Thursday Roundup!

Wow. So, I have 501 days left; I'm officially halfway through this project. Dear lord, do I have so much to do. :P Luckily, some of these should be of the easy "just do it" variety; I might try to do them sometime in the next week.

In the roundup:

1. I'm currently working on the last afghan panel. With luck, I'll have it done in the next few days -- how exciting that would be! I've been working on this for so long that the idea of finishing it is kind of shocking.

3. I'm considering the "what looks good on me" as genuinely figured out. Like, I know that structure looks good on me; I have to be careful with soft silhouettes; I'm good in dark colors and jewel tones; I know the shapes of pants that look good on me; etc. I'm good for the most part.

24. I also finally made it to the dentist, after much procrastination on re-scheduling my appointment. My teeth are much, much happier now.

30. I've also been calling my parents more recently (so good! I feel so good about it!). It's so good to get to talk to them regularly.

34. As always, my music is always fluctuating; currently at 4301/6441 songs listened to.

43. To my reading list, I must add:

106. Rhiannon Held, Silver
107. Brian Vaughn, Saga: vol 1

Luckily, I have READ some books, so I can cross off:

• 32. Gorey, Amphigorey Also
• 35. Emily Dickinson, Favorite Poems
• 105. E.B. Hudspeth, The Resurrectionist
• 106. Rhiannon Held, Silver

So, I'm back down to 103 books! Go me. -_-

48. I've watched some new movies; there's Pacific Rim, The Wolverine, and Much Ado About Nothing for new letters, and I'm counting From Russia With Love too, though honestly we were treating it as background noise more than anything else.

75. I even managed to make it to a new restaurant in town (Stagnaro's).

80. A very exciting thing: I now officially have a furry pet. I've adopted one of my housemate's cats; it's a long story, but my housemate has three cats and will be moving soon, and can't take all of them. So, the one furry beastie is all mine. She's a wonderful (and evil) creature.

Roundup (Saturday)

I've added a new goal: Take my daily vitamin! I've also updated my completed goals (I've got six totally out of the way! Yeah!), and the ones that I've failed at (goals that have been expressed not as habits, but as "do this regularly". I've not done that for the breast exams or for Lang-8, and I'm fine with having failed and now just trying to do my best. It gives me stuff to have goals for in my next 1001, after all. :))

1. White afghan: I'm still making slow, but not insubstantial, progress. I've gotten another panel done, and I started the next one, which is perhaps one-quarter of the way done. Once I finish this panel, I should only have one more to go. My goal is to finish before my spring break. ::squeal::

3. I'm slowly figuring out some things about what looks good on me. First, it's not necessarily that I look bad in certain things. It's that I'm uncomfortable in them. This is a very useful thing for me to be figuring out. I'm certainly hyper-critical of my body (there's a lot I should be unpacking about that), and I need to be aware of when I am being hyper-critical. Second, I've definitely found things that I think are very flattering. For example, I've known for a long time that boot cut jeans are good for me. It took a lot longer to internalize the fact that I look good in pencil skirts.

It has also helped that I got re-fitted for bras, and discovered that (surprise surprise!) my band is smaller than what I was wearing, and my cup substantially bigger. I'm a small hourglassy lady and my measurements are not found in your average store---alas. However, it's amazing what wearing a bra that actually fits you can do for your self-esteem, not to mention your physical comfort.

4. New bras = my wardrobe is automatically revamped. ;)

7. This upcoming month, I've decided that I would like to try at least two new puddings/custards and one new candy. Go me. It's on my to-do list that I have here on my desk.

12. I've been playing with nail polish like mad! I've discovered that I like OPI polishes a lot---they're thick and smooth but they don't chip. They also come in some really fantastic colors. I'm wearing a deep purple now that I adore.

13. I've enjoyed my one-new-dish still, of course. December was full of candies, and was quite fun. In January, I made a handful of random things, but I'm especially proud of my cheese börekler (phyllo rolls filled with a cheese mixture). They're very tasty. I'm going to try a meat-filled version for tomorrow, I think, and then go and mess with a few more recipes; I've got all this leftover phyllo!

23. I've been failing at the exams, although I'm now going to go do one because I only ever seem to remember if I write here! This, at least, is a really good reason to keep doing my 1001!

25/26/28. I've been much better at these ones---taking better care of my skin, and my teeth and hands. I've even been moisturizing at night occassionally (!), and I got some Vitamin E oil to use on my nails when they're not polished, so that they don't get tooo dry. I hope it will work.

42. I restarted La Caseta Mágica (i.e. the translation of the Phantom Tollbooth into Spanish). I'm excited, because I remember way more than I thought I would.

46. I'm working hard on trying to get more Lang-8 in, both in Japanese and Spanish. I've actually written it into my schedule, craycray.

52. I actually hosted a real, non-potluck mini-dinner party last month! My friends P. and Ni. came over for dinner; I made all sorts of appetizers, they brought a bit of wine and bread, and we had a bunch of pasta alla norma (which unfortunately N. wasn't wild about, because he's not wild about eggplant). Nevertheless, it was a real, nice, sit-down event. I would still like to host a bigger one sometime, though. . . maybe up to a whole four people invited? Maybe even SIX?

71. I desperately need to renew my passport. Uuugh of all the things I don't want to bother doing. . . this is one of them. Such a pain in the ass.

75. I went to Hulu's last month with some folks, which was completely new for me. I'm not sure I'd like it when the bar crowd comes in, but for happy hour, it was great. Additionally, N. and I ate at Rosie's, which we had never done before---just had a drink or two at the bar. I was really pleased with both, and I think I'd like to try Rosie's for brunch some time, too.

It has been forever!

Oh dear, I haven't posted in ages! This is very, very bad of me. I got very lazy in September---really, I just kind of spent a lot of time reading stories on the internet. I didn't do much work, or really much of anything. However, school has started, and I'm energized again. this is further helped by the fact that I'll be visiting family and N. starting next week, and that I'll be going to a conference in Spain (!) in November, after which I will spend a few days visiting a friend who just moved to Manchester, UK. Very very exciting!

So, I suppose I'll run through a bunch of goals, so that I can update what I have (and have not done). Mostly it's a lot of have-not, but ah well!

1. I've been trying to rest my hands, after the nasty RSI spat I had; I therefore haven't really crocheted in over a month. It's sad, but it's how it is.

3. I have figured out that things look less good on me when I gain five pounds. Sigh. ;.; One of the things I have decided to do is get on my exercise bandwagon again---I just need to move more!

4. Revamp wardrobe: Got a few skirts and a new pair of pants, which are sleek and have rich warm colors and which are just pleasant to wear. Huz-zah!

13. In September, I tried a cornmeal bread out of James Beard. It was pretty satisfying, and made a lot of bread! Really good toasted. For October, I've made both pumpkin cinnamon rolls and banana millet bread. The first was decent; the second was divine (I am now addicted to millet in bread, oh my!).

15. Key interest keeps going down, though still not under $2000.

19. My emergency fund is slightly expanded; I've decided that every time I deposit coins/get interest, it's just going into the emergency fund. This doesn't grow it very quickly, but an extra hundred a year from those sources is better than nothing!

21/22. I've been eating like shit lately, and so I'm trying to both eat better and get some more exercise. I've decided to try to bike up to campus as much as possible. I'm now down to almost 40 minutes from door to door, which is quite good, given that it's four miles with a nice little grade.

23. Just did a breast exam because oh yeah, I should do that!

24. Dentist: I went in September.

25. I'm doing better still with the skin on my face! It's responding to having moisturizer, which is good. :)

26. Doing better with teeth still too.

28. I'm okay with my hands. Not perfect. I went to the hand therapist again, and I'm trying to make sure I take breaks and just let them be a bit.

29. I've called Mum and Dad a lot more recently. I decided to work this into my decision to walk/exercise more. If I go for a half hour walk, of course I should call them!

30. Reading another CMV right now!

37. Total suck at language practice since August.

38. I've been neglecting the bed the last week, but I'm still doing this more than I was when I started this whole project.

39. Fixed/got rid of a few pieces in the to-fix pile, so it's at least smaller!

74. I went to Oswalds yesterday with several friends for the local restaurant week---$25 for a three-course prix fixe. The appetizers were fantastic; I got a little gem salad with (perfect) beets and pecans and grana padano, while my friends had a very good mushroom soup. The entrees were a little enh; strip steak that was cooked too rare (I asked for medium rare, and several of the pieces were just rare---not good for a fatty steak), and the fries were way too dry. I make better at home. The dessert, a vanilla creme brulee, was perfectly nommy and happy, although my friend's apple crisp was rather disappointing---mostly toppings, and a bit dry. I would go back, but not on such a busy night, and I would be very careful with my orders.

84. I will go to the UK in November omg.

89. I'm working on some journal submissions! Yesss!

92. And I'm working on the dissertation, too.

95. I've added some fic writing into my rotation, too. Nothing like, but it's good to get some fandom into my life!

96. I've been donating $10 a month to Wuqu' Kawoq, which I mentioned before but which I think is a fantastic organization. As I mentioned, they provide medical care in Guatemala; one of the important things they do, however, is provide medical care in indigenous languages (currently I believe in Kaqchikel and Kich'ee, two of the highland Mayan languages). The majority of Guatemalans do not speak Spanish natively, and the poorest Guatemalans (the ones with the least infrastructure, most likely to be murdered by their government) often speak no Spanish at all. If you can imagine being in a foreign country and unable to tell the doctor how and why and where your stomach hurts, you can imagine why it's so important to provide medical care in the language of the people. They also do a lot of real improvements (especially in water quality and malnutrition work), and they help train midwives. So, awesome! Go support them!

Roundup AND Focus! (Wednesday)

Today is a bit of a combination post. I've not posted in so long---two whole weeks!---that it'll be good to get the head screwed back on, all around.

My focus, really, is very simple---get back to keeping track of what I'm eating (and eating healthier), spend some more time exercising, and otherwise just keep keeping on. I need to find an easy way of keeping track of this, and of reminding myself to do it---something portable, private, and non-silly.

Also, I need to write more.

As far as the roundup goes:

1. White afghan: This has been going slowly. My hands have been acting up (rather nastily), and so my crocheting has slowed to a standstill as I try to get them back into working condition. I think I'm going to focus on finishing up a couple other projects which are, at this stage, just needing some fine-tuning to be finished.

2. Yarn bin: I gave away some scrap yarn, as I said in the last post, but then I also thrifted some yarn the other day. Oh darn.

7. Perfecting the noms: So making hopjesvla again soon. I have all this coffee leftover that I can't drink because ow. I'm in need of a few other good puddings/custards, though. There's a nutmeg and maple custard I've been eyeing over at Smitten Kitchen, which I messed up horridly the last time I tried it. (This, I think, is my story with custards and puddings: Fuck up horribly the first time, make it great the second.)

12. Nail polish: Very excited to be doing a girls' night with one of my housemates and a friend. Toe-painting will be happening.

13. One new dish: I tried "Java Jacks" from The AntiCraft yesterday. I used double-strength coffee, but still barely got any coffee flavor(!), and the pancakes were pretty dry. Not making these ones again, I think, although I do love the idea of coffee + sweetened condensed milk in a pancake.

14. Capsule warddrobe: Having such problems here! You see, I like black. I also like grey, navy and brown as base colors. The last of these three are very easy to match with a wide variety of colors---those neutrals are pretty interchangeable. Black, on the other hand, I find to be a pretty stark color that, well, pretty much only goes with... black (and grey and white). So, I'm torn between being colorful and turning corporate goth.

15. Key interest: It remains below $3000, and I've had the luck to get it lower and lower each month. Barring disaster, I might even be able to pay it *fully* off if I do it right.

19. Emergency fund: I've expanded it to 4 months (relatively generous) living expenses. Ideally I'd like it to be at six months before I graduate, but we'll see how that works out. It's quite difficult to keep that much money aside when you make 16.5k a year.

Then again, the idea of graduating (without a job) and needing that money is also god-damned terrifying.

21. Fruits and veggies: Yeah, whoops.

22. Exercise: Ditto.

24/26. Dentist/brush/flossing: Doing fine, and again looking forward to clean teeth in early October.

28. Calling the 'rents: I've been calling them! And it's awesome! It makes me happy!

32. All music: 3509/6354.

36. Lang practice: I started out very strong this August, and then poof! None. I'm feeling the craving again, though, which is good.

37. Making the bed: Being going strong on this. It's nice to have a neat bed (especially when my books decide to escape their bookshelves, i.e. I don't have room for them on my bookshelves).

85. Japan: This is not happening, as it turns out. The paperwork got messed up and I would only be able to be there for about three weeks---and I can't quite justify the ticket for that right now. I'm sad, but I think I will just go visit my parents and N. instead.

91. Dissertation: I'm almost done with the first draft of the first chapter! We'll see how this goes....

95. Charity: Donated $100 the other day---a friend of a friend desperately needs a life-saving surgery, has no insurance, and is already broke from medical bills.

Just a bit of a roundup.

It's been a busy week---almost two weeks---indeed. My partner arrived back in town for the summer, and I am finally almost released from school for the year.

In my roundup:

4. Revamp wardrobe: I did, at the very least, manage to take some things to a resale shop. I still have a few more to go, and I probably ought to be a bit rougher in getting rid of some other thing.

7. Pick three baking/cooking things and perfect them: I tried two rice puddings in the past week. Both failed. The first was a profound problem with the recipe---it asks one to add eggs to hot milk. Skeptical, I did it anyways, and oddly enough ended up with a horrid stringy egg concoction. The second failure was not a failure, per se, but a rice pudding recipe that produces a rather flat and cakey pudding. As I like my puddings to be soft and gloopy, it was not particularly satisfying.

13. Cook one new dish a month: Well, there were the two failed puddings. I also came up with a cheesecake: Vanilla cheesecake with an almond meal crust, topped with lemon zest whipped cream and raspberries. I was very pleased with this latter enterprise.

15. Pay down Key interest: It is currently just below $3000. I feel good.

21. 5 servings of fruits & veggies: Ahahaha.

22. Exercise 3x a week: I've got a new pair of running shoes! I've got a bad knee, as well, so I also need to exercise caution, but I'm excited. I took them out this morning, and it was good.

26. Floss/brush: Doing good.

28. Call Mom/Dad: Doing good.

32. Listen to all the music I have: Unfortunately, this goal has been vastly improved upon because my external harddrive has gone kaput. I'm trying to rescue it, but I may have lost a significant pile of music.

37. Bed made: Fail.

41. Read all the books I own: Made this worse by buying three new books this past week.

73. Go to 25 restaurants in town that I've never been to before: I went to Porter Cafe this week. I got a cheeseburger, which was large and certainly edible (if not special). I also went to Pono Hawaiian Grill today with the boy. I got Korean short ribs, which were fattier and messier than I might have liked; however, I think there will be some hits there.

81. CMV's books: I finally got a copy of Fairyland.

Sunday Roundup

As usual, it's a "let's establish those healthy habits" week.

However, here's a roundup---why not!

3. Figure out what looks good on me: I've actually made a bit of progress on this one. One particularly important thing was realizing that the bras I've been wearing have been a cupsize too small. Moving up the cup size has made my life much, much more comfortable (and has made my shirts fit more smoothly).

I've also had the realizations that I need to just completely cut crewnecks out of my life, as well as shirts with lots of embellishment over the bust. I'm making a pile to take to my local consignment/resale shop---very exciting.

4. Revamp wardrobe: Got some colorful shirts and bras recently, as well as a few new pairs of shoes to replace some that I had destroyed. I'm also taking a bunch of clothes that either don't fit/don't look well to my local consignment/resale shop today.

7. Pick three baking/cooking things and perfect them: The first one is going to be custards and puddings. I'm going for perfect texture.

13. Cook one new dish a month: This month I've made donut muffins (enh; might make them again, though I think I'd rather just have donuts). I've also made at least two muffin-bread puddings, which have been far more successful than the muffins they were made from.

15. Pay down Key interest: Now at approximately 3250.

21. Get 5 servings of fruit and veggies a day: I've been mildly better at this, especially in the fruit department. There's at least a tiny bit of improvement.

23. Monthly breast exam: Had one done at my gyn appointment.

25. Take better care of skin: I'm getting better at this one---making sure to put SPF on in the morning, especially.

26. Floss/brush: Back and forth. It could be better, it could be worse.

28. Call parentals: This, I have been succeeding on!

30. Visit Aunt June: This has been done. Hopefully it can just happen again.

32. Music listening: 3268/6369

36. Foreign lang practice: Fail.

38. Bed made: Fail.

It's not been horrible---not as much progress as I might want, but there's at least been a bit!