_thursday I'm thankful for...fall things_

So many things!

Ok, so the reason I decided to have a 'thankfulness' post on Thursdays because typically they are my most hectic, nerve-racking and tiring day within the week. I figured it was the best day to focus on thankfulness :)

Today, I am thankful for: 

FALL COLORS! Oh my word, the brilliance of the colors. And when I took this picture it was raining, so the grass was extra green. The fall colors weren't perhaps the most abundant I've ever seen (most of the leaves have fallen off due to rain), but the reds and oranges are inspiring. It's like God's coloring book. He's definitely using the most interesting Crayolas this year.

MY BIKE! So I had a bit of a bike mishap this year, and then I had a bit of a bike miracle soon after. I was given a bike. Given. I have wheels! And I know it's just a bike, but it's still pretty fantastic. It has a very old-school look to it, and a bright chromatic green. And it has a basket - bonus! It's actually been really handy. My commute time is a third of what it is on foot, and it's always fun to cruise down the hill and blow past everyone else. ...What I do have to get used to is the fact that my eyes always water when I ride downhill. And my legs always burn when I bike uphill. I will be so happy when I can get to the top and not feel like my legs are rubbery. Actually that might not happen. So I will be thankful for when I can get to the top of the hill, and be going faster than someone on foot :)

HATS! Okay, I don't wear a lot of hats.. but winter hats I love. I was given this hat last spring (when it was much too warm to be wearing hats) by my friend's mom (Thanks Linda!). How she knew that I have been wearing and loving red more and more is beyond me. But the hat is pretty fantastic, and it makes me wish I had similar crocheting skills. It also kept my head really warm today when I was out in the cold for class for  a few hours straight!

This was a while ago, but this rainbow (which turned into a double rainbow!) came after a big rainstorm. And it was so gorgeous and pure and bright. Sometimes these things catch you off guard with their beauty. It reminds me that there is hope at the end of the storm, however cold and dark and gross and slushy it is.

PANINI PRESS!! I love my panini press. It's one of my favorite tools in my kitchen and again, a gift from a family member. I hadn't had it at school until this semester, and now I use it for everything. Mostly for breakfasts and quick lunches. Best thing I've had lately? Smoked cheddar and spinach grilled cheese on peasant bread, served with a nice hot bowl of creamy roasted tomato soup. And breakfast? Wheat bread with peanut butter and banana. One of the most fantastic discoveries was figuring out when you put a peanut butter/banana sandwich in a panini press, the bananas become the sweetest melting deliciousness. They almost become this airy texture like a marshmallow. Yum!

SNOW!! It has been snowing since around 2 this afternoon. I LOVE snow. I turn into a 3-year-old when it starts snowing. I came home, and did a dance. and then made tea. and then decided to make cookies.  I can't believe this is what it looks like out my back door right now. It's October! Not even Halloween yet!

Without pictures to go along with them, I am also thankful for:

Ginger Tea,
Mukluks,
Warm Rain Boots,
An amazing Sister,
A 'Healthy' Recipe for Chocolate Cake,
Homemade Trail Mix,
Fresh Fall Apples,
Down Comforters,
Good Group Members,
A New Job,
The Morning Newspaper,
Fellowship.

_wednesday tastes like...chocolate cake_

Cake! Actually it originally had what I thought was a great mysterious name, but then I translated it, and it translated as 'Cake.' Lame. So a new name perhaps? How about Broiled Ten Layer Zebra Cake? Would that get your attention? It got mine! Yes BROILED. Have you ever heard of that? I hadn't. It actually wasn't too hard, you just have to be hovering over your oven for a while. ...which I don't mind. As long as I have a hefty pot of tea :) 

Recipe:

Baumkuchen (Cake) .. or.. Broiled Ten Layer Zebra Cake. 

Vanilla and chocolate layer cake, baked layer by layer using the broiler. 

Ingredients: 

_250 g butter

_250 g sugar

_1 pinch salt

_7 eggs

_150 eggs (whites and yolks separated)

_100 g corn starch

_1 tsp vanilla

_9.35 oz (235g) chocolate chips - bittersweet

_1 cup water

Process: 

1_ Preheat broiler

2_ Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy

3_ Add egg yolks one at a time

4_ Then combine flour and starch, I sifted them together, then sifted them over the top.

5_ In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form, then fold the whites into the rest of the mixture.

6_ Divide the batter into two parts. In one part add vanilla extract, add the cocoa to the other half.

7_ Grease and flour a 9" baking pan (I used a springform pan).

8_ Add a couple tablespoons of the white batter, and spread a thin layer across the bottom of the pan.

9_ Broil the layer for approximately 2-3 minutes until the top layer is golden. (My broiler took about 2.5 for golden brown. DO NOT BURN THE TOP. Just watch it like a hawk. Drink tea. Set timers. Listen to music and dance in the kitchen.. whatever helps you to keep that nice and golden brown and not burnt). 

10_ Take the pan out of the oven, and spread a few more tablespoons of chocolate batter on top of the first layer, then repeat the whole process until all of the batter is used up. 

11_ Prepare the chocolate ganache. Actually - as an edit to the original recipe, I opted for making a chocolate ganache sans cream and butter. Sound crazy? It is. Crazy good.  It ends up being pure chocolate, yet is so light and fluffy. Here is how you do it... 

   11a_Melt chocolate and water over a double broiler until melted through and smooth. Prepare a bowl of ice larger than the double boiler bowl. Set bowl on top and whisk until thickened. Eventually the chocolate will act almost like whipped cream because of the freezing of the water within it. If it doesn't thicken enough to act like a whipped cream or an icing, you can add more cocoa... the taste is just more chocolaty. If you wish, you can add sugar if dark chocolate isn't your thing. Beware that it might affect the texture. Want better directions? Look at this link, and they go into more detail.  Or, if you want to go the boring route.. make a normal ganache. It's tasty too. 

12_With whatever chocolate loveliness you are putting on your cake, make sure you wait until the cake is only a little warm, then frost on the top and sides. 

13_ For the impatient (like me) serve immediately. Or you can let i set up in the fridge for an hour or two.

Then serve. Enjoy! 

original recipe found here. 

_tuesday sounds like...mutemath_

MuteMath!

They are old to some, new to others, but all-around good. They have some electro-pop, rock, and even a little funk and blues fit in there. The guy has some pipes, the drummer is unbelievable (and ridiculously entertaining). I first found them.. maybe my freshman year of high school? (wow..that's a long time ago). And I saw them in concert just a month ago. I was nervous they were going to be one of those more mainstream bands who sound great recorded, but awful live. I was wrong! And it seems like they can handle both the small and large venues. AND, they incorporate unmatched excitement within the band and improvisation. Two key elements for a good live performance. Icing on the cake? Their lyrics are thoughtful, poignant, and honorable.

And old, classic goodie. (Their first music video.. amazing. They learned the whole song, lyrics, drums, guitars and all backwards...so that when they played the video backwards it would create this great cross-over: backwards actions with forwards music. Brilliant)

Then, a new one that involves a bit more rock and blues. Another great video, and also good performed live.

And another to get you dancing.. or at least tapping your toes violently.

Alright, just one more. One of the best parts of seeing them live is the drama of their entry. In Albany, they paraded through the crowd with drums in front of them or on their heads, marching band style, and then the drummer, the excellent Darren King, strap his headphones to his head with ductape and go crazy. This may not be the perfect video, but you might get the general picture.

So enjoy the links, or save them for later. Especially for those days when you need a little something to pump you up or make your foot tap.

                  - AO

_I decided to blog again!

Soo.. it's been a while! I've honestly had no motivation to blog. 1) I tell myself I don't have time, which is partially true. 2) I have had no inspiration with which to write, and 3) I've been doing more reading of blogs than writing ...

Solution! I just remembered how much I loved to write, regardless of if I'm actually good at it or not. I'm going to rejuvenate the blog a little.. and give it a bit of direction. I'm a super creative type... but I work the best under a little structure. I also have a lot of differing interests, all of them which add up to make me who I am. That said, I'll have a day for most of the things I love. It's like a Pinterest where I get to post less but elaborate more. (and yes, Pinterest is such an amazing..and addictive..tool for me).

MONDAY: Architecture/Art
TUESDAY: Music
WEDNESDAY: Food & Baking
THURSDAY: Thankfulness
FRIDAY: Fashion
SATURDAY: Life.

I can't promise I will post a ton, and there are definitely days when it isn't going to happen. But hang with me, and let me know what you like, new things to look at, and a little of the parts that make you, and I think this shall be a grand adventure :)

_to be happy_

It's been a really long time since I've blogged. And if anyone actually keeps up with this, I apologize. However, my life has been a bit busy lately. I'm sure it is not any busier than anyone else's, but it has not allowed time for writing, or rather, I have not made it any sort of priority. But things have calmed down slightly, now that my sister's grad party has ended, things are cleaned, the kitchen is done (and gorgeous!), and people are less stressed and back to normal. Now it's just summer, and frankly, it's been strange the last few days.

Strange in that I don't have a whole lot to do. I do have things on my various lists, but they are things that wouldn't even make it on my most extended lists while at school. Things like volunteering at the elementary school today, or sewing, or getting coffee with friends, or taking a nap, walking the dog, or even creating something tasty in the kitchen. Yet, though I love these things, I've realized I've had a hard time enjoying them. I don't have a job for this summer, and it is starting to worry me. I should not be worried, I know, but it would definitely be putting my mind at ease to put my hands to work, use the education I've been spending ridiculous amounts of money to have, and earn some money to pay for said education. I'm from the Midwest. We were made to work. Things do not feel right if there is nothing to do.

But today, even though I was feeling a little stressed about the lack of a job, I was surprised by the various little things that just made me purely happy. And then I thought back to the past week or two, and all of the various people and things and moments that gave me genuine joy. And to my surprise, there were so many. So to make my night a bit brighter (I've been a bit sick) and to share it with you, I'll share.

... Last week I got to have coffee with my best friend in the whole world, and we sat in Caribou and did work and job-searching and made fun of each other and giggled. It was a time when I could just be. I could always be exactly myself around Amy. Nothing more and nothing less than my whole self. That is a beautiful thing.

... Yesterday I was ''stranded'' at my house after my sister took the car to Wisconsin for the day. And it was 105° ... so I didn't exactly want to bike anywhere where it would be less-acceptable to show up sweaty and gross. So I stayed home for the morning, cleaned the kitchen, did the dishes, did laundry, and started a sewing project. And while that doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, it was incredibly relaxing. I had forgotten the wonderful sight of seeing a whole kitchen counter wiped clean and smooth with nothing cluttering it. And when my dad has the dark grey mirror behind, well, it looks like the counter goes on forever. ...which would typically make me want to cook, but it was 105°, so that obviously wasn't happening. I also forgot the wonderful smell of our laundry detergent. and how I actually enjoy folding laundry when there is no rush, and I can make nice neat stacks of delicious-smelling clothes.  And then I sewed. I had forgotten the wonderful challenge of figuring out a pattern, of pressing the fabric and the amusement of fusible interfacing. I had forgotten that silly feeling of pride I get when I can thread an old sewing machine myself. I had forgotten the wonderful sound of the presser foot slamming down, and the needle smoothly and rapidly making its way down the fabric, creating a perfect seam. And the best part, was while doing this I was watching North by Northwest, which is probably one of my favorite movies of all time. It's just brilliant. I mean,. there is no other movie with sophistication of plot, amazing actors, three locations with amazing sets, costumes that are just right, and the filmography is just.... perfect. No one captures emotion and anticipation within a simple camera angle than Alfred Hitchcock. I had forgotten how amazing the movie was, and how simply happy it made me to watch it. And it's not even a pick-me-up movie. It's just something I truly enjoy.

... Today I had the pleasure of visiting my first grade teacher again, Mrs. Burba, and helping her out. We were packing her classroom up because they are going to replace all of the floors this summer. I think she was happy for the help. And I was very glad to do it. Sometimes there is simple pleasure in just doing things. And I suppose it is that Midwest work ethic also. But it was great to be there with her kids, and to be around their simple humor and life-view for a while. Since we were packing everything, we had a few things we were going to get rid of, so Mrs. Burba decided to give them away, and draw names of kids to come and pick out books and supplies and random odds and ends. And the kids were ecstatic. They each received over 5 books, to which one girl replied enthusiastically, ''I'm rich with books!!!!'' Hilarious. And I've never seen kids quite so excited about pencils, or writing paper, or number counters. It was great to see. And then we found fake money they didn't need in the class anymore. WHOA. The kids were jumping up and down, yelling ''We're rich! We're rich!!'' Way too excited to receive paper, but hey, it was great. It was so great to see how they drink up life.

...Today I also had the pleasure of chilling with my sister for a little bit, and we watched Matilda.  Like North by Northwest, though a completely different movie, it is one of my favorites of all time. It's simple, and well-written, well-set, well-acted, and a beautiful interplay of drama and pick-me-up and excitement and humor. Not to mention Matilda's surprisingly strong resemblance to my younger sister when she was the same age. I love that movie. I will watch it again and again. I will cherish it with my kids one day (though we will also read the book).. and Matilda will also be one of my heroes. She's just awesome.

... This is getting long, which is definitely not a bad thing. It's amazing how easy it is to get distracted or down by life. Yet there are so many things for which to be thankful. Honestly, my life is ridiculously blessed. When I actually slow down to look at life and all of the simple things, it is then that I experience God's love the most. It is true he is not just in the wind and the storm, but in the quiet, in the giggles of first-graders, in the bittersweet taste of a good cup of coffee with friends, and in the simplicity of folding laundry.

_sunflower crowns_

Today started out fantastic. I woke up early, the sun shining through the windows, and my bed the softest comfiest place I could imagine. My shower felt wonderful. My breakfast was tasty. My morning dance music was good. I got to the library super extra early to study and get stuff done. I heard back from a possible job connection, and I got some stuff cleared up dealing with my school account. Even my morning test went well - 10 out of 10. Last class. doneskies.

And then, suddenly I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by my impending schedule, my work, my different relationships with friends, and any little obstacles that came my way. A feeling clung in my chest and wouldn't leave, an anxiousness where I could not physically catch my breath, and my heart seemed to slowly pound it's way painfully out of my chest. I don't really cry much at all, but suddenly I was on the verge of tears at absolutely any provocation. What's worse, was that my friends around me were having good days, and I felt completely out of place messing their days up by my sad-panda demeanor.

Logically, I did the super responsible thing, and skipped out on my homework for a while, abandoned my phone, ate ice cream, said stupid things to friends, and played hooky just sitting on the hill by school, looking out over the city. Normally this would have been a location of peace and quiet and serenity for me, but my heart would not shut up. It just ached. Not for a broken heart, but out of pure anxiety. And then I was mostly anxious that I was anxious. I'm pretty sure I fell asleep. I didn't feel better once I woke up, mostly I felt a little itchy from the grass and like one too many six-legged friends had crawled across my arms. But gazing across the grassy hillside, dotted with yellow splotches of dandelions, I remembered something important. I remembered that there was someone out there who cared, who listened and who didn't make me feel dumb or try to fix it or anything. Who just loved. Loved simply and loved totally. And anxiety and worrying could never break that bond or change that relationship, not on his side anyway.

''Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens. They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why worry about the rest? 


Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your mind on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and the Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 


Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been please to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.''

I know this verse is often quoted, and well-known. I myself memorized it quite a few years ago, and I need to brush up on it, but most of it is still there. It was the one passage that could get me through anything. Not because it had some magical strength of it's own, but in it's entirety, it was able to lift me up and humble me all at the same time. It was able to set my mind straight, with no ifs or buts.. I couldn't weasel my way out back into the same state of anxiety with out the surety that he had me covered. He proved it over and over again. I was absolutely foolish not to trust him.

So there I was, sitting among hundreds of dandelions. I was just thinking to myself how beautiful they were, even though they were lowly weeds. There life was simple. It was provided for. They had nothing to worry about. ..and then I thought, and wanted to laugh to myself. ...how much more am I beautiful in God's eyes. The dandelions - the weeds! - he fabricates with utmost delicacy and care, and provides all their needs, though their life is short. And yet I am His, given not just the life of a flower but the life of his child. How much more will he provide. How much more will he take pleasure in me.

I highly recommend braiding
dandelion crowns they're awesome. 

I thought about the reason for my anxiety. It wasn't purely a matter of clothing or food. It was a matter of lost trust in Him, because I had been hurt by all those foolish things I had set my heart on. My treasure had not been in Him. If it were, I would have felt joy, for that is what He brings. My treasure was in my schoolwork. My schedule. My relationships. My job search. My grades. My money. My ...fill-in-the-blank-with-element-of-temporary-life. Keyword: Me. You see, the problem with trying to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, is that usually you've tied them together without realizing it, only causing yourself to trip later. My treasure was being eaten by moths, robbed and plundered by strangers and friends alike, and I was becoming exhausted. When I realized this, when I remembered that my heart is where my treasure is, my life became so much simpler. It did not become easy, but it became very simple.


God, thank you that you reveal things to me, in my foolishness and my stubbornness and my pride, and reveal them in simple things, like weeds.  You are truly incredible.

_what is a hipster?_

I don't think I've ever felt a need to write on this topic. It makes me giggle just thinking about it. But recently I have had so many people ask me about 'hipsters', I felt the need to write. Just in case one of my friends wandered onto my blog and I had not yet comprehensibly explained what exactly a hipster was. Why so much confusion? Well, I'm going to school in the Northeast. At an engineering school, no less. So here goes, an in-depth and visual look at hipster culture. To educate others (and myself) about hipsterdom.

This Urban Dictionary definition seemed a good start:
"Hipsters are a subculture of men and women typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter. The greatest concentrations of hipsters can be found living in the Williamsburg, Wicker Park, and Mission District neighborhoods of major cosmopolitan centers such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco respectively. Although "hipsterism" is really a state of mind,it is also often intertwined with distinct fashion sensibilities. Hipsters reject the culturally-ignorant attitudes of mainstream consumers, and are often be seen wearing vintage and thrift store inspired fashions, tight-fitting jeans, old-school sneakers, and sometimes thick rimmed glasses.......Although hipsters are technically conformists within their own subculture, in comparison to the much larger mainstream mass, they are pioneers and leaders of the latest cultural trends and ideals. For example, the surge of jeans made to look old and worn (i.e. "distressed"), that have become prevalent at stores such as The Gap, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Hollister, were originally paraded by hipsters who shopped in thrift stores years before such clothing items were mass produced and sold to the mainstream consumer. The true irony here is that many of the detractors of hipster culture are in fact unknowingly following a path that hipsters have carved out years before them. This phenomena also applies to music as well, as many bands have become successful and known to mainstream audiences only because hipsters first found and listened to them as early-adopters of new culture. Once certain concepts of fashion and music have reached mainstream audiences, hipsters move on to something new and improved." 

OK, so from this we see that hipsters are distinctive especially in all areas of creativity, it is what they value highly. This results in an influence in all creative fields: art, music, fashion, theater, film, food, and more. There is also a very local/global feel to hipsters. Generally, if you don't know what a hipster is, you probably don't live near a high enough concentration. Hipsters are localists. They exist in neighborhoods, and are usually incredibly tied to their neighborhood - they buy local, travel locally, and get involved in the local community. But yet they are usually very global in attitude; they pay attention to global events, global music, global fashion and other creative fields, eat globally-inspired food, and tend to travel more. They are incredibly local in presence, but global in attitude and interest.

So how do you spot a hipster? Well, that can be a very easy or tricky question. Hipsters are usually cycling through fashion trends, music trends, and other creative trends at a much higher rate than mainstream culture. (generally speaking) Currently, I would say there is a lot of those thick-rimmed glasses, flannel, skinny jeans, side-swiped hair, analog everything from music to cameras to movies, fixies, bikes in general, anything ironic, and generally a scattering of anything and everything. Typeface is important. So are bow ties. I think one of the keys to hipsterdom is that you can get away with just about anything. You don't follow trends, you make them, or you break them. There are no real rules. Breaking the rules is the norm.. following the rules is ironic.. which is again breaking the rules. You do what you want to do. You actually put thought into things and get creative. I think that's why I subscribe to hipster culture. The creativity is electric.


A visual look at a few hipster cultural icons:

generally perfect description of hipsterdom

the classic fixie/rolled jeans/stylish hat combo

..and if fixies have become too mainstream for you, you really go old-school.

Ray-Bans are always classic. at least with hipsters. Corbusier glasses are getting there....

..the eco/humanitarian-conscious shoe......   I even found a 'Hipster Shoes' section on Zazzle... http://www.zazzle.com/hipster+shoes

button-down/bow tie/suspenders/facial hair/styling hat AND ironic tattoo combo.

side-swept hair/plaid/vest/bow tie/thick-rimmed RayBans AND ironic fake mustache combo...and don't forget the emo/judging gaze...

cardigan/skinny rolled jeans/ hat and sunnies combo

possible cardigan and keds inspiration? ...i think so.

 ...And finally a brilliant commercial poking fun AND celebrating hipsterdom at the same time. oh the irony....

...what have you noticed about hipster culture?