Current makeup collection

Since the Great Makeup Purge, I've given a lot of thought to streamlining my makeup routine. I want to reduce the number of steps and the time it takes to apply. I also want to buy new makeup, but I only want to purchase stuff I'm going to use.

So going back online, I discovered the newest makeup rage - BB Creams! Apparently in Asia, they're already using something that combines moisturizer, SPF, primer and foundation. Beauty balm, or BB creams are now being sold in the U.S. and I really wanted to try it out. I ended up getting a really expensive tube of Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm with SPF 45. This tube does have titanium and zinc oxide so at least some of the SPF is an actual physical sunblock rather than the less effective chemical block.

So since getting this tube, I've used it a few times and here's what I think so far. When it first goes on, it feels clammy on the skin, but that goes away. It really does smooth out the skin tone, but it's not a concealer if you've got really dark under-eye circles. The pigment does not settle into lines or creases. It does not look caked on or shiny. A little goes a long way. It really does last all day, and I really like it! I am throwing out my face primer and foundations. Still keeping my dusting powder though as I'm not sure how shiny I'll look in the summer. I'm also keeping my Urban Decay Primer Potion for my eyes, since the BB cream doesn't keep my eye makeup from straying. I am throwing out my blush since I have red cheeks and this cream doesn't cover that up, but keeping my Neutrogena bronzer for contouring.

Now that my face is moisturized, primed and even, I can add colors. I threw out pretty much all of my eye makeup and lipstick, so at first, I thought I should get a combo palette. That way I only need to go to one item for colors. However, none of the combo palettes really included everything I wanted or needed. A lot of combo palettes included what I wanted and needed plus a lot of stuff I didn't want or need. I never did find the perfect combo palette for eyes and lips. So I decided to get separate palettes.

For my eyes, I considered getting something small with only 4 coordinating colors, but I like having more choices. I also wanted neutral colors, suitable for any occasion. However, the colors can't be so neutral that I can't add drama if I wanted to. I decided on getting Urban Decay's Naked2 palette. It comes with 12 colors, a 2 ended brush and a small tube of lip gloss. I tossed the lip gloss, but I love everything else in it! The colors are beautifully saturated and go on smooth. I love the shimmer colors and the fact that a really black pigment was included in this. Although 12 colors is a lot to choose from, the palette is very neutral. I may supplement later with a couple of colors in my favorite shades of purple and wine. 

Aside from eye shadow, I also got a waterproof liquid liner. I really suck at applying liquid liner, but I seem to be having good luck with the ones that come in pencil form with a stiff, pointy brush. The one I have is Stila All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner. I also have a regular pencil liner because I am more confident in my skills with that, but unfortunately the pencil always smudges for me so I may toss this eventually. As for mascara, I have to say I haven't found one that I really like. I have short, sparse lashes that resists curling. I also have sensitive eyes and they water a lot. Right now, I'm using Blinc mascara because I got a sample of it and it doesn't irritate, flake or rub off. However, it doesn't do anything impressive for my lashes and doesn't hold curl. Previously, I tried using Fiberwig, which does a great job lengthening, but nothing else. I've tried random other ones from the drugstore as well but so far, nothing really sticks out.

Next, I thought about lip color. The problem with lipstick is that it's usually gone after my first cup of coffee. The problem with long-lasting lipstick is that it dries your lips out like crazy! Most long-lasting lipsticks come with a gloss to keep your lips moisturized. However, the whole point of getting long-lasting stuff is so I don't have to do touch-ups. Still, my experience with long-lasting lipstick has been good as long as my lips are hydrated to begin with. So I have one shade of the long-lasting stuff, the Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor. This thing does dry my lips and it feels a bit sticky, but it really does last and last. In my makeup trials, I have also tried Max Factor Lipfinity, which has beautifully saturated colors, goes on matte, but it dries out my lips more than anything I've ever used! As for regular lipstick, I have my all-time favorite Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. I discovered Black Honey in high school and I just never fell out of love with it.

So in total, here's what I have:

BB Cream
Matte bronzer (for days when I actually think I might learn to contour my cheeks or something)
Translucent Finishing powder
Eye primer
1 Eye palette
1 black waterproof liquid eyeliner
1 black eyeliner pencil
1 waterproof mascara
1 long-lasting lipstick
1 regular lipstick

A note on makeup remover:
I wear waterproof makeup on my eyes because I tear a lot and my eye makeup tends to smudge, fade and flake off. The easiest way to remove makeup, including waterproof makeup and falsies, is to rub extra virgin olive oil onto the skin and lashes, wait a few minutes, and then gently wash off with soap and water. You can use a cotton ball to apply the oil or you can use a reusable makeup sponge. I used olive oil as my makeup remover after all my makeup trials for my wedding, as well as after my wedding. It works like a charm and it doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped the way some makeup removers do.

Final note for this post:
For a while, I wanted to make my own makeup from ingredients I can pronounce. I did have some success with tinted lip balm, some eye shadows and a loose powder foundation. However, it takes a lot of experimentation to get a likeable formula. Plus when I ran out of something homemade, I had to take the time to make it again. At this point in my life, I am too lazy, unmotivated and busy to take the greenie route when it comes to makeup. I still make my own lotions and my skincare routine is pretty simple and free of weird chemicals. Given that, I think rubbing a little toxic artifice onto my face isn't the most terrible thing in the world as long as I limit my purchases and always wash the stuff off at the end of the day. :-)

Makeup purge

For many years, I had a Kaboodle box that housed all my makeup, or at least it tried to house all my makeup. Like a lot of other women, I like to wear makeup sometimes. Personally, I am more of a shopper of makeup than a wearer of makeup. I love going to Sephora and drug stores to look through the makeup aisles and imagine the product's potential on my face. I can't tell you how much money I've spent on makeup I've never used up, but I can tell you it's a lot!

So one of the things I've done recently is to clean out my makeup collection. First, anything that was really old and expired got thrown out. I never wear nail polish anymore so I threw that stuff out next. Then came the hard part. I had some lip colors that I love, but rarely wear. Same with eye shadows. It's almost as if I enjoy the idea of wearing these colors more than I like actually wearing them. Sort of like being in love with the idea of being in love more than actually wanting to be in love. Anyways, it took some time to sort through the colors to figure out which ones I would actually wear and which ones I would not wear but like to think that I would eventually wear one day. These are usually very saturated colors like metallic green and iridescent blues.

The truth is, I don't know how to apply makeup well. Since I normally don't wear makeup, I don't get a lot of practice. So in trying to figure out which colors to keep, I ended up considering which ones I actually had the skills to apply without making myself look like a clown. So most of my eye and lip makeup ended up in the trash. Once I got into the groove of throwing stuff out, I was tempted to just tip the whole box of makeup into the trash and swear off makeup forever, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

Anyways, then I had to look through my foundations and brushes. Yes, I bought brushes because I imagined I would one day practice enough to learn how to use them. What I realized is that my sucky skills aren't helped with brushes. However, I like brushes because I can clean them and reuse them, unlike a lot of sponge applicators. Anyways, I had a couple of bottles of foundation, plus primer, finishing powder, eye primer, plus mineral powder foundation. I almost never use this stuff. I keep it around for fancy events or when I actually feel like I have time to put on makeup.

So just to note, I have all this stuff because in the past, makeup always either ran, smudged or faded really fast. Reading makeup tips online (thank you internet!) I found that if you put on primer first, then foundation, then dusted with some kind of "finishing" powder, the makeup will last longer. Apparently, there is also a separate primer for the eyes. So yeah, on days where I had to put on makeup, I'd spend almost 30 minutes just putting crap onto my face. A full blown routine would look something like this:

1. Moisturize
2. Primer
3. Foundation
4. Eye Primer
5. Eye shadow (this could take several minutes depending on the look you want)
6. Eye liner
7. Dust face with powder 
8. Mascara
9. Blush
10. Lipstick

Then of course, you gotta do your hair, which I usually just tie back and call it done. Lol!

So going through my makeup collection also made me really want to streamline my makeup routine. I would wear makeup more often and waste less of it if it were less of a hassle to put on. So after throwing out so much stuff that I barely had any makeup left, I thought about how to acquire makeup more wisely going forward. That's in the next post!

The Backfire Effect

Very interesting piece on why some people, when confronted with facts disproving their beliefs, they only get more entrenched in their beliefs rather than alter their perception.

http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/06/10/the-backfire-effect/

Sunscreen that can set you on fire

Scary, scary stuff:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57536368/banana-boat-sunscreen-recalled-over-fire-risk/

One of my all-time favorite happy videos!

I love watching this fox with his precious marshmallows!

http://jezebel.com/5954306/adorable-fox-loves-marshmallows-we-love-adorable-fox

Election Day!

Hubby and I went out and voted today. I feel good having exercised my right as an American citizen. We decided to go early in the morning to beat the lines. Since displaced people are able to vote at any polling station, we figured our polling station might get pretty crowded. I honestly do not know how Floridians can afford to wait several hours to vote. I certainly would not have had the patience nor time for that, but that is probably what the Governor Scott is betting on. Every citizen should be given the opportunity to vote.

It does trouble me a little that there were positions on the ballot that I had no clue about. Some small local offices and court positions were apparently on the ballot and many of the candidates were running unopposed, probably because nobody knew to run against them. I've never paid a lot of attention to these small offices, but maybe I should. Honestly, the only offices I tend to pay a lot of attention to are the President and the Senate. Not even the State Senate or House. Maybe for the next election, I'll do more research and stay more informed.

On a different note, I wonder what people tend to put down when they decide to put down a Write-In candidate...?

The 5 second pick-me-up

Love pandas!
http://jezebel.com/5957834/watch-this-baby-panda-kiss-its-mom-then-go-call-your-mother

Lunch lady makes food "too good" for school

How is it that we have people in places of power with mentalities where when they see something outstanding being done, they think, "we need to push that down to our current nasty levels," instead of thinking, "we need to elevate our current nasty levels and learn from this outstanding phenomenon!"

http://www.thelocal.se/43656/

Possible new TSA scanners

Considering the lack of professionalism, integrity and empathy that seems to pervade the TSA across the country, I am hesitant to give them access to more power to invade my personal being and privacy. Unfortunately, no one in the government is standing up for the common folk against the TSA when the TSA violates a person's body, private property, emotional integrity and freedom to travel.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2213892/Picosecond-Programmable-Laser-scanner-Next-generation-technology-read-molecule-body.html

Florida to set student goals by race

These educators have completely missed the consensus nowadays that socio-economic factors have a greater role on educational performance than ethnicity. There is quite a lot of data to support the consensus. So why Florida wants to do this is beyond me and misguided in more ways than one.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional-education/florida-to-measure-student-goals-by-race/nSbNt/

Where is the outrage from the public?

Seriously, with all the reports happening in such frequency and volume, there should more of an outcry from the public as well as government.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/334182
http://www.newser.com/article/da1qe6tg1/leukemia-patient-says-she-was-embarrassed-by-security-pat-down-tsa-says-procedures-followed.html
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/10/09/TSA-screeners-slacking-off-report-finds/UPI-32761349813389/?spt=hs&or=tn
http://presstv.com/usdetail/264925.html

Begging dolphin passed away

So sad:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49155446/ns/technology_and_science-science/

Adorable puppy!

Need a pick-me-up?
http://jezebel.com/5945634/this-puppy-will-admonish-you-for-not-petting-him

Making vinegar

Hubby and I are regular wine drinkers. Unfortunately, we often can't finish a full bottle of wine before it becomes unpleasant to drink. So in the past, we've also wasted quite a bit of wine. So sad, I know. The good news is, I've found a way to use up leftover wine. Turn it into vinegar!

I use a lot of vinegar. I use it for everything from laundry to surface cleaning. So this is a great project for me. I am sure I can find lots of uses for the homemade vinegar, aside from just using it in food.

Basically, I took a crock and poured one cup of water with one cup of white wine and several tablespoons of Braggs vinegar. It's important to use vinegar that has not been pasteurized so that the bacteria that makes vinegar is still alive. Cover the container with cloth and I secured it with a rubber band. This keeps the bugs out and still allows the vinegar to breathe. Every two weeks or so, I would pour in another half a cup or full cup of white wine. It took about a month, but I now have a pretty good chunk of vinegar mother sitting on top of my homemade vinegar.

For more on the process, you can check out this link:
http://texascook.blogspot.com/2008/04/gourmet-vinegars-are-too-easy.html

Why extreme couponing means the rest of us pay more

No such thing as a free lunch. Somebody is paying for it one way or another.
http://redtape.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/07/13710824-the-truth-comes-out-ceo-says-stupid-consumers-deserve-hefty-fees?lite&google_editors_picks=true

Schools putting children into isolation rooms

How is this not a form of abuse? How can anybody in the right minds think this is an acceptable way to treat kids?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/opinion/sunday/a-terrifying-way-to-discipline-children.html?src=me&ref=general

Further erosion of privacy

I think in the future, the concept of "privacy" is going to become alien to a lot of people. With all these systems and things set up to know everything there is to know about anybody, where are the checks and balances? Where are the rules to prevent abuse?
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/135665-fbi-launches-1-billion-nationwide-facial-recognition-system

Video saves dude

Thank goodness that video was taken!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/nyregion/video-of-police-altercation-may-take-key-role-in-civil-rights-suit.html?src=rechp

Add more storage in the bathroom

If you have a tiny bathroom with not enough storage space, check out this idea:
http://lifehacker.com/5944583/add-a-second-shower-rod-for-extra-bathroom-storage

Seriously?

Police shoots dead a one-armed and one-legged man in a wheelchair waving a pen. Seriously, how threatening can that guy have been?
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HOUSTON_POLICE_AMPUTEE_SHOT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-09-22-18-25-34

Versatile shoes

I am all into versatile clothing and convertible clothing, but did you know that there is such a thing as convertible shoes too? Check these out:

http://www.mohop.com/mohop_RTW/
http://shop.camileonheels.com/Default.asp
http://www.onesole.com/

Okay, the last one isn't really convertible, but it's still a great concept.

The shoes that go from high heels to low heels, I am a bit hesitant to try because they're so expensive. I wouldn't mind that as much if I knew they would last for decades. I'm not sure I'll ever buy a pair of these since I already have a pair of pumps that I rarely ever wear.

As for the Mohop shoes, I actually did get myself a pair and it arrived on Saturday afternoon. I spent the rest of the weekend playing with them and trying out different ways to lace and tie them. So far, I love them! They are very comfortable and you can get a multitude of looks depending on what ribbons you use and how you lace them. They are a bit loud, but I haven't found that to be off-putting and it's expected with wooden shoes like those. I hope to be posting pictures of these shoes soon!

Sandwich cake!

Holy cow! What a fun and decadent party idea!
http://www.thekitchn.com/smrgstrta-roundup-15-crazy-sandwich-cakes-164638

Spinning yarn

I don't know why, but lately I really wanted to try spinning yarn. So I bought a turkish spindle and some purple roving and began trying to learn how to spin. It's been two days and I have to say, it's harder than it looks!

My first batch, I gave to the cat after it became a tangled mess when I tried to ply it. I'm working on a second batch now. My yarn is coming out fairly uneven with thick spots and thin spots. I tried spinning with small chunks of roving so I don't get tangled, and then I tried pre-drafting and spinning longer strips of roving. Now I'm reading I can just rip a long strip of roving and not have to pre-draft. Think I'll try that tonight.

Tonight will only be my third night learning how to spin. I can't say I'm getting any better at it, but I'm hoping that I'll get better with experience. I know now that I have absolutely no natural talent for spinning yarn!

Airline loses kid

Pretty infuriating experience. Unfortunately, all airlines seem to be in a competition to see who can treat their customers worse and who can give less of a sh*t.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/08/14/united-lost-child.html

DIY Maternity Sundress

Very cute!

http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2012/08/maternity-diy-make-sun-dress.html

Something to brighten your day!

http://jezebel.com/5935128/warning-kitten-and-puppy-cuddling-may-cause-your-brain-to-explode-from-too-much-cuteness?comment=51899089

DIY Maternity Wrap Dress

Very cute and easy to make!
http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2012/08/maternity-diy-make-a-wrap-dress-1.html

DIY bowl cover

Have you got some bowls that didn't come with a cover? Here's a way to make your own fabric covers!
http://thecottagehome.blogspot.com/2011/05/color-my-summer-purple-potluck-bowl.html

My little gardening experiment

I have never had a space of my own to grow a garden before. Now, I've got a bunch of stuff in the back yard. I mentioned in a previous post that I have two, fairly sad and cramped tomato plants growing. They're still alive and we've harvested and eaten 3 very delicious tomatoes so far!

Anyways, I have other plants growing too. We have a rose bush left to us by the previous owner. They also left us a Manhattan bush and a holly bush that we decided to get rid of. I tried sticking some scallions and celery into the dirt and though they're surviving, they aren't doing very well and I think I'm just going to uproot them and use the space for something else next year. We also have a horseradish plant that we grew from a piece of the root. It's in a container because I didn't want it invading other areas of my garden. In addition to these "free" plants, I also bought a jasmine plant, which produces the most heavenly blossoms, a kalanchoe plant, basil, mint, mini bamboo and an aloe. Hubby is less ambitious, taking care of a Hindu rope plant, a jade plant and a really dangerously spiny cactus.

This summer, the rose bush had exploded into a huge bundle of thorns, leaves and flowers. After it finished flowering, I pruned it mercilessly to less than half its size earlier this summer. It has since reclaimed some of its former height and width. I think I'm going to have to prune it again before winter. When I pruned, I took some cuttings and stuck them into a pot of soil. They seemed to have sprouted new leaves and grown into their own set of plants. I am thinking of planting them in the front yard.

The horseradish plant seems to be surviving, but needs a bigger pot. I didn't realize how big a pot it needed, but after reading a bit online, I realized that it is in too small of a pot. They say that you should harvest some horseradish in the fall after the first frost if you've planted it in the spring, but I think I'm just going to leave it and harvest it next spring rather than this fall. I have definitely not taken much care of this plant and I'm glad to say that it is still alive!

The jasmine plant is one of my favorites. It only had a few blossoms when I first got it and when the flowers died off, I thought it was done for the season, but it bloomed again with a few more blossoms. I would go out at night and pick a blossom to bring inside. It smelled so nice and I would stuff the blossom into a tiny spray bottle of vodka. I must have about 5 blossoms in there now, but the scent is still not very strong. Right now, the jasmine plant is getting ready for another set of blooms and I can't wait to pick those too! I think I'll just continue to stuff my spray bottle and by this time next year, I should have a nice bottle of jasmine perfume!

This past weekend hubby and I bought a kalanchoe plant and a Hindu rope plant. The kalanchoe is quite tiny and is considered a succulent with very shallow roots. The garden center dude said we don't need to repot it and to only water it when the leaves start feeling thin and papery. The Hindu rope plant caught hubby's eye because it looks very unique. I've never seen anything quite like it and hope that it will do well in our home.

As for the mint, I started off with a small pot and have repotted it a few times already. I finally got sick of repotting and started aggressively pruning. I take the leaves and stems that I've cut off and muddle it in a cup with some rum, sugar and ice-cold water. Right now, it's small enough that I don't think I need to tend to it for a couple of weeks. I am actually surprised at how fast mint grows and spreads!

The basil is a fairly new addition and is very small right now. I do need to repot it. I am hoping it will eventually grow big enough that I can make a good amount of pesto with it. Lately, I've been buying bunches of basil from the green markets and I made pesto this past weekend. So delicious! Our poor basil plant isn't looking very good right now though. I don't think it's getting enough sun sitting inside the house. I will need to rethink its location.

It's hard not to get really excited and ambitious here. I have to talk myself out of buying every green potted thing I see! I have a black thumb and very few things have survived under my care. So I have to say that this summer's gardening experience has been very exciting so far. I've learned a few lessons and plan to keep growing things!

A Spray Bottle that works in any position

A little DIY project to remedy something that often annoys me:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-spray-bottle-that-works-in-any-direc/

Love this kitchen organizer!

I love this organizer because it can store so many things in such a small space! It has a place for pots and their lids, utensils, storage containers and appliances. How awesome!

http://www.thekitchn.com/a-smart-effective-wire-shelving-unit-for-kitchen-storage-175372#

Tomato plants

Our two poorly grown tomato plants are finally giving us tomatoes! This is my first attempt at growing tomatoes and I planted two heirloom kinds: Cherokee and Brandywine. The Cherokee isn't look so good, but the Brandywine looks like it's having a ball!

Anyways, we've harvested 3 awesome, super delicious Brandywine tomatoes already and each one was super juicy and flavorful. The Cherokee plant actually started growing a tomato first, but then it got sickly and that tomato is still trying to ripen.

To hubby and me, this was a learning year. Our poor plants were planted too closely together and weren't staked properly so they ended up slowly trying to strangle each other and falling down, with their stalks ripping apart from the weight of the growing branches and tomatoes. It was quite distressing to see that, but I didn't know any better when I planted them. Next year, I'll plant them in better locations and also use a tomato cage. For now, I'll just eat the tomatoes as they come and hope for better luck next year!

Whole Egg Blender Mayonnaise

I love mayonnaise. I really do! However, most of the time, I'm too lazy to make my own. So often, I end up buying mayonnaise. The weird thing about store-bought mayo is that is lasts forever! So deep down inside, there is a little voice that keeps telling me I should make my own.

I resisted making my own mayo until I found this recipe here:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/whole-egg-mayonnaise/

The great thing about the above recipe is that it uses whole eggs, so no more wondering what to do with the leftover egg white. The other great thing is that you can make it with a blender. No more whipping until your arms fall off! My first time making this, I used spicy dijon mustard in place of the mustard powder and lemon juice in place of the white wine vinegar. The result was delicious! I was so happy with it, I thought I'd never want to buy another jar of Hellmann's again! The second time, I again used spicy Dijon mustard, but used rice wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. The mayo was still good, but I prefer the flavor of the lemon juice. I think I'll stick with lemon juice going forward.

The easiest way to make this recipe is to put all your ingredients, with the egg on the bottom, into a wide mouthed jar (I have a big mason jar) and put your stick blender all the way down. Start blending and then slowly pull the stick up and when it's out, the mayo is all done. Easy peasy!

So if you're feeling adventurously decadent, I highly recommend making your own mayo. If you do it just right, it tastes worlds better than the store-bought stuff. Keep in mind that the homemade stuff probably can only last about 2 weeks or so. Although I have read someone had homemade mayo for a month and ate it with no problems. I wouldn't risk it though.

Cool!
http://boingboing.net/tag/protest

Watery ricefor the upset tummy

I'm always told that if you have an upset tummy to stick to the BRAT diet. That is banana, rice, applesauce and toast. However, when I had an upset tummy growing up, my mom would make me the Chinese version of porridge. Basically, watery rice. Plain watery rice is best, but if the tummy can take it, you can a few things to make it taste more palatable.

First of all, you can cook it with some salt, but I prefer to use soy sauce. From there, you can add grated ginger and maybe just a drop of sesame oil. Ginger is great for tummies and is very effective against nausea. Hubby hates it when I make him ginger tea for his upset tummy. It's very hard to get him to drink much of it at all. I have to coax and cajole him into take mere sips and honestly, it's not that bad! I add sugar to make more palatable and even still, he fights me all the way!

Anyways, if you just love watery rice, you can go crazy and cook it with various kinds of ground meat and veggies. My favorite combination right now is preserved eggs, salted eggs, scallion, ginger and sesame oil. Just chop everything up and dump it into the container with the rice and water and then cook in a rice cooker. I don't know how to cook rice on a stove, actually. I only know how to use a rice cooker. Hubby doesn't know how to use a rice cooker but knows how to cook rice on a stove.

Allow me to go off on a tangent here and sing some praises to my rice cooker. I LOVE my rice cooker! It cooks via steam, so I never need a stovetop steamer unless it's for big stuff. My rice cooker is very small. Anyways, it can also make delicious steam cakes (think Malay cakes), hard boiled eggs, soups and keeps things warm. Wanna make a large batch of tea eggs? Cook eggs in a rice cooker first and then crack the shells and cook again in your tea egg solution. Voila! Easy peasy tea eggs! Store the batch in the fridge in the tea egg solution and snack on it over the course of a week or so.

Anyways, going back to watery rice. This stuff can be as simple and plain as you like, or packed full of meats and veggies and flavors. It is fairly common to just add soy sauce and sesame oil and stir in some mashed fermented tofu (hubby is not a fan of this, but he doesn't know that I sometimes put it in his ramen). Growing up, my mom always made it plain, but served it with Chinese pickled cucumbers and pork sung (I think this is dried shredded pork). There was no added soy sauce or oils and this was just fine for us. Unfortunately, I avoid the pickled cucumbers now because a lot of brands have preservatives and MSG, and the pork sung is, well meat, and is really unhealthy.

That gets me thinking, maybe I should make my own pickled cucumbers...

Homemade blender mayonnaise

I love mayonnaise. Yes, it's bad for you and it's fattening but it is one of my favorite condiments. I totally love mayonnaise!

Anyways, in the past, when I've made my own mayonnaise, I've done it by hand. I would whisk and whisk vigorously and my arm feels like it's going to fall off. Generally, I've used Alton Brown's recipe here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mayonnaise-recipe/index.html
This recipe creates a nice thick, creamy mayonnaise, but the vinegar part, I'm not a big fan of. Also, this recipe uses a yolk, which leave you with an egg white just sitting around wondering what you're going to do with it. Plus, it's so tiring to make that I've only made it a handful of times, preferring to just buy a jar.

So then I came upon this recipe here:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/whole-egg-mayonnaise/
Not only does this recipe uses whole eggs, but it can be made with my immersion blender! I tried it out this past weekend with some alterations. First I substituted the vinegar with lemon juice. Instead of dry mustard powder, I used spicy Dijon. I also salted to taste. Everything was room temperature and I put everything except the oil into a wide mouthed jar and used my immersion blender to start the emulsion. Then I slowly poured in the oil and voila! Yummy mayonnaise! Now I don't say this lightly, but I think it tastes better than Hellmann's, which is my favorite brand!

YUM!

Use tennis balls to hang onto stuff

This is so cute, I had to share!
http://imgur.com/oO5mh#
http://lifehacker.com/5915611/use-tennis-balls-to-hold-just-about-anything-around-the-house-and-be-extremely-cute

Women just can't get a fair deal

So we have lots of articles about the "war on women" and articles about how women are underpaid. One of the theories I keep hearing is that women don't get promoted and don't get raises because women don't ask or push for it whereas men do. Some more recent research indicates that this may not be the whole truth of why there is such a big pay gap:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/for-women-in-business-the-squeaky-wheel-doesnt-get-the-grease/2012/01/09/gIQAGRuqlP_story.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/business/increasingly-men-seek-success-in-jobs-dominated-by-women.html?pagewanted=all

The part that gets me is how women DO ask for raises, and when they are successful in getting one, the amount is smaller than when a man gets one. Sucks, doesn't it?

Lunapads

Warning, this post may gross you out!

When it comes to my monthly visitor, I generally hate it. Not only do I have cramps, back-ache, tummy issues and bloating, I get diaper rash from the stupid pads! Yes, I do wear tampons at night so I can toss and turn without leaking, but during the day, I use pads. It's a personal preference thing plus paranoia about toxic shock syndrome.

Anyways, one day, I was reading an old post written by No Impact Man about how his wife switched to reusable cloth pads called Lunapads. My first reaction was, 'Ew! That is like reusable cloth diapers, but for grown women!' However, my curiosity was piqued enough that I bought a sample pack from Lunapads.com.

When they arrived in the house, I was very happy with how cute these things are with their happy fabric prints and bright colors. However, I also kept imagining how awful it's going to be when they're soaked in discarded blood and having to wash them. As it turns out, it wasn't as bad as I imagined it.

Okay, so here is my experience with my sampler pack. First of all, these are really, really comfortable compared to the disposable stuff. They're soft and absorbent and they actually stay in place! The best part - no diaper rash! It does look a bit gross when they're soaked so there's no getting around that. At the end of the day, when I'm taking them off, I prewash them with some detergent and then toss them into the hamper or dry them on a clothesline until laundry day. After washing with the regular laundry, they come out clean and ready to be used again. They do shrink a bit in the dryer, but not too much.

Overall, I very much enjoyed using these and have ordered more pads to cover a week. They're not cheap, but at least they don't generate more plastic garbage, they're more comfortable than the disposable stuff, and if you can actually use them for years and years, they'll probably save you money in the long run. Buying pads every few months can get expensive.

Now, if only I can get something to make all my PMS go away...

As a woman in IT...

Today, I read an article in the NY Times about gender discrimination in IT. I can tell you it is very much alive and well. The article itself was infuriating, but I won't go there as it has been well covered by Huffington Post and Jezebel.

I work in IT and was once told by a man I dated that I was a geek's dream come true. Not only was I (according to him) attractive, I played Starcraft and Warcraft II obsessively in college, LOVED RPGs, was very familiar with sites like Gamespot and IGN (before IGN became specifically for men) and loved watching anime. Terminology like "newbie" and "leveling up" was a part of my daily language and these things only struck me as weird when someone told me I was weird.

The truth is, I never considered myself an IT person. I graduated college knowing only how to use Word to write my papers and play Solitaire and Minesweeper. This, despite the fact that my father was in IT and did programming and database work. I also have a brother who majored in computer science and is now also in IT. My father once tried to teach me MS Dos and I remember stubbornly refusing to learn it and walked away. So really, I never thought of myself as having any kind of affinity with computers.

However, my first real job out of college was in IT. I went from trainer and tech support to tech writer. I learned DHTML, javascript, Perl and dabbled in SQL and CGI programming. I then took a break to do non-profit stuff and then went back into IT. When I was hired at my current company, I was told by another woman in my group that I was now the fourth woman to be hired into the department. One woman was an assistant and one left a few months later. This is the norm. The IT world really is overwhelmingly male.

I am constantly wondering how I sound to my coworkers when I talk to them, especially when I'm frustrated. Half the time I go home thinking I sounded like a b*tch or a whiny little girl, which is not how I want to sound. I hear men cursing and venting all the time and I'm sure they never second-guess themselves and wonder if how they acted or behaved was inappropriate or sounded b*tchy. The term b*tchy only applies to women. Any time a woman is not completely calm, collected and super-professional, she risks coming off as b*tchy.

Add to the mix that I'm IT, filled with proud self-professed nerds and geeks, and you have a slightly different dynamic. Anyone who knows me knows that when something matters to me, I don't stay quiet. I'll make my opinions known and I can argue for them if I have to. Some guys find this personality trait aggressive. I remember having meetings with IT guys on projects and finding that I come off as intimidating to a few of them. So intimidating that they spoke to my boss (who is a man), who in turn decided not to let me speak in meetings. He told me privately and specifically used the word, "intimidating." I was rather shocked because I had transferred from the business side of the company and how I managed my meetings and projects was the norm there and nobody found me scary until then.

As I continued to work more and more with IT professionals, I realized that although there are a wide range of personalities, many of them do lack social finesse. It may be stereotyping to say that many don't know how to talk to women, but I found that to be true. Part of the reason why they don't seem to know how to talk to women can be traced to how some of them view women in general. Many of them assume when they first meet a women that she is not tech-savvy and that view is so entrenched that it is very hard to change it. I almost always have to prove myself to them before they realize that when I say there is a problem, there is a real friggin' problem. Even, then I sometimes run into roadblocks where they'll just start ignoring me.

That's usually when I lose my temper. I'll either start CCing their boss and outline the consequences of ignoring my communications on the project, and/or I'll start involving my own boss, who is a man and can probably talk to these guys. I hate having to go to a man to talk to other men because they think I MUST be doing SOMETHING wrong, even though they can't actually say what I MUST have done wrong. I hate thinking that maybe I'm being disrespected because I'm a woman, but these are inescapable questions when working in an environment that is used to working with only other men.

I am very lucky to be in a job where my boss supports me. He's very hands-off and gives me a great deal of leeway in what I do. He's also very willing to hear me out and let me vent when I need to. Even so, I am always afraid that I'm coming off as weak or unable to handle the work or too complain-y. On the other hand, being totally robot-like isn't me either. I understand that being professional means not getting emotional or passionate. It means always being logical, collected and take nothing personally. Like I said, you'd have to be like a robot to do all that when nobody else has to treat you with respect. The men in my company can get away with acting like d*cks and a$$ holes, but a woman can't get away with being less than perfect. In all honesty, being in IT is worse than being in Finance, probably because there are more women in Finance.

It took me at least 3 years of hard work and doing a really good job before the development team stopped assuming I'm stupid and inept. It took me only 3 months to earn that same amount of respect when I was working in Finance, also a male-dominated industry. Right now, I've been at my current job for 5 years. I've literally earned my place here though I am still seriously underpaid. Now, when I send an issue to the development team, they don't ask me stupid questions or ignore me. It shouldn't have taken me years to earn a basic level of respect. I had to do a better job than the men in the same position in order to get to where I am today. Even so, advancement opportunities feel very limited. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get anywhere as a woman in IT, no matter how competent or how hard I work. I never felt like that when I was younger and more innocent, but I feel that way now.

The thing that gets my goat is that I was lauded for being really good at problem-solving and for my communication skills. Not only am I able to talk to developers, but I can also talk to end-users without p*ssing everyone off. I also happen to be good at documentation and was a quick learner. Despite the fact that my duties kept slowly increasing, for 3 years, my pay didn't increase at all - not even to match inflation. Do I feel undervalued here? Absolutely!

I understand the need for more women in IT. The more women there are in the field, the sooner and more likely the attitudes will change. However, for me personally, I'm sure how much longer I want to be in this field. Is this a fight I really want to fight when I can go elsewhere? For now, I'm staying where I am. Maybe things will actually change sooner than later.

Duck makes daily deli visits

Aaaaww!!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/4266922/Duck-makes-daily-deli-pilgrimage.html

How do the TSA keep getting away with it?

Seriously, with all reports of TSA nastiness, how is it that nothing is being done about their thieving, groping ways?

http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2012/04/rep-francisco-canseco-claims-tsa-assault-after-security-screening/
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/tsa_on_the_gropes_kpHmWKHzOuaMr15xfh64vI?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Local
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/04/25/family-misses-flight-after-tsa-gives-pat-down-to-girl-with-cerebral-palsy/
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9UCKNRG0.htm
http://gawker.com/5904821/tsa-forces-four-year-old-girl-to-undergo-pat+down-after-unauthorized-hug-from-grandma

Most relaxing songs ever

Wanna know what is the most relaxing song? Check it out here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/listen-to-the-most-relaxing-song-ever-170097

African black soap

African black soap originated from west Africa and has become popular enough that the western world like the U.S. wants a hand at ruining it. The original soap is pretty natural in that someone burns some stuff like cocoa pods and plantain leaves and cooks the ashes with some oils like shea butter and palm oil for a really long time. Then they leave the soap out to dry and I guess that's the curing process. It's become popular enough in the U.S. that U.S. manufacturers are making their own version, but with synthetic, not so natural or healthy materials like sodium laurel sulfate.

I first noticed black soap when I was order a new batch of oils to make my lotion. The seller had added black soap to their list of wares and I was really curious. They claim theirs is the authentic stuff shipped from Africa. I held of buying it for a while but eventually decided to just try it out. I got it yesterday and tried it out last night.

The soap is unlike any other soap I have ever encountered. It's pliable and you can mold it with your hands. It also has a deep brown, mottled color. To use, you break a piece off and take it with you to the shower. After, you have to let it dry. Letting it sit in a puddle will melt the soap away.

So the verdict is, I love it! It is better than any soap I have ever used! I even used it on my face, though I haven't tried washing my hair with it yet. The soap provides good slip, but not much lather. However, I noticed a real difference a few minutes after leaving the shower. My skin felt really soft, as if I had already applied lotion to it. It felt so nice, that even though I only tried this soap out once so far, it is now my favorite soap!

Good cop gets punished

You ever wonder where the good cops are and why all you hear about are the bad cops? Well cause apparently, the good cops get weeded out.

http://reason.com/blog/2012/04/18/no-good-cops-go-unpunished-when-they-sto

Freedom curtailed

Seriously, the black box in cars? Nuts! I understand we're in an age where notions of privacy are quickly disappearing, but once anybody can track you anywhere, without any kind of restrictions in place on the data to prevent abuse, I guarantee abuse will occur.

... and there is nothing you, the citizen, can do about it. Don't you just love how the government doesn't represent the public's interests at all? Corporations and rich people laugh in our faces as we feebly wave our wimpy voting powers at them. There is no choice of candidates for us if the corporations and rich people pick all the candidates for us.

http://www.businessinsider.com/something-is-wrong-with-this-picture-2012-4

Seafood deformities in Gulf

So tell me, why are none of our U.S. news outlets covering this? I had to read about it on Al Jazeera:

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/04/201241682318260912.html?view=all

The 10 scariest places to be a woman in

If you're a woman, avoid the places mentioned in this article cause they don't take kindly to women in those parts!
http://jezebel.com/5887627/the-ten-scariest-places-in-america-to-have-ladyparts

Boy raises 10,000 dollars for dad's medical bills

Ah, another heartwarming story that makes me think, gee there really is still some hope for the world:
http://www.mega949.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104673&article=10058935

Container gardening

We have a shady front lawn the size of a postage stamp. I'm not kidding. It's really small and gets little sun. Even so, that grass is growing out of control! I want to get rid of the grass and plant other things there, but not sure what. Ideally, I'd grow edible stuffs, but I'm afraid the neighborhood passerbys might literally steal the fruits of my labor. I thought about just planting nice flowers, but I realize they can't be too pretty or expensive or someone might steal or cut those too! People suck! Most likely I'll just grow a patch of moss there.

Anyways, the back yard has a small patch that gets a really good amount of sun. It's actually pretty sad that we can't get more sun, but ce la vie! I've decided that I want to grow some stuff this year in the back yard. I had the top of the horseradish root saved from our seder so I stuck that into a pot of soil and left it out back. I also had an old seed packet of some flowers and pak choi and dumped those into pots too. Not sure if the seeds will grow since they're a few years old, but we'll see. Then there are the two tomato plants I got from the greenmarket. I will have to replant those as they're looking a bit spindly right now. I also got a pot of mint from the greenmarket. Mint and horseradish have to stay in pots because they have tendency to take over the whole garden. I've already snipped off some mint to make mint tea and it was lovely!

I really hope these plants survive!

Farmer's market

I really enjoy shopping at a farmer's market when it isn't super duper crowded. So I avoid the one at Union Square and go to the teeny tiny one near work. The one near work is already back, but the one near my house won't be around until June. I can't wait for the one near my house! However, here are a couple of things I have learned from shopping in greenmarkets in NYC.

The first thing I learned was to be careful about buying baked goods or jarred goods. Unless it's something you really want or know you like, be aware that the seller may not know much about it because they're selling it for someone else or for some other company. That is not to say that the people who actually bottled that cider or made that bread are using terrible ingredients or whatnot, but just be aware that the shrink-wrapped apple pie you're tempted to buy may not have been baked by the person behind the stand. Just the other day, I bought a very expensive jar of crushed heirloom tomatoes. The guy selling it didn't even know what it tasted like but assumed it must be worth the exorbitant price because it was from heirloom tomatoes. Even now, I'm not sure it was worth the cost, but I bought it anyway cause the ingredients had only one thing: tomatoes. Plus it came in a glass jar instead of a BPA-lined can.

The second thing I learned was that even if the seller was just the middle man and is charging a heart-stopping markup, the stuff usually tastes better than what you can get at the supermarket. The greenmarket near our house has apple cider that is out of this world and the most amazingly spicy and flavorful bloody mary mix made from real tomatoes. My advice is to check out the local supermarket to see if they have a section of local produce. You may find the exact same farm's apple cider selling in the supermarket for cheaper than what the middle man at the greenmarket is charging. If not, then you'll pretty much have to pay the extra dollars if you really want that cider.

Also, fruits and vegetables bought at the greenmarket don't tend to last as long as stuff from the supermarket. I don't know why, but if you buy produce from the green market, do intend to use it within the week. Supermarket stuff seems to have been treated in a way to keep the stuff looking fresh. Potatoes from supermarkets, for instance, have been treated with some kind of anti-sprouting chemical. Same with supermarket garlic. Greenmarket stuff will definitely sprout or rot way faster than you might expect if you're used to supermarket stuff.

The last thing I want to say is that shopping at the greenmarket can get expensive. Yeah, they have a lot of cool stuff that's both tasty and less chemical-laden than supermarket stuff, but some booths charge quite a bit for their product. We don't get all our produce from the greenmarkets. The ones I go to are small and often don't have everything I need for the week. So generally, it's a treat when I get some apple cider or a bundle of asparagus. One really nice thing about the greenmarket near my work place is that they sell plants. Right now, there is a booth that is selling a variety of heirloom tomatoes and I bought two. One labeled "brandywine" and another labeled "cherokee." I have a black thumb, but with some luck, they will grow in our back yard and by the end of summer, we'll have made our own jar of crushed heirloom tomatoes!

Growing green onions or scallions in a glass of water

A few days ago, I stumbled upon this post:
http://www.thekitchn.com/re-growing-green-onions-grow-your-scallions-back-on-your-windowsill-165274

I can personally say that it works! I buy a bunch of scallions and if I don't use them up, I snip off the green parts and stick the white parts, roots down into a shallow glass of water. I change the water once every day and let the roots rinse a little under running water. The green parts will keep growing and you can just continue snipping. Alternatively, you can stick the roots into soil and you'll get the same result.

If you like celery, you can also do the same with those. Cool right?

Wardrobe purge

I finally went to my parents' place and cleaned out my clothes, shoes and bags. I got rid of a lot and I also kept a lot. I went through my clothes again when I got home and got rid of a few more items. Some the items that should be gotten rid of, I'm keeping for fabric scraps. It's good fabric and at the time, I spent good money on quality clothing. So why not re-purpose the material? I certainly have the room for it.

I also kept a stack of t-shirts. Over the years, I have accumulated an impressive number of them. I have thrown away a bunch and I still have many left in my possession. My plan with these is that I will avoid collecting any more t-shirts and as I wear out t-shirts, I will pull one from my "archived" t-shirt collection. They'll be good to have when we need rags as well.

As it turns out, I still have a lot of stuff left. I also kept a few things that really don't fit me anymore but I just couldn't bear to get rid of them. However, the more I think about some of the clothes I've kept, the more I think I should get rid of some more. After all, how much clothing can I possibly wear in a year? Much of the stuff doesn't fit me so why keep it? Probably will take another look at my clothes this weekend and do another round of purging. Will need to do the same for my bags and shoes.

Restarted the battle against my bulge

I know I have posted on this when I started or re-started this effort, but I am once again embarking on a weight loss journey. All prior attempts have failed miserably because I was going about it the wrong way. I think this time, I may be onto something that will actually work for me!

Let me first say that no one has ever told me that I am really overweight. I am certainly hefty for my frame, but not outside of the normal range for my height. Still, because I am slight of frame, this newly added weight has, well, weighed heavily on me. So I want to lose some weight, but not a lot.

So now let me talk about my approach. In the past, I was too focused on short term gains, short term setbacks, and the number on the scale. I wasn't really and truly thinking in terms of a lifestyle overhaul. I packed on the pounds over the last couple of years because I had bad habits, such as eating tons of cheese and creamy foods. I also got into the habit of stuffing myself instead of just stopping when I felt relatively full. Anyways, if I had continued to live like I was, I was going to continue to gain weight.

Despite my bad habits, I did have some good ones. I pretty much never eat fast food or soda, and I rarely eat meat. I also have very rare sugar cravings and usually only indulge in my coffee. However, I have a penchant for the small bags of chips inside the vending machine. I used to joke that it is a good thing the bags have gotten stingier or I'd be eating more chips!

Anyways, the first thing I did was to resist the vending machine. I did this by having a banana or yogurt at my desk instead. I usually had a snack attack in the afternoon and being lazy, I'd rather have something I can get with the least amount of effort. So that means if I have a banana or yogurt in front of me, I'll likely eat that instead of taking a walk to the vending machine.

The next thing was to get in more activity in my day. So I started getting on and off the train at a stop or two farther away from the office. This forces me to walk more every day. It isn't much, but I'm sure it adds up.

Then there's the standing desk thing. I spend at least half my work day standing, which burns more calories than sitting. I also tend to fidget more when standing. I've been doing this for a few weeks now and I can honestly say that I enjoy doing this.

At this point, I was feeling pretty good and decided to cut down on my portions. I would either pack my lunch and breakfast, or when I would go out and get food, I'd only eat half or most and save the rest for the next day. I no longer stuff myself silly.

In the beginning, it was slow going. I just wanted to get more active and eat more healthy on a daily basis. When I got used to one new routine, I added something else. After several months of slowly changing the way I live, I weighed and measured myself and was surprised to see that I had dropped 5 pounds and a quarter of an inch everywhere. It's not enough for people to notice, but to me, it means I am somehow on the right track towards a slimmer, healthier me.

So anyways, here's the list of what I'm doing now:
- Standing desk
- Walking to and from a farther train stop to my office
- Take a short walk around office floor every hour
- Aim for 10,000 steps every day
- Do 10 minutes of some kind of exercise activity at home
- Drink 8 glasses of water per day
- No sugar in my work coffee
- Fruit or yogurt, or homemade veggie and fruit smoothie for breakfast
- Small lunch
- Fruit or yogurt for snack
- Keeping a food journal and tracking caloric intake
- Lighter and smaller dinners

I often do not complete every goal on the list but I can usually get to at least a few, which is better than how I was living before. Tracking my food and goals keep me accountable and helps me to realize what routines work and what routines don't. I do realize I will most likely never be as thin as I was, but this is a lifestyle change and not a crash diet. What I've found so far is that when I made the first change and was successful, it felt good. When I introduced the second change and it stuck, it felt even better. As I kept going, I was encouraged to continue down this track and make more changes. I think I'm going to rest at this current set of goals for a while and then see how I feel. :-)

Putting measurements on jars

I really like this idea. I like to re-purpose my glass jars, filling them with quinoa or baking supplies. Drawing measurements on the jars can make things easier when I want to use those supplies.

http://nestfullofeggs.blogspot.com/2009/11/day-13-repurposing-jar.html

Poor chickens!

I don't eat much chicken even when I do eat meat. This article makes me want to eat even less!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/opinion/kristof-arsenic-in-our-chicken.html

A clinic’s landlord turns the tables on anti-abortion protesters

This story makes me sad. I truly wish for more civil discourse.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-clinics-landlord-turns-the-tables-on-anti-abortion-protesters/2012/03/29/gIQAThgwiS_story.html

Park slope parent insanity

I'm glad I got out of this neighborhood! On top of the craziness of the Park Slope Food Coop, there's this stuff going on:

http://gawker.com/166214/the-park-slope-hat-spat-read-all-the-emails?tag=newsparkslope
http://jezebel.com/5898248/brooklyn-parents-finally-prove-they-are-the-absolute-worst

This is just in Park Slope and some parts of Brooklyn. Manhattan parents also have their own brand of crazy. Makes me wonder if NYC parents are more collectively crazy than the rest of the country's parents.

Bullies can bully with impunity

The way our country is going, you just have to wonder at what point do these "conservatives" think is crossing the line when it comes to the police acting like bullies? Those who are meant to serve and protect us should not be allowed to f*ck with us whenever they feel like it, however they feel like it. Scandals abound regarding the TSA and yet nothing is being done about them. Police and scandals involving Congressmen rarely end in convictions or even prosecutions. Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, you should feel very uneasy because nobody who is in power is out to protect you anymore. Want evidence? Here's some:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/us/police-tracking-of-cellphones-raises-privacy-fears.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/us/justices-approve-strip-searches-for-any-offense.html?hp

DIY Oreos

I happen to have a soft spot for Oreo cookies, so this recipe grabbed my attention right away:
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/recipes/chocolate-sandwich-cookies/

More proof why flying sucks

I don't think theft of airport luggage is anything new, but what is new is just how prevalent it is. Really, something needs to be done about the airline industry as a whole.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/03/26/exclusive-the-stunning-jfk-airport-baggage-scandal-200-thefts-per-day/

Parents swarm an Easter Egg hunt!

Seriously? I mean, SERIOUSLY!?!? WTF!!
So many parents swarmed the easter egg hunt that the hunt was cancelled, pretty much ruining it for everyone.
The parents were supposed to stay behind the ropes but as soon as one parent jumps it, others joined in. The mentality seems to be that the kids can't "fail" at anything - not even an easter egg hunt at the age of 4!
http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/2012/03/26/20120326colorado-parents-force-egg-hunt-cancellation.html

Eco-Friendly Laundry Day

I don't use commercial detergents or soaps. I use castile soap with a very light sprinkling of borax and washing soda. For fabric softener, I add white vinegar to the rinse cycle. I consider what I have been doing more eco-friendly than what I was doing before, which is using commercial detergents, but I am still using a washing machine and dryer.

We could go a step further and air-dry our laundry and also hand wash our clothes like this:
http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2007/04/a_grape_stomper.html
But then we are denying ourselves the reality of living in an age of modern conveniences. With both hubby and I working full time with long commutes, who has time and energy to then also stomp on laundry, hang it up, and then fold and put clothes away? When I come home, I barely have enough energy to dust a room after cooking and eating dinner. I have way too many things and projects I want to do and just not enough energy to do it.

I imagine that if I could be actively working on something every waking second, I could get around to doing everything I really want done, but the truth is, I get really tired. Working and commuting takes a lot out of a person. For me, I usually don't get enough sleep so I'm fatigued all the time. Foregoing modern conveniences for the sake of being eco-friendly in a world that depends on modern conveniences can often seem daunting or impractical.

So as much fun as air-drying and laundry stomping seems to be, I just don't think I have the energy for that at my current point in life. Also, I'm not sure how hubby would feel about stomping on laundry.

Vegetarian Paella

Hubby's stepdad makes the most amazing paella. Hands down, it is the best paella I've ever had anywhere! Totally inspired, I wanted to try to make my own. However, there were certain things I had to mull over before making the attempt. Hubby's stepdad uses seafood and meats in his paella. I want to attempt a vegetarian paella, which would taste fundamentally different from non-vegetarian paella. I also wanted to mix white rice with brown rice to make it a bit healthier.

Anyways, here's what I did:

Ingredients
1 can of artichoke hearts, artichokes cut into quarters
1 roasted red bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, cut into half or quarter rounds
1/2 spanish onion, diced
5 small cloves of garlic, minced (we love garlic!)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups cooked rice
1 to 2 cups vegetable stock
5 sticks of small vegan breakfast sausages, cut into rounds or roughly chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato puree
a pinch of saffron
Hungaria paprika
salt and pepper

I didn't have a paella pan so I used my wok. Heat up the wok on medium high and then add some cooking oil. Once the oil is heated up, add the garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the onions. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the zucchini and vegan sausage. Cook for another couple of minutes and add the tomato paste, tomato puree, artichokes and bell pepper. Toss for a bit and then add the rice, veggie stock, saffron, a sprinkling of paprika and salt and pepper. Toss until the broth is soaked up. Add more tomato puree or broth to get the taste and consistency you want.

The result? Not bad! Hubby thought it was pretty good for my first stab at paella. I would definitely make this again in the future!

Microwave potato chips

I have made these and they turned out pretty decent. Like the post says, it's not a really fast way to make lots of chips, but it makes enough to satisfy a small craving. I don't recommend skipping the cold water soak step as it definitely makes a difference, but if you're in a really big hurry, you can skip it in a pinch.

These chips go really good with Alton Brown's Onion Dip from Scratch, by the way.

Microwave potato chips:
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-crispy-potato-chips-in-the-microwave-166718

Onion Dip from Scratch:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/onion-dip-from-scratch-recipe/index.html

DIY Clothespin Starburst Mirror

Not a bad project. You can get pretty creative if you paint or add glitter to the clothespins.
http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2012/02/make-a-clothespin-starburst-mirror/

End of 2 weeks at a Standing Desk

It's now been about 2 weeks since I started trying out a standing desk. I rather like it, actually. There are definitely some benefits to this, but there are also drawbacks.

First of all, I haven't lost any weight from doing this, but I have gotten hungrier and have been eating more. I guess I can say that I haven't gained any weight either, even though I've been eating more. Lol! So this is not really a good way to lose weight. However, it does actually make me feel better at the end of the day than sitting all day.

Anyways, let me talk a little about the drawbacks. The biggest issue for me are my knees, which get very sore and tired. I try not to lock them so they're slightly bent most of the time. I also try to stand evenly and not place weight on my hips too much. Unfortunately for me, my knees have been an issue for the past several years due to overuse and since taking the desk job, it has gotten better. Standing at my desk has brought back some of the old feelings of soreness, though it is still nothing like it was before. I am worried about my knees deteriorating from soreness to pain again. So I have been alternating between sitting and standing. I stand for an hour and then I sit for an hour. This has made my knees much happier.

Another drawback, in the beginning, was that I felt a little weird standing in a sea of mostly sitting cubicles. Luckily, there were already a few others in my department, including my boss that is doing the standing desk. In fact, my boss is an avid advocate of the standing desk and was quite happy to have me try it out. After the initial comments of things like, "So, you're trying the standing thing," the awkwardness has subsided.

As for the benefits, I have to say that my head, neck and shoulders feel great! This has been good for my posture for when I was sitting, I was hunched over my computer all day, which caused tense muscles and fatigue. I am also more likely to move around and get a drink of water, since I'm standing already, which helps keep me from getting dehydrated, another tendency I have at the office. Overall, I actually do feel better at the end of the day and maybe even healthier too.

So I think I'll continue doing this on and off for a while. I have my work laptop propped on a big cardboard box that I can put away when I'm tired of standing, so I'm free to switch any time. Generally, I'm feeling pretty good about a standing desk!

Knit your own wrap cardigan

If you're feeling ambitious and don't want to spend lots of money on a DKNY Cozy, you can make your own wrap cardigan! It's literally nothing more than a long wrap with sleeves and you can make it any length you want, if you find the DKNY Cozy too long or others too short.

The knitting pattern can be found here:
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90135AD.html
It's a free pattern, but you need to sign in to view it.

Once you get the gist of the pattern construction, you don't really need to knit the fabric. Any fabric will do, as long as you cut the pieces according to the pattern and its measurements. So if you're good with knitting, crocheting or sewing, and want to make your own wrap cardigan, this link's for you!

Enjoy!

Declutter your user manuals

Hubby and I have two big binders/folders of user manuals of various appliances and knick knacks that we've accumulated over the years. Those things take up a lot of space! Well, with the advent of digital readers and digital formats for books, you can probably download many of your old manuals as an e-book or PDF file. Whatever isn't digitized, you can scan the pages and read them as a JPG or image file. This makes things easier to organize, back up and it takes up way less space!
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-turn-your-owners-manuals-into-digital-files-for-your-ipad-166391

Raw milk

There has been a lot of hoopla among some circles about raw milk. Advocates of raw milk claim that pasteurization destroys valuable nutrients and enzymes, making pasteurized milk a less healthy food. The CDC thinks raw milk is dangerous. I did a cursory search on the debate and was not able to find much that was not biased or without agenda.

Personally, I wouldn't drink raw milk. I wouldn't mind tasting it out of curiosity, but I wouldn't make it lifestyle habit. One reason is because I believe that many of the things we're doing in our modern times must be right if we are enjoying extended life spans and more leisure time. Food safety and medical science have come a long way since a mere one hundred years ago and new advances will continue to be made one hundred years from now. I'm not saying that some of the things we've embraced have not had ill-effects on us, but I am saying that not all modern things are bad.

There seems to be a trend towards the cave man way of life. There's even a fad diet call the Cave Man's diet where you only try to eat food a cave man would have been able to have, or something like that. Raw foodies go even farther and try not to eat anything that had heat applied to it, claiming that the cooking process destroys nutrients in food. Then there's the supposed benefits of barefoot running over running in shoes, and don't forget the movement against vaccines. Did the cave man really have a better and healthier life than the modern man? How much of our modern luxuries are we willing to give up in the name of healthy living and sustainability?

Anyways, I happen to be okay with the pasteurized milk I get from the supermarket. Pasteurized milk has been around for a couple hundred years at least and has yet to cause a worldwide epidemic of disease and malnutrition. I drink it cause it tastes good in my coffee and my cakes. I also happen to believe that pasteurized milk is safer to drink. However, if my neighbor wants to drink raw milk, I honestly don't see why I should stop him/her. I think the government has more pressing concerns than to outlaw raw milk for the few that are willing to drink it. Let's say that drinking raw milk is as risky as the CDC says it is. If so, what does it matter to me if someone wants to indulge in risky behavior that will only harm themselves and not me? If you can climb a tree at your own risk, why can't you also drink raw milk at your own risk? I support my neighbor's right to drink raw milk should he/she desire to.

Just my two cents on the matter.

Giant paper rose

These look so whimsical and cute!
http://greenweddingshoes.com/diy-giant-paper-rose-flower/

Cooking with a wok

Cooking in a wok is different from cooking in flat-bottomed pan. You can stir fry using a flat pan, but it's not the same and doesn't impart the same flavor. Wok cooking requires high heat and a well-seasoned wok uses less oil than a flat pan. I don't toss my food in my wok as that will invariably cause food to shower down on my whole kitchen. In fact, I don't know anyone who actually tosses food in a wok. I, like my mom and many other moms, shovel the food around in the wok to keep it moving.

Here is a tip about making several dishes in a wok. Always start with the cleanest dish and end with the dirtiest and sauciest. Meaning, if you're having for dinner Ants Climb on Tree, Scrambled Eggs with Tomato, Plain Stir Fried Bok Choy (meaning just bok choy and salt), you should start with the bok choy dish, then the eggs, and then the Ants Climb on Tree. Another example would be if you're serving Stir Fried Corn with Pine Nuts, Tofu and Mushrooms with Brown Sauce, and Breaded Seitan Chops, start with the corn dish, then the seitan dish and then the tofu with mushrooms dish. The idea is to keep the flavor of the previous dish from contaminating the flavor of the next dish without rinsing the wok in between. Ideally, you never turn off the heat and just toss ingredients in, cook, plate it and toss in the next set of ingredients. I usually cook at medium high to high heat and I keep the food moving with my shovel (aka wok spatula). This prevents the veggies from soaking up too much oil, which allows you to use less oil to cook.

Another tip is that sometimes, you can cook more than one item at a time. The wok is pretty big and sometimes, you need to cook or saute different elements of a dish before putting it together. For example, let's say you want to make fried rice. You can dump the leftover rice into the wok, smoosh it to the side and then pour in the beaten eggs in the space to make scrambled eggs. When the eggs are just about right, just mix it all together and add in the other, already cooked leftovers. Serve when everything is cooked through.

Well that's all I got for now! Happy cooking!

Ants climb on tree

Growing up, my mom used to make this wonderful dish with rice vermicelli noodles and bits of ground meat. There are days when I crave my mom's cooking and this dish in particular. One day, I finally asked my mom what the dish was called. She said it was called Ants Climb on Tree. I stared at her. Surely she must be joking because that is a pretty unappetizing name. But no, my dad confirmed that this is the actual name of the dish!

Anyways, so now I make my own version with TVP instead of bits of ground meat. I take a packet of vermicelli rice noodles and soak it in boiling water mixed with a few tablespoons of soy sauce. Meanwhile, soak 2 or 3 tablespoons of TVP in boiling water and soy sauce as well. Let it sit while you prep for other dishes. Chop up some scallions and set aside. When you're ready to put this dish together, Pour the noodles and TVP into a strainer to strain the water out. Heat up the wok and then heat up sesame oil in the wok. Toss in the scallions and when they're fragrant, toss in the noodles with TVP. Add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste and serve when everything is heated through.

Obviously, this isn't a meal in and of itself. You have it with rice (preferable the short-grained sticky kind) and other dishes. Because this dish is so flavorful and deep, it's best to serve it alongside something green like bok choy or spinach and something with protein like tofu with mushrooms. When I make it right, hubby goes Mmmmm!

Cultured dairy

I've made posts in the past on how to make butter and cultured buttermilk from cultured buttermilk. I was in a bit of a craze and made all kinds of things that I don't think I actually posted about. In addition to shaking a jar of heavy cream until it separated into butter and traditional buttermilk, I've made cultured butter, sour cream and some kind of soft cheese. All of these were made using cultured buttermilk as a starter.

So let's recap. Cultured buttermilk is not the same as traditional buttermilk. Cultured buttermilk is milk that has been thickened and innoculated with a kind of bacteria. Traditional buttermilk is produced in the process of making butter. Cultured buttermilk is the stuff you find in the supermarkets.

From cultured buttermilk, you can make more cultured buttermilk the same way you make yogurt from yogurt. I like to use a 1 to 3 ratio, that is one cup of cultured buttermilk to 3 cups of milk. You can use skim milk, but the resulting buttermilk will be thinner than using full fat milk. Mix the two together and let sit in a warm spot for at least 24 hours. It shouldn't take more than 36 hours to get thick. You're done with the buttermilk coats the side of a glass. You can view instructions with pictures here:
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/buttermilk.htm

With cultured buttermilk, you can also make sour cream. Mix 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to a cup of heavy cream and let it sit for about 24 hours. Then place in the refrigerator to chill.

From the sour cream, you can make cultured butter, which tastes heavenly! Just put the sour cream in a jar and shake it past the whipped up stage until it completely separates into butter and traditional buttermilk. Pour out the buttermilk, which can be used to make pancakes and other baked goodies, and fill the jar with cold water. Shake again and pour off water. Repeat filling jar with cold water, shaking and pouring it out until the water pours out clear. Getting all the buttermilk out will prevent your butter from going sour.

You can also make cheese from buttermilk. Mix a quarter cup of buttermilk with half a cup of milk and let sit for 24 hours. Then add 2 cups of warm milk and wait another 24 hours. Now gently warm it up over pot of hot water for about 30 minutes. Pour the mixture into a cheesecloth and strain for at least an hour over the sink or bowl. Add salt and herbs to taste.

I have not played with cultured dairy since we moved and now I'm having the urge to start again. Think I'll get some cultured buttermilk this weekend...

A shelf from a magazine organizer

I really like this idea:
http://www.designsponge.com/2008/09/diy-wednesdays-catch-all-shelf.html

Lost the baby

... and I've already lost the baby. Totally sucks.

Expensive elopements

This is for those that only want to put on a "wedding show." Apparently having friends and family around might ruin your wedding show because, after all, friends and family aren't what's important on the big events in your life. What's important is how everything looks. This expensive elopement thing, I think, is for those who truly believe the wedding is not about the event and the celebration of the event, but about the show. For them, the wedding is an elaborate photo shoot - beautiful and perfectly staged. I can't think of another word to describe "people who value how stuff looks over the presence of family and friends" other than "superficial."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/fashion/weddings/Eloping-Does-Not-Mean-What-It-Once-Did.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1332960532-BAbIFVWFyzYIgF0CcarBug#

Personally, if my reason for eloping was to be alone with my significant other and have the event be just about us, I'd probably end up with an incredibly simple event with as few people around as possible. I'd want it to be sweet and romantic, with lots of spontaneous moments. Hiring a huge gaggle of strangers just to make everything look nice stresses me out just thinking about it!

Trying out a standing desk

Working at a standing desk has become quite a trend in my department. At first, only one person did it, and as he seemed to really like it, others slowly began to try it out too. Eventually my boss also started doing it and told me how much he really likes it. So a few days ago, I put a big cardboard box on my desk and put my work computer on top of it. Hence, I now have a makeshift standing desk that I can put away when I decide I want to sit.

Anyways, for day one, I was in my sneakers all day. My lower back was sore right before lunch and my knees were starting to ache. I sat down for lunch and stood back up for most of the afternoon. After lunch, my back was fine, but at the end of the day, my knees were definitely feeling it. The thing is, I already feel better in my upper back and neck because I am not hunched over my computer all day. Also, because I am standing, I am more likely to leave my desk to get a drink of water, which is great because I am always dehydrated from not drinking enough water.

For day two, I felt fatigued earlier than on day one. I sat down for lunch and continued to sit until the last two hours of my work day, where I stood back up. My back felt fine, but my knees and hips were aching. I made a conscious effort to try and not lock my knees the whole time. However, I came home and my knees were definitely aching a lot more than the day before.

Day three has just started today and my knees were feeling a little stiff this morning. I will be trying a different tactic today where I will sit down for most of an hour and then sit for a few minutes just to regularly relieve the pressure on my knees. I will continue to avoid locking my knees as I think it's bad for the knees.

So far, interestingly enough, my feet haven't felt as sore as I thought they would. I may also be burning more calories as I have been feeling hungrier these past few days. One woman who wrote about having a standing desk said she lost 3 to 5 pounds from standing in the first 2 weeks. However, she also said she developed spider veins, but she mentioned that could be a factor of her genetics and age. Anyways, it's only day three so we'll see how long I last at this. Lol!

Organizing apps by verb rather than category

I first began organizing my iPhone apps by category like, Utilities, Entertainment, and Social Networking. However, it was slowing me down trying to find the app I want at times. So I had begun to re-organize them by what I want to do like, Gaming, Reading, and Photography. Turns out I'm not the only one who finds this to be a more efficient way to organize the apps. I'm sure it doesn't work well for every personality type, but it has definitely made my life easier.
http://smarterware.org/9324/good-tools-have-verb-based-interfaces

Helicopter parents knows no bounds

It's an incredible story. Helicopter parents interfering in the workplace on behalf of their child, sometimes without the child's knowledge. Although I'm pretty sure this isn't common, it could be a trend that's rising, considering how many colleges and grad schools now have to deal with interfering parents these days compared to, say twenty years ago.
http://www.npr.org/2012/02/06/146464665/helicopter-parents-hover-in-the-workplace?ft=1&f=1001

Pregnant!?

Earlier this year, hubby and I started trying for a baby. Everything I read says that 35 is the magic number when women start having fertility problems and not to be alarmed if it takes 6 months to a year to get pregnant. I had people insist that I should track my cycle and test for ovulation every day. Other than trying to eat healthy, I didn't do any of those things. I just figured if we "did it" every other day, something will just naturally happen.

Even so, I was getting nervous because I was turning 35 this year. This is the year the magic number will come and dry up all my eggs and that is when I, as a women, expire like rotten milk... or something to that effect. All those stories of women who were trying to conceive and were having difficulties really got to me, but it also made me believe that it will be a while before it happens.

So it was rather unexpected that after 2 cycles, my period didn't come as scheduled this month. At first I thought it was late, but my period is more likely to come early than late, so I took a home pregnancy test in the wee hours of the morning. It said I was pregnant. I slept on the news for another hour before I had to wake up for work. That's when I told hubby. I was not happy or unhappy at first. I didn't really know how to react and sort of just was like, okay so I guess I have stuff I need to do now.

Then, as I thought about all the things we'll need to get and buy for the baby, I got excited. How funny that shopping was the thing that picked me up. Honestly, I both welcome and dread pregnancy. The whole thing scares me but now there's nothing for it but to move forward.

Portable Coffee bags

The free coffee at work sucks, and I am trying not to buy coffee so I can save money. So sometimes, I would actually get a jar of instant coffee (yes the office coffee is just that bad), but it still isn't as good as the stuff I brew at home. That is why, I am going to try this idea out!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Customize-your-own-portable-coffee-bags/

Cool item for charging devices

This device can definitely come in handy in my household! The best part is no finagling with the wiring!
http://lifehacker.com/5882791/the-rca-usb-wall-plate-charger-adds-usb-ports-to-your-wall-outlets-no-wiring-required

TSA thefts

Seriously, how many more reports of how TSA agents have no self-control, training or discipline do we have to endure before someone leading the agency says, we need to make changes? Do they not feel in the least bit embarrassed?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/02/tsa-arrest-stealing.html

Over 30 and single

http://jezebel.com/5880655/why-is-it-okay-to-ask-me-why-im-single

I came across the above article and am reminded of my own struggles when I was still single and over thirty. As friends, family friends and other people got married around me, I was constantly asked when it was going to be my turn. It was as if I was weird or had less value if I wasn't married. It became my default answer when asked when I was getting married to say, "Never. I am going to get a dog." At first, everyone treated it as a joke, but as they kept asking and my answer never changed, they eventually stopped asking and gave up.

Just as in the article, people who make assumptions about why I was still single had no idea the struggle it was to be dating. It wasn't as if I didn't want to meet someone and fall in love and get married. Just like most singles I know and have known, I got lonely. The dating world can be pretty brutal and the sad thing is, it is only as brutal as the people you meet. There are also rules and signals that I had to learn the hard way, such as don't insist on paying for a first date because then the guy thinks you never want to see him again rather than think you're being generous. After dating for years with no success, I came to the conclusion that men did not want generous, kind and intelligent, as so many of them claim. They really wanted a b*tch to make them work for her. The b*tchy part gets them hooked, but it's the playing stupid part that keeps them. I know this is a generalization and obviously isn't true of many men, especially the one I married, but most of the men I met online secretly wanted a dumb b*tch. Just as men complain that women really prefer a$$ holes over nice men, this is my counterargument as per my personal experience.

Anyways, dating gripes aside, it simply sucks being single because of how you're treated by everyone around you. I can say that after I got engaged and subsequently married, I was definitely treated differently. In some ways, I felt like my mother, while I was single and she had given up on my ever finding someone to share my life with, well I think she pitied me. I am not upset at the people who were insensitive or didn't understand. I was hurt by the comments and the assumptions and the judgments.

In the end, I don't regret my time being single. I don't regret the experience of having been single and over thirty. I came out with some great dating horror stories and can more closely empathize with people who are still searching for a mate and having no luck. This isn't something like a job, where if you work hard and remain ambitious, you'll get towards your goal. I am also appreciative of the fact that I had time to reflect on why I wanted to be in a relationship at all and if it really was better if I just got a dog. In fact, if I hadn't met my husband when I did, I may have given up on dating altogether and just concentrated on having fun by myself.

Despite what any of the dating sites would have you believe about calculating compatibility, in the end, it's a cr*pshoot out there.

Pretty funny Brit rap battle

http://jezebel.com/5881691/dorky-teacher-slays-student-in-rap-battle

FAA Reauthorization Bill might make flying a bit more humane

http://lifehacker.com/5881644/how-flying-will-change-in-2012-as-a-result-of-the-faa-reauthorization-bill

Disgusting behavior

There is no excuse for what happened here. The behavior of the folks running this magazine is just atrocious.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/31/unilad-magazine-forced-to-pull-surprise-rape-article-after-twitter-backlash_n_1244173.html

Curls

I have always wanted big, wavy curls, but alas I am Asian and Asians generally have thick, straight hair. In my envy, I have tried sleeping with my mom's curlers, perming my hair (which was a disaster) and using curling irons and 1 inch flat irons. All gave me a measure of success but it was so much work! Well, the perm wasn't a lot of work on my part, but it wasn't good for me because my hair started falling out afterwards. I never went for a perm again.

In the end, as much as I want curls, I hate the idea of applying heat to my hair, as with hot irons and hot curlers. So that is why I am super interested in trying this out:
http://www.cutegirlshairstyles.com/tips-and-tricks/sock-curls-no-heat-curl-hairstyles/

It's okay if the curls don't last. I'd only be doing it for fun anyways. :-)

Getting rid of clothes and accessories

I hear it all the time when it comes to organizing advice: less stuff means less stuff to maintain. I currently dream of owning only a few items of clothing, bags, shoes and other accessories so that I can maintain a simpler life. However, throwing out stuff is more difficult than I anticipated. Contrary to what my hubby thinks, I do have difficulty throwing out certain things.

In particular, I have difficulty throwing out things that I like, even if it doesn't fit me anymore. For instance, I have a large number of skirts, tops and dresses that I cannot squeeze myself into anymore. However, for some reason, I can't bring myself to throw them away. I justify it to myself by thinking I'll one day lose the weight I've gained and be able to fit into these clothes again. Not only is this way of thinking unrealistic, it is also indicative of how much I really haven't accepted my new size.

So at the heart of the matter isn't just the clothes, but my inability to let go of my former self and body image. Being able to throw away stuff, for me, is an exercise in letting go of the past that you cannot change. Inability to let go of my past and my clothes means I'm not making room for the present and the future. All the space the old stuff is taking up, never to be used, is taking up space that could have been used for more current and more usable things. Meaning, instead of holding onto a skirt 3 sizes too small, that hanger could be holding a skirt that is the right fit and size and doesn't make me feel bad about my body being bigger.

Purging my closet is a good opportunity to really streamline my wardrobe and think about how I want to dress. I don't think I could be as strict as this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/fashion/22SIXERS.html?pagewanted=all
But the idea of paring down my wardrobe into a few basic, layer-able items is appealing. It means I don't have to spend time figuring out what to wear. It also means more space in my closet and less clutter overall. So one of these days, I'll have make myself take the plunge and do a good, deep purge of all my stuff. It may even involve rethinking the way I dress.

In any case, the first step is a purge, which will be a weekend project. Once the purge is done, I'll wear what I have for another few months and then decide if I have any "holes" in my wardrobe. I may have to buy a few more cardigans or sweaters since a moth infestation made holes in most of my winter wear. Believe me, I was pretty upset when I found out all my sweaters were ruined. Anyways, I'm going to try to get through step one first and then see what happens. It's going to be hard, but I think I can do it!