Sorry for the insanely long haitus.

Fig. 1  Easter Egg #2 (intergalactic travel)

Things have been really crazy around here since i've come home.  The holidays, welcome home parties, seeing missed friends, and being miserably sick... And on top of all that, I've been chiseling away at filling out applications for grad schools.  I actually went out and picked up some literature on writing application essays, and so far, my favorite book has been Graduate Admissions Essays by Donald Asher.  The book is geared toward more typical masters programs (e.g. business and medical schools), so the examples and samples aren't really art related.  However, I still found this book to be extremely helpful.  It helped me to have a better idea of what I needed to write, and more importantly what I didn't need to write.  Before I read it, I was pretty nervous and was completely lost on how to arrange my thoughts.  But by chapter 8, I had a second draft written and ready for proofing and editing.  I know I sound a little like a commercial right now, but I usually like sharing when something works very well, especially if it may help out someone else some day. The book itself wasn't a bad read, and had occasional easter eggs of unintentional hilarity in it.

Fig. 2  Easter Egg #3 (The presumptuous Author speaks)

So for a little back tracking-- I had a very nice christmas back home with my family.  I was bestowed a lot of kitchen gadgets, and in all the colors of the rainbow!  I got so excited about my new set of spatulas and spoons, that I put away most of what dad had in his utensil pot and put my own in.  I also got a set of prep bowls, a submersible mixer, a couple of fancy knives, and an awesome silicone whisk (which is also rainbow colored). 

NOM NOM NOM!!!

I've been cooking a lot more since I've been home as well.  I've been making a lot of things involving whole chickens and have been tinkering with turnips.  I've made home made chicken noodle soup twice, once for myself, and once again for a friend I accidentally made sick.  I also made a horrendously delicious roasted chicken.  I highly recommend both recipes, especially the soup if you're not feeling well.  It takes some time to make the stock, but it's all worth it.  You feel amazing after eating it.  If you like rice in your soup, you can cook a half cup of rice with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup stock, (but just until chewy) and add it in with the vegetables.  Every time I use a whole chicken now, I think about two things:  How it's nice that all the insides and the neck have been removed for me, and how the little fat chickens remind me of Marvin.  I can't help but feel bad, like I'm terrorizing fowl everywhere.

Surely this race of giant pop tarts will rise up and destroy us all!!!

I've also tried my hand at baking Hindbaer Snitter since I've been home.  It was pretty close, but I think I need a little more practice.  I think I'm also saying that so I'll bake it more often to feed my addiction, haha.  The picture was before I cut it.  It looks like a massive pop tart, but I can assure you, it tasted way better.  It never made it past day 2.








And for those of you who made it this far and wondered about the whereabouts of Easter Egg #1,

I present to you Fig. 3:

Fig. 3  Easter Egg #1 (The "Grad school gets you more sex further down the line" argument.)