Joys of Christmas

Even with Christmas being spent in a city that I'm learning to call home, I really enjoyed my day. It had been planned that we would have to a family get together at mine & Jerry's place. A total of five people which would have been cramped quarters in our tiny apartment, but still possible. My sister and I had planned to make a traditional family dinner of spaghetti & meatballs that is generally associated with Christmas Eve, but that we moved to Christmas Day due to an exam of that my sister had.

For me, the day began with a trip to our morning market to buy tomatoes and green onions for dinner preparations. When I went back home, I began chopping 1/2 a yellow onion, 1 large green onion (Chinese scallion) and garlic into fine pieces. Once chopped, I tossed all the ingredients into my pot with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and began sautéing until the onions had become a little translucent. I added a cup of dry red wine from my collection of wine that I don't drink and only use for cooking. I then added a total of 6 large tomatoes that I had cut into large cubes as well as a 1-1/2 tablespoons of Italian Seasoning spice blend by Tone's. I allowed the mixture to simmer for the day, letting the tomatoes break down as they cooked. Oh my, the apartment smelled wonderful!

Later, I turned off the stove and headed to my local grocery market to acquire meat for making meatballs. I met my sister there and she helped me get 1 kilo of ground beef and 1/2 kilo of ground pork from the butcher. Back at my place, we mixed the meat with two eggs and 3/4 cup of crushed Pepperidge Farms stuffing. Then we formed it into meatballs and baked at 350˚ F for 20 minutes.

We had also made garlic bread rolls using the Buttery Sourdough Buns recipe from King Arthur, using olive oil, Italian Seasoning, and garlic powder instead of the butter and paprika topping recommended in their recipe.

What a wonderful feast!

Dihydrogen Monoxide and other dangerous chemicals

*Please note, this is a sarcastic piece of writing and does not mean to encourage FUD (Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt). I'm writing to encourage people to think and take what is found online with a grain of salt.

I have the pleasure of working in an industry where I get to work with small business owners as well as home crafters. I have heard a variety of questions over the years and while some make me laugh and some make me think, there are the questions that make me want to bite my tongue instead of being rude and asking about if they ever studied chemistry.

The one question that gets on my nerves the fastest is "But I don't want to use chemicals, do you have alternatives?" Well, last time I checked, I was enjoying a cup of Dihydrogen Monoxide while talking to you. Oh wait, yes, I'm talking about the stuff that killed an estimated 388,000 people in 2004. It is also 3rd on the list of accidental causes of death by WHO (World Health Organization) If you don't want to use chemicals, then I would recommend that Dihydrogen Monoxide is the first you stop using.

Don't forget the deadly chemicals in the air that we breathe! Everytime you breathe out, you release more carbonic anhydride which is also a deadly chemical, but you breathe in a mixture of 20%-ish diatomic oxygen gas, 78%-ish nitrogen (with the remaining being made up by other dangerous chemicals).

Save the world! Stop using dangerous chemicals!

*In the meantime, join me for a cup of tea?

Sensitive Ears

It has been ruled that my ears are sensitive enough to notice when someone is scratching a wound or irritated patch of skin. I have to laugh when I'm told this as I didn't think I had very sensitive ears in comparison to my own mom.

When I was a teen, mom would arrive home from work and instantly say "Turn off that shit!" What she was referring to was the music that either myself or my sister had been listening to that day. It couldn't be turned down, she could still hear it. When riding in the vehicle with mom, we could either listen to the radio or power it off.

Mind you, this isn't wasn't as hilarious as when, after a ridiculous visit to an ENT, mom was told to stop listening to loud music as it was making her ears produce excess ear wax. As a family, we had to laugh, mom is the only one in the family who listens to music only on low volume!

While I may not have mom's ears, I apparently still have sensitive ears. Snork!

Music = Me

I grew up listening to music. My childhood was filled with quite a diverse collection of music.

When with my mom, I listened to music on the Disney Channel radio station based in Salt Lake City. Sometimes we would try to call in and win prizes from the radio station. I remember winning a prize of a bag of Hershey Kisses. That was a fun prize even if the cost of the gas to the station and back home was more than the bag. Some of our favorite songs included "The Ballad of Lucy Lum" (unknown artist) and "Fish Heads" (Barnes & Barnes).

When I was with my dad, I listened to music on the Alternative Rock or Rock radio stations. From dad, I learned appreciation for R.E.M., Styx, Violent Femmes, David Bowie, Barenaked Ladies, Beck, and The Cure.

With my grandparents (there was a total of 9 regularly visited grandparents, including great-grandparents), I listened to various music types. Oldies, New Age, Classical, Pop and even some Jazz.

This is where the grounding of my own musical tastes began. As a young teen, I received the "White Album" and "Magical Mystery Tour" on CD. I believe that must have been for Christmas 2001 or my birthday 2002. I know I also received my first speaker set during the same time frame. They were wonderful speakers that had such a delicious sub-woofer. Combine speakers that could be adjusted to varying distances, a sub-woofer and The Beatles. That was the beginning of my love for bass in music.

I can pinpoint the changes in my musical tastes to one event. The theatrical (and subsequent soundtrack) release of Spiderman in 2002. I briefly found Toby Maguire to be one of the most fascinating and handsome actors that I had even seen. The soundtrack though, was the the music that really influenced my musical tastes. Thanks to songs by Aerosmith, Chad Kroeger, Theory of a Deadman, and Black Lab, I began looking for more music that really sounded good coming through my speakers. I was also introduced to the movie "XXX" and between the Vin Diesel and the soundtrack, I found myself addicted to action movies with rock music. The opening scene featuring Rammstein was addicting. I found that soundtracks contained the rock music that made the speakers pulse were the best music for me and my craving for more bass. Between "Music from and Inspired by Spider-Man" "XXX" and "Miss Congeniality", I found peace in playing music and boosting the bass.

In 2005, Fantastic Four hit the screens. My dad purchased "Fantastic 4: The Album" and I added another musical album to my collection of songs that sounded great with boosted bass. At this time, I had the ability to mix my playlists on my first iPod. I think I nearly drove my mom crazy with my loud and bass heavy music.

By this time, my parents knew when I had a bad day or was really stressed because the music was louder and the bass heavier. While my sister found peace and tranquility in Classical music, the sounds of composure for me were Rock, Metal and Industrial Rock.

Even today, my musical tastes vary and include almost every genre. While my trusty speakers bit the dust a few years ago, I still am fond of bass and one day I will be finding new speakers that allow for that bit of bass.

New Reading to Begin Understanding China

Jerry was such a sweetheart and got me a new book.

Actually since there are so many pages in the book, it was bound into four volumes. I'm going to start reading "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (三國演義;sānguó yǎnyì) attributed to Luo Guanzhong and translated by Moss Roberts. I have an edition from the 15th printing released in 2011 by Foreign Languages Press, Beijing, China. ©1995. There are two lines on the print details page that make me laugh. "Printed in the People's Republic of china / Not for sale in North America"

I'm excited to start reading this book and I'll have to admit, I'm a little overwhelmed by the total of 2339 pages of this four volume set. I'm planning on starting the first volume tomorrow. Instead of my typical speed reading, I'll try to read it carefully to understand more about China and its people.

Here is to a new book!

Troubles Describing Faces

Sometimes as a writer, I find it difficult to describe the physical attributes of my characters. I mean, how much detail is too much detail and when should you add the necessary descriptors?

Face Shape?
Color of eyes?
Skin color?
Hair?
Figure?

What do I include?

Thanks to some handy searches via Google, I stumbled across this fantastic blog post on joshroby.com called "Handy Words for Skin Tones". I was so pleased to find a PDF of different colors and words that perfectly described those skin tones. Seriously, I was so pleased as punch that I made up a happy dance around my desk right then and there! I promptly saved the PDF so I could actually try keeping my sanity. (Let me know if that worked as I'm a lousy judge of that.)

I also stumbled across a blog post by Robert J. Sawyer on his blog, sfwriter.com. His post titled, "Should writers shy away from mentioning skin color?", is a fantastic read and great argument for describing ALL of your characters. I think I'll take his advice and just describe how I see fit!

Hmmm. I think I'll go digest this food for thought.

Life at 4.5 months in Beijing

I've been in Beijing since the beginning of June with the exception of a brief return trip to the USA in August. Those two weeks seem like they were in a previous lifetime and I'm finding it harder and harder to remember what life is like in the USA. I'm still having a hard time adjusting to life in Beijing and my frustrations with the language aren't helping. I'm struggling to hear the different tones and sounds of the words. What I hear isn't actually what is said and it doesn't help my flailing confidence.

There are some frustrations about shopping for clothes in Beijing. Mostly because all the girls here dress like they are fashion-istas. Which is great, if you can find clothes that fit you. Grrrr. Pants? Can't find ones to fit unless you buy men's pants. Shirts? Plus sized shirts, old lady shirts or men's shirts. Lingerie? Forget it! Underwear like panties and thongs are easier to find for any woman but if you don't belong to the "Itty Bitty Titty Committee", then you are S.O.L. for finding a bra. I'm looking at different options because my bras are failing and it is looking like I will have to order from the USA or Australia for a proper bra. Memo to all women potentially traveling to China for long term visits! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PILE OF BACK UP BRAS! Take the time to find bras that fit you properly and that you have back ups. You won't find your favorite bras here in China.

Life in October

So much has changed since July. I wish I could have recorded some of these changes, but there is so much to share.  

I made friends with some of the lovely ladies at the Beijing Guild. These ladies are knitters, crocheters and in general, crafters. Each one is a sweet heart and has her own talents. I have to admit that they help me keep my sanity just by going to the weekly sessions. I usually go on Tuesdays during the middle of the day because I want to spend time with DH on Thursday evenings when he is home.  

Being a 外国人 (wàiguó rén, foreigner) does make things hard when I go around the Chaoyang and Dongcheng Districts, but I'm learning to understand more of what people say. Even if I still have a hard time trying to say anything. Sometimes, the mere inability to speak with the locals has me frustrated when visiting morning market for produce or the grocery market for meat, flour and other foods. I can't ask 妈妈 (māma, my husband's mother)  to help me as I know she would because I have my pride and hope for myself. 

Finding classes to learn Chinese is important for me in the long term, but I don't want to put any financial strain on the budget. This limits me to trying to find free/inexpensive classes that don't chew up all of my time. 

I still find myself nervous about living in China, but the crowds on the subway and buses don't bother me as much as they used to. They still bother me when I'm alone, but I try to avoid instances where I have to use busy bus or subway lines. The whole thing makes me feel that I never realized how much I really like my personal bubble to be left alone. Standing in line at the grocery store is a great example, you could fit two people in the space between the two people at a grocery store in the states, but the Chinese have no problem with standing so closely that you can't move without bumping the person behind or in front of you. Don't even think about swinging your basket! No matter, the experiences here in China have taught this Western 女外国人(Nǚ wàiguó rén, foreign girl) to just take things one day at a time!

Starting Life in Beijing

I came to Beijing as a tourist to spend time with my husband and his family as well as give his family a Chinese wedding reception they could attend. Due to work projects and other reasons, we will be living in Beijing for the next year or so.

I look at the life we will be living and I'm nervous, yet super excited at the same time. I'll be living in the foreign country that also is the first stamp in my passport. I really don't know much Chinese other than, 我吃饱了 (wǒ chībǎole, I am full) and 你好 (nǐhǎo, How are you?) I'm slowly learning Chinese using a combination of education software, asking my husband, listening to 妈妈 (māma, my husband's mother) and 爸爸 (bàba, my husband's father), and using my iPad to translate.

The positive aspects of living in Beijing outweigh the negative aspects, but I have to still consciously look at the next year as an adventure. One day I'll be able to feel like I'm not shaking in my boots about living in Beijing. Such a big change for this small town Western girl, but she can do it!

Focus on the Golf Balls, Not the Sand.

Several variations of this story float around the net, so this is not an unknown story. 

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them in to the jar He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.”

“The golf balls are the important things--- your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--- and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.”

“The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else--- the small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or golf balls.”

“The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.”

“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your significant other out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.”

“Take care of the golf balls first--- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said, “I'm glad you asked.”

“The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.”

I need to remember that I should focus on the golf balls, not the sand. I have lots of things that I worry about and focus on that are really just minor details. The golf balls have been abandoned and I need to change that.

Smiles

your smiles are sunshine
when directed at me
this silly heart of mine
melts

Perfectly Happy!

I don't know that I could be any happier! While I don't exactly get to see or hear from Jerry every night, every time I get a letter, text, e-mail or IM from him, I can't help smiling and blushing like an idiot. Since we live 90 miles apart, I don't get to see him all the time, but when I do see him. I feel as though my heart has turned into a bunch of butterflies and they want to burst out my chest to share with everyone the happiness I feel. Even when chaos has happened, it only takes just the thought of a hug from him and the chaos is suddenly not chaos.

Most of the time we write letters to each other and while it can be awfully slow waiting for the mail, it is sweet at the same time. The best thing about our letters is that I actually get to handle the same paper that Jerry has handled! Just receiving mail from Jerry is enough to send me into a giggling, blushing dither.



Lots of Hugs!

Shadowed Blood Character Pictures

I've been struggling with trying to describe my characters in Shadowed Blood. I just found these pictures that will help me describe them.

Nikki: 

Garrett:

Seth:

Latest update!

I can't believe that tomorrow is the first day of NaNoWriMo. I'm so excited. Yesterday we had lots of rain, so we didn't have many trick-or-treaters coming around. I finally decided to call it a night about 7. After I packed up and got out of my costume, I went back to my Jelly making. I think I have a full day today, so I'll proceed with making more jelly (raspberry is on the schedule for the day).

I'm having lots of fun with this venture and it feels right. I'm excited to make this move forward. Right now, I have the logo being designed and I'm excited to see what it will look like!

Later!

NaNoWriMo Participant

Days until NaNoWriMo!

I am now an official participant for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. (see below)

My goal this year is to finish and be the Cache Valley Region ML (Municipal Liaison) for next year. I think that would be lots of fun and keep me busy & out of trouble. (Not that I really get into any trouble normally.) NaNoWriMo events might also be a way for me to meet people my own age that I normally wouldn't meet any other way.

Anyway, I'm off to go to bed now that we are completely tired.

October? Wow!

I can't believe it! September seemed to fly by especially with Great Grandma's 100th.

Summer has been busy with the move at work, but I'm loving our new building. The new blog kitchen is fantastic and I'm loving all the light available just from the lights being closer to my photo space. I haven't needed to set up the studio strobe lights at all! Minimal color correction has been needed and I was doing more with the strobe lights in our previous space!

My voice lessons have been progressing very well and I have a voice performance for our Jazz theme coming up soon. I've also been working on an audition piece for a couple of shows that I'll audition for later this month.

I've been working on trying to get a booth at Novemberfest for a friend and myself, but we'll see if we can get into this juried show.

I've signed up for NaNoWriMo and my goal is to actually finish by the end of the month. Wish me luck!


Well, I'm off to bed to see if I can sleep tonight!

My clock ain't been rigged.

Your clock's probably rigged to speed up and cheat us out of our fun. ~~ Serenity

My, time has flown by since I last wrote. Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat progressed along well and we only have 5 performances left and it is actually quite sad.

I'm glad I did join this cast as they are wonderful people and funny to boot.  For a first performance, this was an excellent cast to work with and I have to say that I am completely honored to work with them. 

OMG! Finally!

I've loved theatre FOREVER! I first became addicted in about '97 or '98 when my mom and dad started taking the family to the Hale Center Theater in Orem. I loved being able to meet all the actors and actresses after the show and lil' sis and I would always stand in line to shake hands with all of them. If you aren't familiar with the Hale Center Theater, you should go! Theater in the round has always been amazing to me and much more personal. If you don't want to/can't travel to Orem, try the Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley City, the Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert, Arizona, or the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale, California.

Here in tiny Cache Valley, theatre in the round is not well known unless you have attended The Old Barn Theater out in Collinston. Afton, my voice teacher, told me that The Old Barn had some performers drop due to conflicting schedules. I checked my schedule and I was able to fill in! I'm so excited to finally be able to perform in theatre, that I'm almost speechless. Thursday, I was able to attend my first rehearsal and I feel very good about my ability to pick up information easily.

I'm going to go take a N.A.A.P. now since I can't keep my eyes open anymore. I promise I'll post more later.

Tuesday Classes - Over!

Ok, Professor Horvat wasn't too bad today.  I'm starting to think he is a professor version of Mr. Hall.  I liked Mr. Hall, even with his occasionally annoying personality. I do have to credit my HS graduation to the man. Professor Horvat just pulls the normally very well hidden smart ass out of me.  I think I spend more time arguing with him than I actually spend writing notes. Not that it is a bad thing! ;-)  Now, if I could convince Professor Kuehls to actually speak a normal language instead of Historical Technical Manual, I think everything will be grand. No complaints for Professor Bird, but it is a large class and I love my computer for his class, since he talks so fast and he just gives a basic outline for notes. I love Okular and review notes for this class.

Dad was just labeling his Milk Stout that he made with Craig on Teach a Friend to Brew Day. (November 7th, 2009) He poured out a glass and I took a taste. My amature review? Fantastic! It definitely has a different flavor from a typical hoppy beer. Great frothy head. (I got some stuck up my nose!) Smells like a dark buckwheat honey. Taste? Has hints of roasted coffee and chocolate with faint notes of a dark malt syrup and a tad bite of sweet. (I remember pulling syrup dripping from the drums onto my finger and licking it off when I was younger and Dad was occupied at the brewing store.) This one didn't itch at all, so I'm happy. Just might be that Dad doesn't heavily carbonate his beers. Dad even served it at a reasonable temperature. Cool, but not cold.

Well, I'm going to turn over this microphone and head for my local haystack!

Enjoy!

Label Designs

I recently designed this label for honey jars that we would give away as gifts this Christmas. I think this label is really cute. What do you think?