The Ulterior Motives of Average Girl

Look people.. its over.

2009-07-22T20:43:00.001-07:00

Regarding what this blog really is, and a recipe to make up for your loss.

2009-07-04T10:04:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry I have ruthlessly deserted you, dear blog, and know that
though it probably WILL happen again, I will do my best to make this
humble blog a place to divulge my behind-the-scenes-self to the internet,
and those who choose to read it. I hope I may benefit someone in some
way.

For today, I contribute a delightful recipe which I found utterly wonderful,
and could be a great addition for a July 4rth picnic. Please excuse my messy
house - I had not the time to clean it. Sorry.

Blueberry Lemon Bars - A recipe from the paper

For the crust:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. flour

For the filling:
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 tbsp. flour
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/8 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 c. fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries

When juicing and zesting the lemon, what worked for
me was to juice first, by cutting the lemon in half and
then pummeling the poor thing till it was only a haggard
remnant of its previous juicy self. After finishing giving
its other half similar treatment, you should have about
2-3 tbsp. of juice.

To zest, I used a cheese grater - it took a long time though, and
I'm sure there is a better way. By the end of the tedious process,
I'd say I had about little more than a tbsp of zest.

Now. Finally starting the recipe... We'll start with the crust.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Coat a 8 or 9 inch square pan/baking dish with cooking spray.
In a 'medium' bowl (this is just what the recipe says...) use an electric mixer on low
( far left)
to beat together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Looks a bit like marshmallows in there...

Then add the 2 cups of flour (left) and beat just until the mixture forms small crumbs.

Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set the remaining mixture aside. Be careful not to use more than two-thirds!

Bake the prepared baking dish for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Then reduce the oven temp. to 350 degrees.

While your bars are cooking, prepare the filling. In another medium bowl, mix the granulated sugar (this is regular, sugar, by the way), 3 tbsp. flour, lemon zest and salt. Add the eggs and lemon juice, and then mix/whisk until smooth.

When your bars come out, spread the 2 cups of blueberries in an even layer over the crust, and then pour the filling over the blueberries - last, sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top.

Then set your delicacy in the oven - now comes the wait.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden, and filling puffed. I found about 34 minutes did the trick, but various ovens may alter results.
When you remove the finished product from the oven. There is one last thing you must do before you set it down to cool.

Smell. Deeply. And very much enjoy that smell...

Anyway, wait for it to cool for maybe 10-15 minutes before serving - the recipe says transfer it to a wire rack, but I'm not sure how that's possible, so I skipped this part and it worked fine. Finally, you may cut into squares and dig in!

(Left) Waiting for it to cool

(Left) Ready to serve!

At Grandma's House Once More

2009-05-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

We arrived here at Grandma Inwards house late last night, around
eleven o' clock.

I was getting bored on the car trip up, reading the Newsweek and listening
to my iPod, until Megan decided that she needed the working headphones,
and so I had to sit in silence.

But arrive we did, even if the journey was long, and now here I am!
Leah is leaning over my head and needs to blow her nose - AHEM,
and Nicole is sleeping on the opposite couch, while The Christmas
Story Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra's! in the kitchen.

Pretty great.

Shopping

2009-05-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

Hey folks!

Today was going to be a boring day... no one was home, except for
me of course. I called, like, everyone, and either they were quite
busy, not home, or avoiding me. Anyway, my boredom ate me alive,
and I drooped around the house, grieving the loss of a perfectly lovely
day.

But then....

Dad came home!

I was moping dramatically in our big green chair, and he asked me
about my sadness. I explained that no one was home... and that I
didn't have everyone who I needed's number.

So enters our hero....
the PHONE BOOK!

This wonderful book full of people that you know, and numbers
that you don't, recently became my best friend. I didn't even
know real people existed in these prehistoric old volumes!

Anyway, my lovely friend Carley was found in this phone book,
and the two of us spent the most delightful day at the mall, especially
the part where she sort-of-treated to Chipotle. Mmmmm....

Here are some lovely pictures to recap the experience.

Brita Says Hello

2009-05-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

My little sister Brita, who is standing right next to me, says hello.
Well, Brita, you are now on the internet.

Andy and Melody!

2009-05-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

Well, track is finally over. I had my last meet today, so
that is very good, I know, I know! I have some wonderful pictures of me that my dad took while I was running. If you look close at the second picture, as I am closing in on my first lap, starting the second, you can see that my hands are, well, playing piano.
The 800 tires me out, so to keep my mind off the fact that I am about to pass about from zero breath, I practiced my piano. (-:

So this whole weekend has been a whirlwind of exciting happiness... but also definite proof
that time goes by way too fast when you're having a good time.

You see. My aunt and uncle from England, who my family has not seen for 9 years, finally came
back to visit! (They couldn't come before, or they would've.)
Andy and Melody are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, very friendly, humorous and
caring about others. And they both the coolest accents... Melody has a Chinese accent, and Andy has a... a... sort of English accent, sort of not. Anyway, it is pretty wonderful.

We hung out last weekend, and this one, and had an excellent time at Como Park, Trader Joe's, and the MOA amusement park, where me, dad, and Andy went on the rather wonderful ride
that plummets straight down at the beginning... I discovered that my feet can sweat on that ride.
Here are some pictures to recap the wonderful memories... as Dr. Seuss once said, "Do not be sad it is over... Be glad it has happened."

<--Aunt Harriet, Uncle Chris
Just sitting around talking

<--Melody, Andy, Mom, Dad
<-The girls reading, Andy and Melody

Little Obsession

2009-05-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've had a slight obsession with Les Miserables,
the soundtrack and book. I'm reading the enormous book
right now, and know almost all the songs by heart.

It's SO good. The book is about Jean Valjean, Cosette, Fantine,
Marius, Eponine... and more. Set during the French Revolution,
it involves love and trauma... I'm not very far, but the songs
kind of explain it. Someone correct if I'm getting this wrong.. (-:

Anyway, I love the song On my Own, a Little Fall of Rain,
Castle on a Cloud... sigh.

Summer has arrived!

2009-05-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

Well finally, summer comes!

This morning when I woke up, summer
was sitting in the sunshine - I could
practically taste it.

When I got home I went biking - I love
biking. I randomly pedal around my
neighborhood, waving to people milling
around in their yards... loving summer.
So wonderful.

ticket... )-:

2009-05-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

I lost my ticket to go to the play at my school!
I am very upset right now.

You see, it was in my purse. Or Aerie bag. I think,...
anyway, its no where now. And I also lost
5 $ that were my daddy's. I am very sad.

I think I can still go, but now I am wallowing in
self-pity, and the night won't have the quite the
same sheen.

After the play, however, Victoria, Debbie, and
Margaret are coming to hang out for a sleep-over!!!
Wooo!

I'll blog later.
Tell you what happened.

Scrapes and Bumps and Bruises

2009-04-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

Guess what happened to me today?

I fell.

On a dirty, dusty, grassy, covered with dirt track.

You see, I was at track, and suddenly, out of the
blue, someone else's foot knocked into my foot, and
then, well, I toppled over, hands first.

I scraped up my elbow and knee, and also my upper
thigh - there was BLOOD on my shorts. Scary, eh?
But worst of all is my hand. I mean, none of this is
that bad, but the dirt will not come out of the cut,
which is an inch wide, I'd say.

When I got home, my parents frowned at the dirty
cut and put Hydrogen Peroxide on it! Or something
that sounds like that. Anyway, it suddenly started
foaming, like bath soap gone bad, and started fizzing
and stinging my poor little hand as if it had a fight
to pick. I started spazzing, and Dad let me wash my
hand off.

But still.
-

Justin and Internet ads

2009-04-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, first of all, you know what I hate?

Those adds that you see when you're on a website -
ones with the grainy, ugly pictures that are all about
getting rid of cellulite or belly fat, or how to plump
your lips. you know what I'm talking about.

Just had to get that out of my system. I just want
to throw my computer at a wall sometimes.

Secondly, I am extremely annoyed with this kid at
my school... named Justin.

I wouldn't mind if he moved to Mexico. (and got Swine
Flu!) Or if he just disappeared. Or if he fell off a cliff,
though that would be horrible for his family.

He's the type that thinks everyone likes him, and when
everyone likes you no matter what, you can do whatever
you want (our culture sort of sucks) and so that's exactly
what he does.

I feel bad about being mean to him at school, though,
so me and God had a chat about how I could be nicer.

How about him moving to South Africa, God? Please?

Swine Flu? Or Virus?

2009-04-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

What is all this about the Swine Flu?

What is it? What happens to you if you catch it?
Does it kill people? I know that several people have
died, but it seems to have only killed people who
are weak.

It's contagious, and there are roughly 30 cases in
the US right now. And I know that there are plenty
of cases in Mexico.

Is this gonna be another pandemic?

tWiLiGhT zOnEs!!!

2009-04-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

Lately, I seem to be
watching a large amount
of the 1959-1964 TV
show - The Twilight
Zone. This is an excellent
show in black and white,
sci-fi tales written by
the marvelous Rod Serling.
Each one relays some sort
of supernatural story, be it
aliens, talking dolls, or the future. Each one begins with Mr. Serling,
cigarette in hand, explaining the story, and few end with happy
endings, though they are, in a peculiar way, still satisfying.
Good episodes include The Dummy, Talking Tina, Last Stop at Willoughby,
and more!

Grrrrr Track!

2009-04-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am so exhausted... just thinking about track.

I've been in track for like, 3 weeks, perhaps? and my legs
are sore every night, I think I pulled something in one
of my ankles, and I'm really stressed out. Just because.

No anger at the track peoples. It's just my sad little self
responsible, and I hate to look the part of the complainer...
but
COMPLAIN
COMPLAIN
COMPLAIN.

And I don't want to go to any more track meets. I was
super nervous and spazzy all day...

I didn't go to track today because I was so tired and
whatnot, and my ankles killed just walking to dairy
queen. (That's right, I got a Moolatte. Be jealous.)

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

Chocolate… Espresso… Fudge… Cake!

2009-04-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, I became aware of the amazing (and now infamous in my household) Marcel Desaulniers.
Mr. Desaulniers is pretty much the most amazing gourmet chocolate chef ever to write chocolate cookbooks and own a restaurant called the Trellis. And have a French people mustache. Perhaps the only, too.
Anyway, I checked out two of his insanely wonderful books, the two being Celebrate with Chocolate, and the other being Death By Chocolate. Did you know that Marcel enjoys chocolate?
However, my attempts at being a gourmet chocolatier were foiled by two things: Schnapps, and Salmonella. In Celebrate With Chocolate, I was not able to create ‘Dancing Gingerbread Men with Spicy Peppermint Fudge Cake’, because it called for a small amount of Schnapps, but this is a particularly expensive sort of alcohol… so my plans were ruined by that one ingredient. But from the cookbook Death By Chocolate, I successfully got my mother to make with me…
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO FUDGE CAKE!!!
It was an experience that will never happen again, and that I will never forget, and that’s for sure. Mother and I toiled for two and a half hours attempting to create a perfect cake. We sort of failed in the looks department, but in the taste section, well, no one will be able to stop this cake from coming back in particularly wonderful dreams. It’s just that good.
However, making it was not that simple. I learned, Monday night, that my mother is not a gourmet chef like Marcel Desaulniers. She did not enjoy making buttercream (which even our fancy friend explained ‘is buttercream from somewhere else to make, but buttercream from heaven when you eat it’) that required a pound of butter, 8 oz of semisweet chocolate, a cup of heavy whipping cream, and uncooked egg whites. At the latter mentioned, Colleen realized that uncooked egg whites can result in salmonella. She almost considered ditching our intense efforts and giving up, but we persevered, and so far, everyone has kept their cake down.
It seems that I won’t be making that ‘White and Dark Chocolate Dacquoise Meringue’ any time soon.

Murder By Death

2009-04-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

Want to see a funny movie? Then don't ask me.

I don't know if anyone in the whole world actually

thinks that the movie murder by death is as funny

as me and my cousin nicole find it, but wow, do we

love that movie!!!!

Murder By Death recalls a weekend (which me and

my cousin have memorized... ), hosted at Lionell

Twaine's house. Mr. Twaine is an electronic master-

mind, and he has decided to prove his genius by inviting the world's greatest detectives to his house - for dinner and a murder. With renowned actors such as Maggie Smith, Peter Falk, and Peter Sellers, this movie is... different. However, I suggest you watch it, just because those who have not seen it just aren't good enough. (-:

Up at Grandma's!

2009-04-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Hooray! We are here at Grandma Inwards for Easter!

Nicole and me woke up at 7:30 this morning and watched
murder by death, the greatest movie ever. sort of.

Nicole is yelling at me, so I'll write more later...
we need oatmeal cream pies!!!

Company of Liars

2009-04-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

Company of Liars
Karen Maitland

This was an exciting book, both extremely well-written and
shocking at several points. I was confused, delighted, and
very intrigued throughout the story. Well done, Karen Maitland!

This book follows the adventures of nine travelers, during the
year of the pestilince, the black death, or whatever. But each
has a story... and their outer story is a facade. But when members
of the company suddenly are slaughtered by a mysterious wolf,
Camelot, (who the story's perspective is from) begins to learn of
the other's dark pasts.

A must read!

Sorry!

2009-04-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

to all folks who read my blog:

I'm so sorry! I know, I know, life without
eeeeemy's blog is like life without Viggo
Mortenson... but never fear, I'm back!

Right now, I am involved in track.

I am tired. Exceeeeedingly tired. Its' everyday
after school till 5 PM, aka 2 hours five days a
week. And since I (crazily) signed up all
these cold days. It ain't pleasant.

Also, I recently returned from the most excellentfor long

distance, I've been running almost 4 miles every

single day!!! My legs are sore, my throat is always

parched, and I think I have pnemonia from

vacation I have ever taken. It was so relaxing...
situated on a lake, the apartment-sized building
is super cozy and welcoming. Leaving was more
painful than doing the plank for 2 minutes straight
after your 4 miles are over. (That doesn't feel
particularly pleasant.) I have pictures, maybe I'll
download them on here later.

Grandparentals

2009-03-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

Today was both tasty, funny, and extremely enjoyable.
Not to mention that my grandparentals are in town,
and we got to totally hang out with them all night.

It was tasty because I consumed hot chocolate, goldfish,
frosted flakes, Carbone's Pizza, European Chocolate, and
expired hot tamales.

What a day, eh?

It was funny because Elise came over, and us four were
bored TILL we discovered that jumping off couches is
actually fun, and you can take great pictures of yourself
flying.

And who wouldn't want to take pics of themselves flying?

It was extremely enjoyable for reasons I'm too lazy to
repeat. I know you're sad.

Get over it. (-:

Anyway, I hope you all had a good day.
Have you eaten anything tasty lately that I haven't?

Grandma's!

2009-03-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

Yay! I'm up at grandma's house right now, sleeping in late,
cooking Black and White Brownies, and and eating WAY
too much food.

It's intensely relaxing, let me tell you.

It's too bad my other cousins, Nicole and Leah couldn't
come up too, but they aren't on spring break right now,
so it's just me, Megan, Brita, and grandma.

Unfortunately, Megan and Brita interrupted me watching
Lost last night so that Brita could watch Garfield. Brita
started crying - not kidding. So I let them watch and then
stayed up till eleven o' clock watching House and NCIS,
reading a book, and being bored on the computer.

Quite the night.

Then this morning, I slept in till 9:15. Very late.

Anyway, I am now happily relaxing on a couch on with a
fuzzy blanket while the two little kids watch some boring
movie which was made to be funny for children under the
age of 6.

My sister's are 7 and 10.

But I'm warm and happy, so I'll let it go this once...

History Day... YAWN

2009-03-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday was spent wasted away stuck in a stuffy
building surronded by history day projects and hideous
carpet.

Why would anyone in their right mind waste a Saturday
glazed-eyed and shopping-less? Because they were forced
to enter a history day project, that's why.

That was the position me, Zach, Molly, and Margaret were
in, and we hated it. We spent our time taking pictures,
playing hang-man, and eating.

And that's about it. We knew that our little mental asylum
(about Dorothea Dix) wouldn't win, so why did we have
to waste five hours there? I don't know, and I don't think
I ever will, but those are five hours I will never have back.

(I was in such a sorry state when I arrived at home that the
rest of the day was spent watching Lord of the Rings,
commentary on. Sigh.)

Book CLub

2009-03-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun at book club last night!
It was held at Georgia's house, and though
it was me and my mom's first time, I knew
everyone except for Katy (Katie?), so it was
fine. We discussed the book My Sister's Keeper,
which was just perfect for debating, because
there's just so much to debate!

We were situated in Georgia's comfy basement,
and supplied with bagel sandwiches and San
Pelligrino.

Bagel sandwiches and San Pelligrino pretty much
assure one of a good time.

Everyone had varied opinions about the book.
It's so controversial, it's hard to even have one
opinion... I can't believe an author can think of
such an idea as Jodi Picoult did.

We all discussed how we hated the mom, for instance,
and several minutes later, we were agreeing
about how horrible we felt for her, and how
we might have done the same in her place.

Of course, once we finished the discussion, we
got insanely off topic, and the night ended with
us girls telling Women Jokes and Stupid Jokes.

So fun.

Spring Break...

2009-03-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

Every morning I wake up this week, I just have to remind myself, as
I gaze forlornly at the wretched 6:15, that it's almost spring break.

I'm almost free!

I have lovely plans for spring break. My school also has Friday off,
so I'm spending the glorious freedom... slaving away to my history
day project. But perhaps me n JoJo will have a sleep-over Thursday
night - wouldn't that be pleasant! Friday through Monday are all
calm, sleep-full, mall-crammed days, but Tuesday through Friday,
I'll be up at my Grandma's house.

Fun, fun, fun!

SICKNESS

2009-03-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Grrr. I am SO sick...
I have this cold that will not go away, and I am sneezing, coughing,
and sleeping. Oh yeah, and watching Lost.
Maybe I won't go to school tomorrow or something...
I went to church today, and met Carley's friend who is a missionary
in China - how cool is that? I won't reveal her name in case
some Chinese govenor reads this and finds her out! That would
be bad. The sermon was cool- it was about the pharisee
who prays by the tax collector; the pharisee being all thankful
that 'he was better than that tax collector', but the tax collector
was very sad and humble and said, "Lord I've sinned". It was a
cool sermon.
Youth Group was cool too, we talked about Jesus' death today. )-:
But besides that, today has been talking on the phone and
being bored. Sigh.

Turtle Mocha

2009-02-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

The turtle mocha from Caribou was, as usual, a delectable, sweet sensation
that I wouldn't mind more of. The caramel drizzle and chocolate disappeared pretty fast, leaving the peanut candy bits to float about awkwardly, but the overall taste was very satisfying. However, this drink was not too exciting, and I have tasted better.

Ooooh, fun!

2009-02-23T18:04:00.000-08:00

THis is so funny!
Here's what you do.

Go to this website.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The name of your article is the name of your
band.

Now go to this website.
http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last few words of the quotation are
your first album name.

Lastly, head to this website.
http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
The third picture (no matter what!) is your album
cover.

Here's mine...
Band Name: Zalmay Khalilzad
Album Name: Break her Hair
Album Cover: --------------------------------------->

Lovely, is it not? (-:

Danse Macabre

2009-02-23T17:48:00.000-08:00

This piano song was written by Camille Sanit-Saens,
and played at a spirited waltz tempo.
My version is not very hard at all, consisting of only
two main parts, however, I think its edited.
It has a haunting beginning and a quick jumpy first
page. The second page is smooth and more minor.
It's an okay song, but not one that ranks anywhere
near top.

Hey!

2009-02-13T15:30:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone. This is Emmy's BELOVED friend, Jojo. Yes, that is my name... okay, maybe not... but my name is confidential and is for me to know and you NOT to find out! ha...ha...
HA!
Well, right now, I am going to tell you about my day! I bet all of you want to know about it! RIGHT?!
Okay, well... today in math class, we made snowflakes out of coffee filters! I KNOW RIGHT!? that's like making drawings in shaving cream! SO juvenile... We are WAY too old for that.

OH BY THE WAY!... HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWUANE! if that's how you spell your name.... I don't really know... Ok, well I hope everyone is feeling loving and jolly on this day of LOVE! OK, WELL bye! <3

Rantfullness

2009-02-13T15:27:00.001-08:00

Well, you just won't believe it. My good friend Lucy is once
again in love with the delinquent MS Powerade. Ugh...
They are a nice person, kind of, but are totally conceited.
ANd she tries not to like this person, but just cannot stop
herself. At all. Like, the person's hotness is amazing, she
says, but whatever... poor her!
I felt like sharing this unfortunate incident with you.
God bless Lucy.

Next Year

2009-02-11T16:41:00.000-08:00

Well, today we discussed our plans for next year. They don't look
wonderful.
For my TWO electives, I'm taking choir and Spanish. Yah. That's it!!!
I mean, wow. Can't I take like, Eatery (mmm, yummy!), Creative
Writing and CSI instead of choir? Not spanish? And why do we only
have crappy classes? Plus, I have to be in the english that is the same
as everyone else. I think no English would be more enjoyable, but I suppose that sounds evil and
conceited. Sorry people!!! But I get so bored in English... yawn.
This makes me sigh... why is wonderful, glorious college so far off?

1984

2009-02-08T19:39:00.000-08:00

1984
by George Orwell, 1948

Hey guys... I finished quite the interesting book today...
1984 by George Orwell was quite the interesting book,
written about the future. This was not Utopia though -
but Distopia. It's about Winston, who lives in this futur-
istic world where everyone controls everything... even
your thoughts. The ending, I have to say, is pretty evil,
though. Omigoodness, you should have seen my face!
However, I do recommend this thought-intruiging book.

Very Raspberry Frappes

2009-02-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

I made one of the most yummy things I have ever had on Thursday. It was a
Raspberry Frappe, and nothing but perhaps an icecrema could compare.
It was SO GOOD! Made of ice cream, raspberries, and lots of milk, it's perfect
with Andes Mints.

Herbed Chicken, Orzo and Zucchini

2009-02-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

Thursday night (my cooking night), I chose to make a nice recipe I
found on Better Homes and Gardens (who I pretty much live for.) The result was not quite as good as a meal could be, but it still was much classier than mac and cheese. The chicken was doused in basil, ground pepper, and salt - but it was a little tough, which I never appreciate. Still, it was perfectly seasoned, and I thought it was pretty simple to make - though my parents did help me out a bit with the chicken. The zucchinis, which I have never had a zucchini before, were actually pretty good. I enjoyed cutting them up... I don't know why. (-: The zucchini were simply cooked in the same skillet as the chicken.
And then there was the Orzo. Orzo are little noodles that take on the appearance of rice, but they taste very good and noodle-ish. This recipe, however, called for Red Wine Vinegar, which we would use to douse on the Orzo. We had none, so we used Red Wine and cooking Vinegar. Bad idea. The Orzo was already boiled, so the Red Wine left its interesting taste their... not to mention the Vinegar. I was the only one who liked it, and that's because I like weird tasting foods like that. Well, Uncle Matt ate it too, but he can eat just about anything - "If you mix it together, you can't even taste it!" That's what he says.

It was an enjoyable meal!

Dance & Carnival!

2009-02-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Well, last night was the dance and the carnival! It was pretty great.
My school put the dance, and me and almost all of my friends went.
They played pretty good music, but WOW did it get hot. Then there
was this SUPER SMART kid - he actually hisses at people because
even though he is literally the smartest kid in the school it seems he
has social issues - who came... and he did a rubix cube in like a minute!
It was very impressive.

Then, we went to my old school's carnival. I saw a lot of the same
people there. I had a pretty good slushie and me and Emma wand-
ered aimlessly around the building when we got bored, chatting
about nothing. I did not win anything though... not a cake, not a pop,
not a basket, not a raffle prize. Sigh... maybe next year.

Anyway, it was a great night!

Mr. Monk and the Lady Next Door

2009-01-24T07:36:00.000-08:00

Me and Margaret watched a lovely but sad Monk last night in which Mr. Monk meets a little old lady, and then befriends her. She's like the mother he always dreamed of, a perfect mother. But since he's Mr. Monk, he suddenly decided that there had to be a catch. She must like him for a reason other than pure love and kindness. So when it turns out her neighbor is a murderer, Mr. Monk decides that Marge, his dearfriend, must be in on it. But is she really? Find out by watching Mr. Monk and the Lady Next Door.

Late Nighter!!!

2009-01-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, am I tired! Me and Margaret just had a very nice late night over at her house. We
stayed up till four in the morning, and made some pretty awesome plans which I do not
have the authority to tell you about quite yet. We watched a new Monk, which I rated.
I had a great time and soon, we are going to the mall!!! To maybe get free make-up!!!

Concert and Gien

2009-01-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

I had to go to Megan's violin concert tonight, but
I got to see all the people who play violin at RAMS,
so that was all cool.
However.... I saw Gien for the last time! Like, ever!!!
She is moving to South Korea.... )-:
So goodbye Gien. I will always remember you.

Plaza Resteraunt in Magic Kingdom

2009-01-22T15:25:00.001-08:00

For our last night at Disney World, we chose to eat at the Plaza Restaurant in Magic
Kingdom. It was absolutely beautiful! The place really did look victorian, and the club
sandwich I ordered tasted excellent. Also, I really liked our server, Li Ting. She was
very beautiful, and very nice. Though the Plaza was a little expensive, it wasn't very
much so. It was a perfect experience to end the week.

Monk Gets Shot

2009-01-22T15:13:00.001-08:00

Another new Monk was on Friday! Our whole family watched this one, because it was hardly violent at all.... besides that Monk gets shot!
The storyline is as follows. Mr. Monk and Natalie are hanging around the park, when we see a guy stealing a bike. Adrian and Natalie don't know he stole it, so when he topples over, Natalie goes to help him. And so... he gets away! When Natalie finds out she 'helped' him get away, she is determined to get the bike back.
But when Monk gets shot by the bike stealer, Natalie feels like it's all her fault, and mean Mr. Monk just makes her feel worse, by taking all his anger out on her. I like Stottlemeyer's line, where he tells Mr. Monk to be nicer to Natalie, because he knows that she's close to quitting. "And how do I know?" he says. "Because you're acting like me." OOOOOH! Haha!
It was a very good Monk.

T.G.I. Friday's

2009-01-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

Well, we ate at T.G.I. Friday's on Sunday night. Yummy!
I go the Dragonfire Chicken, which turned out to be absolutely
incredible..
Doesn't it look delicious? Apparently its low fat, too, so that's a bonus, I guess.
Friday's describes this filling meal as so:
A fire–grilled chicken breast glazed with Chinese Kung Pao sauce, served over stir–fried brown rice with pineapple pico de gallo, Mandarin oranges and broccoli.
I would highly reccomend it.

I'm Back!

2009-01-22T14:48:00.001-08:00

Wow, sorry I haven't written in SUCH a long time. Disney World
was amazing, and Florida was nice and warm.
We got to go to Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom.
However, I think my favorite ride was Kraken, from SeaWorld. I added it right there.
It's ENORMOUS, and really scary.. (-:
I got to have a marvelous dinner at T.G.I. Friday's, and another one at Magic Kingdom. I watched some NCIS, and also saw the latest Monk!!
So I better get rating!

Hooray! Florida!

2009-01-12T20:21:00.001-08:00

Well, this is a final goodbye before we leave for Florida! I'll miss you all....

Curry

2009-01-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

Yummy... tonight we had my family's favorite meal: curry.
Oooooh, curry is SO GOOD! It's chicken, potatoes, carrots,
onions, rice, and this thick sauce that is so delicious. It's a very
complex meal to make, so I haven't attempted it yet. Also,
I chose not to include the recipe on this one, because there
are about a bazillion various recipes, and I wouldn't want you
guys to make a gross tasting curry. (-:

School Today

2009-01-12T16:38:00.000-08:00

Here is what my day was like:
Band: I chewed gum, and Ms. Bhimani never noticed.. I didn't either, till the end though.
Health: I love health! We were in the computer lab, but I was done, so I blogged. (-:
Indy Tech: Ooooh, we got to go on Google Sketch-Up, which is really fun! I made a house and a car.
Math: We got these SUPER OLD books, and learned how to substitute equations.
English: We got new seats! I now sit by Nicole, Isaiah... and wait! Is it Abbie? Yeah. Abbie, not Rosie.
Science: We worked in stations, on our forensics unit. Too bad I have to miss it all!
Social Studies: Ummm... not much... we went to the library to work on history day. Vicky looked at Lucy a lot, but I don't think it means much. Sigh!

I got home, and have been packing pretty much ever since!! Don't worry, I will keep you totally updated like, all the time!

FLORIDA!!

2009-01-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, guess what! Emmy here is going to Florida! Isn't that exciting?
We leave tomorrow morning.... I am at school right now....but I'm all done, and
photobooth doesn't work, so I'm just blogging.
La la la... Michaela Starr is sitting next to me! She is wearing a beauteous scarf!
Yay!

Taco Bell

2009-01-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

Fast Food
Think Outside the Bun

Me and mom had Taco Bell today... it was very delicious!
I always get the Soft Chicken Ranchero, and it's great.
One thing I really appreciate about Taco Bell is that it is
so fantastically cheap! It is definitely worth it to come
here often, for the simple prices and tasty food.

History Day-Almost Done!

2009-01-11T14:51:00.000-08:00

After like, a bazillion years, we are finally just about done
with our history day project! It's going to be pretty great.
I still have to type the process paper, and Margaret still
has to touch up a bit, but on the whole, our 'asylum' looks
very good!

Church Today

2009-01-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

Church today was pretty good. Greg Boyd's sermon was on Hell, actually, so that
was a leetle scary... (-:
Echo was also very good. However, neither Coretta nor Chelsey was there, so
that was too bad. But me and Carley had a little talk with Mike. So, yeah.

Back at Home

2009-01-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Blah....i am so tired! But i still have a lot to do.
We finished painting, printed and mounted the
Action and Legacy, and just now everyone went
home. I now have to pack for Florida, play french
horn, do my SS homework, play piano, and go
to Kohls/Target to exchange some gifts... +-;

CRAZY HISTORY DAY

2009-01-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Hi it's Emmy! The procrastinater! Well, not really. We've been working really
really hard on history day... but it just is so complicated! Our plans are
a) Create an asylum- DONE
b) Type all essays
c) Figure out where we want everything to go- DONE
d) Print essays on special paper, find pics
e) Repaint asylum, add bricks w/ sponges
f) Add paper/ pictures
g) Add quiz/ Lifesavers
h) Add fun details e.g. candles in windows
i) type process paper

It's a lot to do, I know! But we are almost done with the essays.

MONK

2009-01-10T06:04:00.000-08:00

Tony Shaloub

Season 7, Episode 1

We watched the season premiere of Monk last night... it's called... I don't know. But Mr. Monk's brother, Jack Junior shows up-and he belongs in prison! It seems as he was escaping, he found a dead body in a car, the jail social worker, who everyone loved. Mr. Monk solves the case, but by the end, he has actually found a friend in his half-brother. This episode was funny, because his brother was just so clueless.

COFFEE

2009-01-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

Caramel Macchiato
Starbucks, hot drink

It was pretty good. At first it was a little strong, but after I stirred the whipped cream and caramel in, it was great! I think I would prefer it cold though. Starbucks says: "A signature Starbucks® beverage. A creamy mix of vanilla and freshly steamed milk marked with intense Starbucks® espresso, topped with velvety foam and our own proprietary buttery caramel sauce." A little over the top, but it's good.

Same old, same old

2009-01-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for tonight!!! Me, Molly, & Margaret are gonna watch the season priemere of Psych and Monk!! Whoo! Me and Mom went over to Barnes & Noble to get some coffee... I rate the coffee in the Consumerism section.. hehe, Consumerism!!! What a sad thing... Oh, I lost my brand-new Christmas earrings from the Cases and I feel horrible. I think I'll buy a new pair so they don't suspect it.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

2009-01-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

Gaston Leroux, Published 1911

I finished this last night because Abbie really has been dying to watch the movie with me... it was pretty good. The way it was told, you'd think it was true, too. Erik was totally my favorite character. He's just so sad! Though the book was written well, though, there wasn't too much of a plot... still it got pretty 'exciting' at different points.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

2009-01-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

Charles Dickens, Published 1860

I chose to read this for English- but my copy was 400 pages long with print so small a magnifying glass could hardly help. Overall, the book was actually good... Greta and Margaret HATE it, (they never finished) and continually gave it evil stares, but besides the fact that every other word wasn't even in the dictionary, I liked the plot and whatnot. I think Ms. Havisham and Herbert are probably my favorite characters.
What really surprised me was the fact that the book was actually humorous in some parts! The 'Joe giving Pip pudding' scene, the Pocket Household, and the sweety Able Magwitch are just a few. Not to mention Pip's sister's "Rampages"; whatever those are.
So really, it was quite the good book. So there, Greta and Margaret!!

History Day

2009-01-08T17:08:00.000-08:00

Wow, my group is totally unprepared for history day... me, molly, and Margaret
are sleeping over at marge's house to work on it like, all night... but i am sort of
procrastinating against writing my Legacy bit of the essay... very nice, eh?

Math

2009-01-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh, I like TOTALLY just flunked this stupid math test I took in algebra. I didn't understand anything, even though I studied all night and talked to my teacher this morning. There goes my perfect grad!!!

First Post

2009-01-02T13:05:00.001-08:00

Well, here it is! My first post in my first blog.
Now I just have to figure out how this thing
works! (-;