The glaze makes it nice and gooey. :-) Click below for the recipe. Cake: 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts 1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix 1 3-3/4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup cold milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup Barcardi dark rum Glaze: 1 stick butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup Barcardi dark rum Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Invert on serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake. Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Note: The rum will cause steam. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Pumpkiny Goodness

This is the most amazing mask. It smells just like pumpkin pie and everytime I put it on my face, I want to lick it off my upper lip. :-) If you want softer skin and you can resist the urge to eat this stuff, then head on over to Bath and Body Works.

Back to Work

Well, it's back to work for me. I'm still recovering, but I really need to go back. I'm just going to try to have the students work on something quietly at their desks so I can take it easy.

I'm sure I'll be tired tomorrow night, so I'll be ordering pizza (something we don't do often) and watching the season premier of Monk. Does anyone else watch that show? It's hilarious! Oh, and the best part about my day-- my sweetheart of a mother is going to bring me a smoothie tomorrow at work for my throat. She said my day will go better if I have a treat to look forward to. Boy, does she know me well.

Culinary Mysteries

Since I'm still sick (yes, you read that correctly-- my fever is even higher tonight), I have been enjoying reading a sweet series of novels by Diane Mott Davidson. Besides, one can only watch so much tv, right? With titles like Dying for chocolate, Sticks and Scones, and Killer Pancake, what's not to love? "New York Times bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson has taken readers by storm with clever mysteries filled with tantalizing plots and mouthwatering recipes."

I Feel Loved

There's nothing like crusty sundried tomato bread (thanks Mom) to dip in homemade chicken noodle soup (thanks Grandma) while staring at pretty flowers (thank you James) to help you feel better. I feel loved. :-)

This flu still has me down and unfortunately, I'm not well enough to go back to work yet. I'm still fevered, although it's lower and I'm not hacking like I was. Thank you for the warm wishes everyone. I'm working on kicking this flu's butt. :-)

Flu

The sub has been called, the lesson plans have been created, and I am all ready for a day of R and R tomorrow because the flu has kicked my butt.

I am feel yucky. I have a fever, chest and throat pain, and the stuff I'm spitting up is bloody. (the doctor assures me this is normal for a bad infection). If I don't wake up tomorrow, James can sue. Just kidding. Ugh. Man, I wish I had been able to get a flu shot.

Unbelievable Rudeness

After reading my friend Girl From Florida's post the other day, I had my own experience with unblievable rudeness. Yesterday, while shopping at Target, I ran into a man I used to work with. We were always close (he's an old family friend) and I was delighted to see him because it's been almost a year. He commented several times that I looked great and has lost weight, which made me feel good. A girl always loves to hear that she looks thin. :-) Anyway, he was with his long-time girlfriend, who I've never really cared for. She a braggart and she says everything she thinks. When I hugged her goodbye, she said, "nope. You're the same. You haven't lost weight."

Ok. I should've responded with something along the lines of "bitch" or "just because you're old and your boyfriend says I've lost weight . . ." I don't know what her deal was, but it was uncalled for. I have known her boyfriend since I was a child. He could be my grandfather-- in fact since I lost mine a few years ago, I've told him he's like my grandfather now. No need to be jealous and try to hurt my feelings.

James didn't hear her comment because he was talking to my friend, but when I told him, he said that she had commented to him how much weight he had gained, which he definitely hasn't-- at all! He's completely average.

What's wrong with people? If she thinks she's so wonderful, maybe she should try having some cooth. She'd get more people to like her that way.

Not So Good Massaman Curry

Ok, so yesterday I decided to make Massaman curry from scratch. And I'm wondering, what went wrong?

I first prepared the curry paste, which may have been a bit too watery. The directions say to include the water the chilis soaked in to rehydrate them, but the recipe doesn't tell you how much water to soak them in. But that was a problem easily fixed, because the water cooks down.

Main issue: The directions say to cook the meat and veggies in the paste. Then, you set them aside. Then you make the sauce by combining coconut milk, tamarind paste, cardamom pods, and sugar. Then when you add the veggies back in, there just isn't enough flavor from the curry paste. The paste is barely coating the meat and veggies and doesn't mix in with the sauce. I am pretty confident the curry paste called for too much shrimp paste (which is quite pungent) and the tamarind made it bitter. I think it also called for too much of that.

I was so proud of myself making it from scratch. I took picutres, buit since I didn't even like it, I won't bother taking up space with them.

And now I am very sick with the flu or something and can't make my rum cake. :-(

Rum Cake

Lately I have been in the mood for some rum cake. It's something I've never made before, but have always loved to eat. One of my goals for this 3 day weekend is to bake my first rum cake.

Click below for the recipe:

Oil, for greasing pan
Flour, for coating pan
1 package yellow cake mix (without pudding)
1 small package vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup combination of cooking oil, dark rum, and cold water, mixed together in equal parts
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup hot water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum, or more to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Oil and flour a large bundt pan and set aside.
Mix all remaining cake ingredients together in a mixing bowl until combined, about 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Let cake cool.

While cake is cooling, make glaze: melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in hot water and sugar and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes while still stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum.

Poke holes in cake and drizzle half of the glaze over the cake. Invert onto a serving plate and then drizzle the rest of the glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Serve.

S'mores

I meant to post about this a couple of weeks ago. . . Last Christmas, I ordered James one of these s'mores kits from Xando, a trendy, tapas bar/coffee shop we frequented when we lived in Washington, D.C. We use it mostly on special occasions. We actually just used it on New Year's Eve. In the center, using sterno, you can create a fire. The other compartments are for graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmellows (as you can see in the picture above). It even comes with skewers. Isn't it cute?

You can find pretty decent s'mores sets at stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, but some of them are plastic. This one really is nice. It's made of solid wood and it has a trendy appearance, just like our favorite hangout!

Transfer

I admitted to some colleagues today that I am thinking of leaving my position. Was that a mistake? Could be. I am thinking of trying to find a 6th grade World Cultures position somewhere. When you're a teacher, it's not that big of a deal to transfer because you still work for the county, you're just housed in another school with a different subject or grade. With my love of cultures, why am I teaching grammar? I adore literature and writing, but these days, English teachers are nothing more than grammar teachers. I'd be so happy teaching about what I love.

I love teaching too much to let myself be unhappy in a situation that happens to not be so good.

Jumpin' Java

James had to work for a few hours today, so I decided to bring him lunch from one of my favorite spots, Jumpin' Java. It's a nice, peaceful drive from our house, only about 10 minutes, but it's all back roads and very wooded. In fact, we almost bought a house right by it. Anyway, the people who run it are Korean and they are so friendly. I got James a philly cheessteak sub, a chicken salad plate for me, some sushi to share, and most importantly some bubble tea. I had honeydew and James had strawberry. This place relly is cool. I love there sandwiches, quiche, and salads. They also have some pretty good sushi-- always fresh. And best of all, they have assorted teas and coffee, including my favorite: bubble tea!

Friendship

When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You’re caught in a one way street
With the monsters in your head
When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel like you can’t face the day

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I’ll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You’re not alone

- "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden

I was just reading a friend's blog and she was talking about how she doesn't know too many people where she just moved and it got me thinking. I have lived here in Georgia for 3 years now and I barely have any friends. I have always had tons of friends, so this is unusual. I have several people I hang out with, but it's not the same as having a BEST friend. In fact, just a few weeks ago I was talking to one of my best friends from Maryland and she was telling me about her new best friend and how they are soooo close and they are like soulmates they are so tight. I don't know if she was trying to rub it in (because I know she's jealous I'm married), but it hurt. I am happy she found someone else she can be close to, but it made me feel sad. It was almost juvenile they way she rubbed it in. This was a girl I went to Cambridge University with. We left our homes in Maryland and spent a summer semester abroad together and when we returned, we were closer than ever. So many memories. . .

Now, it's so different. It's harder to find close girl friends after you're married anyway, but I miss it. Sure, I have people I talk to and hang out with, but I miss that really intimate friendship you can only have with some women. I just feel lonely and James doesn't get it because he's more of a loner and he's happy with only having more casual friendships with other people.

Do I sound completely pathetic? This is something I have been thinking about for a while. God, please send me a best friend to laugh, cook, and shop with!

Matcha Lattes

My friend Stef recently posted about green tea lattes on our teaswap page (you can view the post here). Yesterday, I met my mom after work for a matcha latte at Barnes and Noble. They make them from the Tazo concentrate you can buy in the carton. It was really good-- creamy, light, and fruity. My mom, who doesn't much like coffee, has found something she absolutely loves! I'm not sure if Starbucks is serving these everywhere or not, but if you can get your hands on one, do!

Greater Woes

Ok, so I've been doing lots of bitching, and I still feel crappy, but I know it could be much worse. Just look at this picture of Phuket. James forwarded me this picture a lilttle while ago and it made me stop and think. I'm clothed, I'm warm, I own a nice house, two cars, we take trips, and we eat well. May God watch over the many who have none of these. I encourage everyone to donate to a cause to support these people.

By the way, my in-laws were supposed to be in Phuket for Christmas and didn't wnd up going. Thank God.

Teacher Woes

My first day back yesterday was not as easy as I thought. Refer back to my pevious entry for my "plans" for teacher planning day yesterday. First of all, the cable was out, aka no Food Network, so I sat in silence and worked on everything I had to do. Second, my beyond anal team decided to start a meeting when we are supposed to get off. I know sometimes you've just gotta stay late, but on the first day back when our principal said "get out of here at 4:00," come on! I walked out because I have a life! Also, there's a new policy now that we can't fail students, so in order to keep them from getting promoted to the next grade when they did nothing, we are implementing a new policy. Every time a student receives a zero for a missing assignment, he/she receives academic detention. In other words, if 5 students fail to turn in something today and 7 more tomorrow forget their homework tomorrow, all 12 will have a detention with me this week until 4:30 (remember I said I get off at 4:00?) I'm sorry, but they can't ask me to stay beyond my contract time without paying me. My contract has no clause that says sometimes I will have to work late. James's does, so he's stuck, but with teachers, it's pretty much an 8-4 job, but you should expect to take a lot home. I often work late, but it's because I feel I need to, not because I'm made to. I am all about fairness. And then there are other more severe consequences for students who don't show, and those infirnge upon my time even more, but I will get paid on those days, but I'd probably rather pay them and not have to stay. Grrrrr....

And just when I thought it couldn't get worse, some kid just puked all over the floor. God give me patience.

Reality Bites

I have so enjoyed being off these couple of weeks, but the reality is, I work for a living and tomorrow, I have to go back. It won't be so bad really because it's a planning day and I get to watch the Food Network all day in my classroom and pretend I'm busy. No, I'm just kidding, I will leave it on all day, but I have papers to grade and return, thank you notes to write for gifts received from students, and I also have to set up a new grade book. The best part is that James is coming with me because he put together some older computers to set up in my classroom. I okayed it with my principal, but some teachers bring their kids, so I doubt there will be a problem. We'll get to go to lunch together and I can make us tea and it won't be so bad. (Do I sound like I'm trying really hard to convince myself?) The reality is that I like my job for the most part and I genuinely love my students (most of them anyway), but this is a majorly stressful job and the kids I teach have little motivation. I work with some bitter, burned out people and my friend Rebecca says that we can't blame them because in 20 years we'll be the same way from years of yelling 30 times and hour. Not healthy. I don't want to become that way. I am going to be doing some serious praying just to make sure I am where God wants me to be. I think I am, but I want to make sure. :-)

Happy New Year

Goodbye 2004, hello 2005! '04 was a special year for me because It's the year I graduated college and went to Korea. I'm certain '05 will bring many more good memories.