I've finally decided that maybe I have too much yarn and other textile crafts.
So for now, I'm vowing not to buy anything until the end of the year! Whatever I want to make, I'll make from my own stash first!
And that is the news of the day.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Maomao's my Bubu!
As much as I want to say that I'm above that "my pet is the cutest" craze, I'm not! My Maomao is so cute!
I accomplished a lot today! I got five (very substantial) pages done on my thesis, cooked a four course meal, cleaned the kitchen, and even made a candle.
I tried my hand again at stir-fried eggplants. Every time I make them, they end up soggy. However, when I was in China four or five years ago, one of my aunts told me that I had to dry it first. What she does is cut them and let them dry for eight+ hours under the sun. I never tried it, but kept it in mind. And today, I did try it! Of course I didn't have eight hours, but two or three under the TX sun worked fairly well. They were a lot less mushy when they finished sunning, and I substituted the pork with fried tofu. It turned out well! Joey doesn't like it, but then again, he doesn't like most of my Chinese dishes.
I also made hot and sour soup, catfish, and a milk-tea. And now I have leftovers for the rest of the week. Yea for accomplishments!
Other than that, summer is coming to an end. When June first started, I thought it was never going to be August, so I waited and lounged and lazed around the apartment and did nothing. Then August hit and I didn't do crap all that time! Oops!
But I did do this:
Aww! The squid and octopus are for Joey, and the rabbit was just an experiment so stuffed animals.
That and I just lost my husband to StarCraft II.
Monday, March 29, 2010
A new goal
For the past couple years, Joey and I have been spending the winter holidays far away from home. While that has been fun, Seattle and Beijing were absolutely fantastic, I really want to spend it at home this time. Also, I want to go all out on decoration this year!
That's right, once December hits, I'm going to make sure no piece of our apartment is going to show underneath all the decoration! I want tinsel and ornaments everywhere! EVERYWHERE!
So I have to start collecting now.
This year, I'm going to celebrate Christmas until I'm blue in the face.
That's right, once December hits, I'm going to make sure no piece of our apartment is going to show underneath all the decoration! I want tinsel and ornaments everywhere! EVERYWHERE!
So I have to start collecting now.
This year, I'm going to celebrate Christmas until I'm blue in the face.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
I just finished this!
A Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past cross stitch towel! Yea!
I got back into cross stitch a week ago. Lauren found one of my old cross stitch kits that I misplaced over two years ago. I'm currently very into video game themed crafts. In fact, my next project is a line of head shots of Saint Seiya characters! It'll look quite nice when I finish it someday.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Humph!
Pet peeve number 39:
"I'm taking Chinese at school, but only because they're not offering Japanese."
Grr!!
What the hell?? What's so bad about Chinese that it's considered a fall-back option for Japanese. It's two different but equal languages, people! For people who say that, do they realize that Kanji IS traditional Chinese? It's not like Chinese is some inferior version of Japanese. And also, for anyone who tells me any more Japanese equivalence of a Chinese word when I didn't ask for a translation are going to receive a butt-kicking from Joey.
Aaah!!!
I'm Chinese, but I hold no crazy thought that the language holds any superiority to any other language. It's just as easy and hard to learn as any other language. If you grow up with it, it's going to be easier to learn it.
So here's my thought of the day, for anyone who says:
"I'm taking X only because Y isn't offered."
should probably STFU. Because you know... it sounds rude.
//hops off soap-box
"I'm taking Chinese at school, but only because they're not offering Japanese."
Grr!!
What the hell?? What's so bad about Chinese that it's considered a fall-back option for Japanese. It's two different but equal languages, people! For people who say that, do they realize that Kanji IS traditional Chinese? It's not like Chinese is some inferior version of Japanese. And also, for anyone who tells me any more Japanese equivalence of a Chinese word when I didn't ask for a translation are going to receive a butt-kicking from Joey.
Aaah!!!
I'm Chinese, but I hold no crazy thought that the language holds any superiority to any other language. It's just as easy and hard to learn as any other language. If you grow up with it, it's going to be easier to learn it.
So here's my thought of the day, for anyone who says:
"I'm taking X only because Y isn't offered."
should probably STFU. Because you know... it sounds rude.
//hops off soap-box
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Good news, everyone!
I just got a letter from Riversedge of UTPA that they are publishing my story in their December volume!
Yea! A legit journal publishing my story! I didn't even have to grovel to no vanity publishers.
The story was from fall of 2008 when I took a creative nonfiction class. We wrote lots of personal essays. It was like group therapy where I got graded for my feelings. Instead of a final paper, the professor told us to submit one of our papers in for publication so we'll "get used to process".
Yea! So far so good!
This totally makes up for the fact that I still haven't found a job yet. I've been looking all summer and no one's hiring me. I know I'm over-qualified for most of the jobs I've applied for, and that might be why they're not hiring me. Maybe they're afraid I'll leave right after training or something.
Oh well :(
As far as projects go, I recently got a top-whorl spindle to spin lace. I was so excited because the people in the Youtube videos made it look so easy. I've found out that they've all been lying to me. I'm spinning and spinning, but all my lace looks like worsted. I guess I'll have a nice cozy hat by winter. I'm still pretty excited about it though. Soon when I have more practice, I want to get all the pretty roving from Etsy.
Last thing! My parents got a puppy! A PUPPY!! She's too cute, her name is Birdie and she loves people. She's a Labradoodle mix and she's so small. Right now she's about Maomao's size but so innocent and clueless all the time. Cute little Birdie, she's still figuring out life.
Here's a picture!
She sleeps a lot!
Yea! A legit journal publishing my story! I didn't even have to grovel to no vanity publishers.
The story was from fall of 2008 when I took a creative nonfiction class. We wrote lots of personal essays. It was like group therapy where I got graded for my feelings. Instead of a final paper, the professor told us to submit one of our papers in for publication so we'll "get used to process".
Yea! So far so good!
This totally makes up for the fact that I still haven't found a job yet. I've been looking all summer and no one's hiring me. I know I'm over-qualified for most of the jobs I've applied for, and that might be why they're not hiring me. Maybe they're afraid I'll leave right after training or something.
Oh well :(
As far as projects go, I recently got a top-whorl spindle to spin lace. I was so excited because the people in the Youtube videos made it look so easy. I've found out that they've all been lying to me. I'm spinning and spinning, but all my lace looks like worsted. I guess I'll have a nice cozy hat by winter. I'm still pretty excited about it though. Soon when I have more practice, I want to get all the pretty roving from Etsy.
Last thing! My parents got a puppy! A PUPPY!! She's too cute, her name is Birdie and she loves people. She's a Labradoodle mix and she's so small. Right now she's about Maomao's size but so innocent and clueless all the time. Cute little Birdie, she's still figuring out life.
Here's a picture!
She sleeps a lot!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Jalapeno 1, Dawn 0
Yesterday Joey and I went to a friend's place for a BBQ. I decided that we should bring an appetizer. After all these years of going to parties, flipping through cookbooks, and just being aware of the world, the only appetizer I really knew how to make were Jalapeno stuffed peppers I learned from my knitting buddy.
We went out and bought the peppers, cream cheese, shredded cheese and turkey bacon. Upon coming home, I threw all the peppers in the sink to soak just like I learned. I worked with jalapenos earlier in the week and did not use any gloves, so I thought, "I don't need them now either!"
After cutting and seeding 23 large peppers, Joey and I stuffed them, skewered them, and put them in the oven. I then went upstairs to get ready for the BBQ.
I noticed a slight tingle in my left hand right away, but disregarded it as allergies or the hard water. However, the tingling soon turned serious and I thought my hand was going to burn right off. It was BURNING!!
BURNING!!!
BURNING!!!
I ran downstairs with my hand in the air screaming, my upper lip where I briefly brushed it with my hands was also burning, as were my right hand in certain spots. No amount of ice or running water could alleviate the pain. I then went upstairs to look for remedies online.
I pretty much poured the whole kitchen onto my hand after that. I tried: vinegar, lemon juice, milk, baking soda, rubbing alcohol, Vodka, sugar, salt, anything ... anything!! Everything worked, but only for about thirty seconds. The only thing that was consistent was just soaking it in ice water, but even then I suspect it was because my hand was numb from the cold rather than it curing anything.
My hand was ice cold, but I could barely stand to touch it. Any skin-to-skin contact felt like it was going to burn off.
Nonetheless, Joey and I still went to the party where I was confined to the kitchen with my hand in a bowl of water. I warned everyone there of the dangers of not using rubber, and they listened with eyes wide open. At her place, I tried... margarita, pina colada, and hot dogs. They didn't really help my hand either, but at least I was full.
I finally admitted defeat and left with Joey to go see his parents. There they gave me... lots of attention, Aleo, and drugs! Yea! I took two painkillers and soon had an excuse to say whatever came to mind. Even it what I said sounded crazy, I could blame it on the painkillers. I watched the everyone play Rockband and almost dozed off, but we had to come home to feed the cat.
All this time my hand never stopped burning, but certain things made it bearable. I slept with an icepack in my hand for about five hours before I could finally handle the pain without grimacing.
So 19 hours after seeding the peppers, my palm is still warm, but it certainly is bearable now. The bug bites, however, are another story. The worst thing about the whole ordeal was that it's hard to convince people how much my hand was burning because it didn't show up at all. It didn't look red at all, and anyone who touched it said it felt normal. It finally started heating up red, but I think that was because of the ice rather than the peppers.
SIGH!!
I hate summer.
We went out and bought the peppers, cream cheese, shredded cheese and turkey bacon. Upon coming home, I threw all the peppers in the sink to soak just like I learned. I worked with jalapenos earlier in the week and did not use any gloves, so I thought, "I don't need them now either!"
After cutting and seeding 23 large peppers, Joey and I stuffed them, skewered them, and put them in the oven. I then went upstairs to get ready for the BBQ.
I noticed a slight tingle in my left hand right away, but disregarded it as allergies or the hard water. However, the tingling soon turned serious and I thought my hand was going to burn right off. It was BURNING!!
BURNING!!!
BURNING!!!
I ran downstairs with my hand in the air screaming, my upper lip where I briefly brushed it with my hands was also burning, as were my right hand in certain spots. No amount of ice or running water could alleviate the pain. I then went upstairs to look for remedies online.
I pretty much poured the whole kitchen onto my hand after that. I tried: vinegar, lemon juice, milk, baking soda, rubbing alcohol, Vodka, sugar, salt, anything ... anything!! Everything worked, but only for about thirty seconds. The only thing that was consistent was just soaking it in ice water, but even then I suspect it was because my hand was numb from the cold rather than it curing anything.
My hand was ice cold, but I could barely stand to touch it. Any skin-to-skin contact felt like it was going to burn off.
Nonetheless, Joey and I still went to the party where I was confined to the kitchen with my hand in a bowl of water. I warned everyone there of the dangers of not using rubber, and they listened with eyes wide open. At her place, I tried... margarita, pina colada, and hot dogs. They didn't really help my hand either, but at least I was full.
I finally admitted defeat and left with Joey to go see his parents. There they gave me... lots of attention, Aleo, and drugs! Yea! I took two painkillers and soon had an excuse to say whatever came to mind. Even it what I said sounded crazy, I could blame it on the painkillers. I watched the everyone play Rockband and almost dozed off, but we had to come home to feed the cat.
All this time my hand never stopped burning, but certain things made it bearable. I slept with an icepack in my hand for about five hours before I could finally handle the pain without grimacing.
So 19 hours after seeding the peppers, my palm is still warm, but it certainly is bearable now. The bug bites, however, are another story. The worst thing about the whole ordeal was that it's hard to convince people how much my hand was burning because it didn't show up at all. It didn't look red at all, and anyone who touched it said it felt normal. It finally started heating up red, but I think that was because of the ice rather than the peppers.
SIGH!!
I hate summer.
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