#1

Texas Fight.   

2008 NCAA Football Rankings Week 7 (Oct. 12)

Did you see the Texas-OU game on Saturday?  

Final Score: 45-35.  Texas!

Did you see this play?  Click this link and check out "Quan's block on Shipley's run"

The Secret Life of Bees

I'm excited to read The Secret Life of Bees this week.  It is a historical fiction bestseller. 

The movie comes out on (Friday) October 17.

Official Movie Website.

Movie Trailers from Apple Website. 

Mr. Palomar

I just finished reading Mr. Palomar by Italo Calvino. 

Mr. Palomar Does the Shopping (The cheese museum)

"It is a language made up of things; its nomenclature is only an external aspect, instrumental; but for Mr. Palomar, learning a bit of nomenclature still remains the first measure to be taken if he wants to stop for a moment the things that were flowing before his eyes."

 

Mr. Palomar's Journeys (Serpents and skulls)

"Mr. Palomar's friend cannot contain himself: 'Yes, we do (know what the Wall of Serpents means)! It's the continuity of life and death; the serpents are life, the skulls are death.  Life is life because it bears death with it, and death is death because there is not life without death..."

Mr. Palomar in Society (On biting the tongue)

"Mr. Palomar has made a habit of biting his tongue three times before saying anything.  After the third bite, if he is still convinced of what he was going to say, he says it.  If not, he keeps his mouth shut.....

....In fact, silence can also be considered a kind of speech, since it is a rejection of the use to which others put words; but the meaning of this silence-speech lies in its interruptions in what is, from time to time, actually said, giving a meaning to what is unsaid."

More Sugar - Pumpkin Photos

  
  

Cooking - Sugar Cookies

This weekend's baking project was roll-out sugar cookies.  I used a recipe from allrecipes printable cookbooks - holiday cookies 2007.  

The most important thing I learned in today's baking extravaganza is this:  Roll out cookie dough between 2 sheets of wax paper or saran wrap!  This makes rolling out the dough so easy (no sticking!) and clean up is super quick (no flour mess). 

The dough: 

The dough (close up):

The cookies (before frosting):

The pumpkins (1 orange and 1 green):

The pumpkins (all fancy on a silver tray):

The pumpkins (all 4 together):

Conference Matchup

Is the Big 12 as strong (or stronger) than the SEC this year?  The Big 12 has 5 teams ranked in the top 10 (according to the AP).  The SEC only has 2 teams in the top 10.  Both conferences have 6 teams ranked in the top 25. 

Click here for the ESPN - NCAA Football Rankings - Week 6 (Oct. 5) 

Check out this list comparison:

Cooking - Chicken Parmesan, Meatloaf, Baked Beans

Cooking/Recipes from last week:

Chicken Parmesan - (With directions provided by Lissett and Lockstep) 

Fettucini pasta; basil and tomato sauce; fresh sliced mushroom; chicken; and fresh grated parmesan cheese. 

Meatloaf - I used lean turkey and a variation of this recipe from Start Cooking.  

Mom's Baked Beans - I used my Mom's recipe 

Beans; mustard; ketchup; brown sugar; onion; green pepper (optional); garlic powder (or salt); worcestershire; bacon (or ham).  

Texas - OU

It's Texas-OU weekend!

Austin-ness:

Saturday - The Texas Longhorns (#5) play the Oklahoma Sooners (#1) at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas at 11:00.  The game is televised on ABC.  

For the first time in seven consecutive years, I will not be attending the State Fair of Texas and Red River Shootout/Rivalry.  I'm missing the pre-game excitement, seas of burnt orange and crimson red, Big Tex, and getting the annual box of salt water taffy.  Lockstep wishes he had a Fletcher's Corny Dog, too. 

Houston-ness:

Friday - New York Pizzaria in Midtown.  I really like this place.  The atmosphere and food is really good.  

Cherry Passion

Cherry Passion Tic Tacs are so yum. 

Quotes

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."  -Dr. Seuss

"The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care." -Charles Schulz

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."  -Charles Schulz

"Without the assistance of the divine being, I cannot succeed. With that assistance, I cannot fail."  -Abraham Lincoln

"Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."  -Abraham Lincoln

"Talk low, talk slow, and don't talk too much."  -John Wayne

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

"It's all about the base coat."  -Erin Eason

"Anything that's worth it probably isn't easy."  -Lissett Bickford

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."  -Milton Berle

Fleet Foxes

I'm liking this album.  

More info on Fleet Foxes here and here.  

Below is a video of the song "White Winter Hymnal." 

 

Yankee Candle Company

It is awesome living and working so close to Rice Village  :)  

There is a Yankee Candle Company store in Rice Village.  I love this store!  It is a good sized shop and the people there are so nice.  

This is the candle we've been using lately:

Dinner Impossible

Dear Food Network,

Please bring back Chef Robert Irvine to Dinner Impossible.   Chef Robert Irvine is sooo much better to watch than Michael Symon.   Plus, Robert has an accent and personality.  I don't really care about his resume and all that drama.  Just bring back Chef Irvine. 

Thanks. 

Cooking - BLT 2

Bacon.Lettuce.Tomato

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 slices whole wheat bread

real mayonnaise 

cracked black pepper

plenty of lettuce

1/2 tomato, thinly sliced

3 slices of turkey bacon

Directions:

-Toast both sides of both slices of bread

-Cook 3 slices of turkey bacon 

-Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread

-Add cracked black pepper on top of mayonaise

-Top with lettuce, tomato, and bacon

-Add other slice of bread (with mayo/pepper)

-Enjoy!

Obama

What kind of Obama supporter are you?

Other interesting election-related links:

The New York Times - The Issues

The Science Debate

Nature (respected science journal)  - US Election Special 

Houston-related links:

A Civic Project to Track Congress

Project Vote Smart

books books books!

I just joined Good Reads.  It is awesome.  You should join, too!  

It's a place to:

-share what you've read/currently reading/planning to read

-rate and review books

-see reviews of other books

-share this info with friends

  

Cooking - BLT

Lockstep is in the kitchen today making lunch!

--Spread real mayo on toasted wheat bread

--Add cracked pepper, lettuce, tomato

--Prepare to assemble sandwich:  

turkey bacon

toasted wheat bread with mayo and cracked black pepper

other half (toasted bread/mayo/pepper) lettuce and tomato

--From the top down:

turkey bacon

tomato

lettuce

pepper

mayo

bread

--The Sandwich

--Slice sandwich into halves. Enjoy!

The Weekend

The Longhorn game is away at Colorado (Boulder, CO/Folsom Field) this week, so  Lockstep and I stayed in Houston this weekend.  We love Boulder and wish that we could be there!! 

Photos (campus and downtown) from our trip to Boulder a few years ago: 

 

Houston-ness:

Friday - Signature Avocado Adobe and margaritas at Cafe Adobe in River Oaks....

....Then nutella crepes and espresso over in Midtown at Coco's Crepes and Coffee.

Austin-ness:

Saturday - Texas plays Colorado at 6:00 pm.  The game is televised on FSN. 

Rosemary Flatbread

Deb over at Smitten Kitchen  posted this rosemary flatbread recipe.  It is so good that I've already made it a few times since it was posted (in August). 

 

Recipe Link: Crisp Rosemary Flatbread

Notes: 

-It's really more like a cracker than a bread.  

-It's relatively easy/quick to prepare and doesn't use yeast.   

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup olive oil (plus more for brushing)

sea salt

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees

-Stir together flour, rosemary, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

-Make a well in the center, then add water and olive oil.  Gradually stir liquid into flour until a dough forms. 

-Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface.  Knead 4-5 times. 

-Divide dough into 3 pieces.  Roll out 1 piece and place on a sheet of parchment paper (cut into 10-inch round).  Dough will be thin/Doesn't have to be perfectly round.  Keep other 2 pieces covered in plastic wrap.  

-Place rolled out dough on parchment paper in a 10-inch round cake pan.  

-Lightly brush top with olive oil, add sea salt, sprinkle with rosemary.  Slightly press sea salt and rosemary into dough. 

-Bake for 8 - 10 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

-Make other 2 pieces of dough (1 at a time).  (Do not add oil, salt, rosemary until ready to bake). 

Yield:  3 (10-inch round) rosemary flatbread-crackers 

October 1

Happy 1st day of October!  It finally feels like Autumn here in Houston.  The weather is so nice.  The temperatures are cool enough for long sleeves in the morning and warm enough for shorts in the afternoon.  

Today is also World Vegetarian Day.  

If you give a ...

This book came out today!

You can find it here. 

This book is a childhood favorite.  :)

Favorite Restaurants

When you're visiting one of these cities...

Austin:

La Traviata

Guero's Taco Bar

Maudies on Lake Austin Blvd

Thundercloud Subs

Z Tejas

Houston:

Berry Hill

Coco's Crepes and Coffee

Hungry's Cafe and Bistro

Niko Nikos

The Sushi at Kona Grill (in the Galleria)

Yia Yia Mary's

Fort Worth:

Joe T. Garcias

Mamma Mia Italian Grill and Pizza

Las Vegas:

Olives (Todd English in the Bellagio)

Shreveport:

Superior Bar and Grill

Texarkana:

TLC

Northridge Country Club

Washington DC:

Lauriol Plaza

Matchbox 

Firenze, Italy:

Acqua al Due

Cooking - Judy's Wholesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

Judy's Wholesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

Anna over at Cookie Madness posted these cookies last week.  They looked so easy and yummy that I wanted to try them right away!  If you are looking for a healthier and low-fat cookie, then definitely try these.  

Recipe Link:  http://www.cookiemadness.net/?p=2332

Ingredients:

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used about half of this amount)

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup all purpose flour  (spoon lightly, sweep to level)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (spoon lightly, sweep to level)

1/2 cup oats (old-fashioned or quick)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare cookie sheet.

-Mix together brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and egg.  When well-mixed, add the baking powder and stir well. (Watch for stray lumps!) Stir in the salt.  Then add the flour and stir until absorbed.  Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and walnuts.

-Scoop small tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.   Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 13 minutes.  Cookies are done when the edges are slightly browned. 

Yield:  About 15 cookies

The Twilight Series

I love this series.  

Link: http://www.stephaniemeyer.com/twilightseries.html

Cooking - Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

Recipe Link: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/minestrone-soup-55871.aspx

I made slight changes to the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 can reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained, coarsely chopped

1 cup cooked kidney beans (prepared without salt)

1/2 package (about 1 cup) frozen mixed vegetables

3/4 cup shell macaroni, uncooked

1 tsp garlic salt (didn't have any garlic powder) 

1 tsp dried basil leaves

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

-Cook kidney beans according to package directions.

-Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low.

-Simmer 20 minutes, or until macaroni is tender.

Yield:  8 servings 

Hunker Down

Houston "hunkered down" as Hurricane Ike hit Galveston on Friday, September 12. 

Lockstep and I decided to stay in Houston and hunker down with the rest of the 5 million people in this city.  Lockstep set up a webcam from our apartment window for friends/family to view all day Friday leading up to the storm. Here's the rundown of events:

7:30 pm: Lights start to flicker.  Power goes on/off for the next 5 hours. 

Me - Fill up bathtub with water, gather other necessary supplies, enjoy television and tracking Ike on the wunderground.com radar

Lockstep - Tries to complete World of Warcraft battle (Vashj) before we lose power completely

The Storm - Beautiful sunset to the West (see photo above). Dark clouds and winds to the South/East. Winds begin to pick up speed.  Red bursts seen across city as transformers blow up. 

12:30 am:  Lose power and water completely (read: no lights, tv, internet, air conditioning; no water from faucet or flushing the toilet)

Me and Lockstep - Decide to go out to the apartment parking garage and roof. The winds are really picking up speed!  It was probably about 40 mph at this point. We got some photos of the city. From the roof we can feel the winds picking up strength and speed.  We see Downtown is now covered in pouring rain. The rain is coming our way! We stay on the roof until the rain hits and get some video footage. 

2:00 am:  Make Jello chocolate pudding to use up the milk 

2:30 am: Getting kind of bored and tired by candle light.  It's raining and windy.  We try to go to sleep. 

3:00 am:  Can't sleep.  Between the heat (it's a warm 85 degrees and we usually sleep in a cool 73 degrees) and the storm pelting our windows, it's gonna be an all-nighter.

3:30 am:  Keep hearing this banging sound.  We go out to the parking garage and see that the wind is slamming the door open and closed.  It is SO WINDY.  

3:30 - 5:30 am:  The strongest part of the storm has reached us. Winds are 110 mph. Catagory 2 Hurricane. Our windows flex as the pelting rain and howling, whistling wind slams against the glass. 

6:00 am:  The storm subsides. Lockstep and I are exhausted and crash into sleep. 

8:00 am:  We wake to light rain and dark clouds. The daytime is nice.  It's SO DARK at night because the lights are out across the city. 

12:00 pm:  BLTs for lunch. Cooked bacon at the gas grill by the pool.

1:00 pm:  Lockstep and I head out to assess the damage. Hermann Park and Rice University look like a warzone. Trees and branches down everywhere.

 

5:00 pm:  Bathtime out of the sink.  

6:00 pm:  We head out towards Downtown in search of some College Football (USC/Ohio State game).  We end up at the Hilton Downtown.  The game isn't showing because it's on ABC and local ABC decide to air local coverage of the hurricane.  We know there's a hurricane!  Show us some football!  So Lockstep and I wander back home to the darkness. 

We stayed in Houston through Sunday night. Our resources (water, food) diminished. The weather was back to hot and humid. We cleaned out the fridge/freezer, packed up the kitties, and evacuated to Austin.  Thank you Jordan and Patrick!

New Post Coming Soon

I plan to make a few new posts soon.  I'll post info about Hurricane Ike, recent cooking adventures, our week in Austin, and some photos.  

Hurricane Ike

Lockstep and I staying in Houston for the weekend.  We stocked up on all the standard Hurricane supplies.  Bring on the wind and rain, Ike!  

Lockstep, tech genius/meterologist, set up a webcam from our window.  All can watch Hurricane Ike with us!  It refreshes every 1 minute.  Here's the link: http://thinkgeni.us/forum_files/window.jpg

Other good weather links:  http://www.stormpulse.com  and  http://www.wunderground.com

Site Direction

So I'm trying to decide which direction to take this blog... I'm thinking:

-recipes/cooking

-book reviews

-Houston/Austin

-future graduate school stuff

-Longhorn football

-other interesting tidbits

Or do I want to simplify completely somehow?  A more professional spin?

Back

Hi! After a couple of years away from the blog, I'm going to start posting again!

Cooking - Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes  

  

Recipe: Link.

--I'm always looking for healthy recipes, so for this meal I used a recipe by Ellie Krieger. 

--This was my first attempt at making crab cakes.  

--I actually made/served this meal back in the Spring (end of April). 

--We used crab meat from Whole Foods.

--Matticas and Lockstep thought the meal was tasty and delicious!

*Additional Note  - 

-The crab cake project was inspired after having this Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cake at Central 214 in Hotel Palomar before the Dallas Symphony Orchestra/Jim Brickman concert in February:

Long Distance Songs

I will always be hoping, hoping.
You will always be holding, holding
My heart in your hand. I will understand.

I will understand someday, one day.
You will understand always,
Always from now until then.

When it will be right, I dont know.
What it will be like, I dont know.
We live in hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us.

Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us.

And I wouldnt mind knowing, knowing
That you wouldnt mind going, going along with my plan.

When it will be right, I dont know.
What it will be like, I dont know.
We live in hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us.

Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us.

Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us.

Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us.

Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us.

Long Distance Songs

Nickelback - Far Away Lyrics

This time, This place
Misused, Mistakes
Too long, Too late
Who was I to make you wait
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know,
you know, you know

[CHORUS]
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore

On my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand
All of hell to hold your hand
I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause you know,
you know, you know

[CHORUS]
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore

So far away
Been far away for far too long
So far away
Been far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know
I wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear you say
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long

So keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe and, Hold on to me and, never let me go

Keep breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go

quote

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.
-- Albert Einstein

James

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

-James 4:6-10 NIV

Blanton

I visited the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art today.

http://www.blantonmuseum.org/

A List of Names

Brinkley

Caleb

Madeleine
Madison

Wallace

James

Nutrition Info

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/behavior.htm

Behaviors That Will Help You Lose Weight and Maintain It

Set The Right Goals
Setting the right goals is an important first step. Most people trying to lose weight focus on just that one goal: weight loss. However, the most productive areas to focus on are the dietary and exercise changes that will lead to that long-term weight change. Successful weight managers are those who select two or three goals at a time that they are willing to take on, that meet the following criteria of useful goals:

Effective goals are 1) specific; 2) attainable; and 3) forgiving (less than perfect). "Exercise more" is a commendable ideal, but it's not specific. "Walk five miles everyday" is specific and measurable, but is it attainable if you 're just starting out?" Walk 30 minutes every day" is more attainable, but what happens if you're held up at work one day and there's a thunderstorm during your walking time another day? "Walk 30 minutes, five days each week" is specific, attainable, and forgiving. In short, a great goal!

Nothing Succeeds Like Success

Shaping is a behavioral technique in which you select a series of short-term goals that get closer and closer to the ultimate goal (e. g., an initial reduction of fat intake from 40% of calories to 35% of calories, and later to 30%). It is based on the concept that "nothing succeeds like success." Shaping uses two important behavioral principles: 1) consecutive goals that move you ahead in small steps are the best way to reach a distant point; and 2) consecutive rewards keep the overall effort invigorated.

Success (But Not With Food)

Rewards that you control can be used to encourage attainment of behavioral goals, especially those that have been difficult to reach. An effective reward is something that is desirable, timely, and contingent on meeting your goal. The rewards you administer may be tangible (e. g., a movie or music CD or a payment toward buying a more costly item) or intangible (e. g., an afternoon off from work or just an hour of quiet time away from family). Numerous small rewards, delivered for meeting smaller goals, are more effective than bigger rewards, requiring a long, difficult effort.

Balance Your (Food) Checkbook

Self-monitoring refers to observing and recording some aspect of your behavior, such as calorie intake, servings of fruits and vegetables, exercise sessions, medication usage, etc., or an outcome of these behaviors, such as weight. Self-monitoring of a behavior can be used at times when you're not sure how you're doing, and at times when you want the behavior to improve. Self-monitoring of a behavior usually changes the behavior in the desired direction and can produce " real-time" records for review by you and your health care provider. For example, keeping a record of your exercise can let you and your provider know quickly how you're doing, and when the record shows that your exercise is increasing, you'll be encouraged to keep it up. Some patients find that specific self-monitoring forms make it easier, while others prefer to use their own recording system.

While you may or may not wish to weigh yourself frequently while losing weight, regular monitoring of your weight will be essential to help you maintain your lower weight. When keeping a record of your weight, a graph may be more informative than a list of your weights. When weighing yourself and keeping a weight graph or table, however, remember that one day's diet and exercise patterns won't have a measurable effect on your fat weight the next day. Today's weight is not a true measure of how well you followed your program yesterday, because your body's water weight will change much more from day to day than will your fat weight, and water changes are often the result of things that have nothing to do with your weight-management efforts.

Avoid A Chain Reaction

Stimulus (cue) control involves learning what social or environmental cues seem to encourage undesired eating, and then changing those cues. For example, you may learn from reflection or from self-monitoring records that you're more likely to overeat while watching television, or whenever treats are on display by the office coffee pot, or when around a certain friend. You might then try to sever the association of eating with the cue (don't eat while watching television), avoid or eliminate the cue (leave coffee room immediately after pouring coffee), or change the circumstances surrounding the cue (plan to meet with friend in non-food settings). In general, visible and accessible food items are often cues for unplanned eating.

Get The (Fullness) Message

Changing the way you go about eating can make it easier to eat less without feeling deprived. It takes 15 or more minutes for your brain to get the message you've been fed. Slowing the rate of eating can allow satiety (fullness) signals to begin to develop by the end of the meal. Eating lots of vegetables can also make you feel fuller. Another trick is to use smaller plates so that moderate portions do not appear meager. Changing your eating schedule, or setting one, can be helpful, especially if you tend to skip, or delay, meals and overeat later.

Quotes

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined...to strengthen each other...to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.
-- George Eliot

Love is the lifespring of our existence. The more love you give, the happier you feel and the more love you will have within you to give.
-- Susan L. Taylor

Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. That is what makes a marriage last.
-- Simone Signoret

health psych

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartdiseases.html

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/pdf/aag_cvh2006.pdf

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/

quotes

"everything is okay in the end. if everything isn't okay, then it isnt the end."

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living...it is a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope and that enables you to laugh at life's realities." -- Dr. Seuss

"It's not till we fall so far from God's grace do we realize how much we need him. But when that moment is realized, we are closer to him than ever and those are the moments God made us for!" --Jordan Ballard

Verse This Week

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
by: Acts 3:19-20 (New International Version)

Flags

The flags of Texas:

working on finding erik's fave

my pix won't upload right now for some odd reason...
so stay tuned...


http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/treasures/flagsandmaps/index.html

I made the right decision

It is not surprising that I am a psychology major and pursue counseling specialization.
1. Senior year HS/freshman college: I asked everyone my "three questions." Without knowing anything about psychology assessment, I had created and implemented a brief questionaire. Plus, I loved asking the questions and catagorizing the responses.
2. Mom and Friends often told me "You're such a good secret keeper." It's true :)
3. I like choices. Mom always gave me a scenario and presented options to choose from. I love making decisions that way because it enables the other person to make the decision--it shows independence, trust, and power in both people.
4. My test grade, a B+, affirms that I know I made the right choice. I barely studied for this test, yet I still performed well! It seems I absorb this information and know what I'm talkin' about (sometimes :)

Insight

Some people come to therapy to change the TITLES of their stories rather than to transform their LIFE stories.
(Gestalt) by: Erv Polster

what happens when you realize that everything you thought was real/true/good is taken away? suffering? knowledge?
"know thyself"
"gnoth seauton"
by: Socrates

Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker.
Translation: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.
(Existential) Maxims and Arrows, 8. by: Nietzche

There are no facts, only interpretations.
Nietzsche's Notebooks, 1886

Was sagt dein Gewissen? — 'Du sollst der werden, wer du bist.'
Translation: What does your conscience say? — 'You should become the person you are.' aka "Become who you are."
by: Pindar, often repeated by: Nietzche

true meaning of life is no meaning
Its purposes is no purpose
and its sense is nonsense.
by: my mythology professor

If I can provide a certain type of relationship, the other person will discover within himself the capacity to use that relationship for growth and change, and personal development will occur.
(Person-Centered) by: Carl Rogers

The most difficult person to be honest with is yourself/The hardest thing you will ever do is be honest with yourself.
--because of: defense mechanisms, anxiety, and approval/acceptance

birthday and the week after

Thurs, Feb 9: Trudy's: stressful but fun :)

Friday-Sunday: HANG OUT WITH MOM!!! Yay :)
Saturday: CHAMPIONS performs at the UT basketball game..SCORE!

Monday-Friday: didn't feel too great :(
Saturday: IT IS FREEZING!!!

Sunday, Feb 19 (tomorrow): Champions perform at Ice Bats game

Top 50 Children's Books

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/guides/guide-display/-/21KTXCEM2JS25/ref=cm_bg_guides/104-4465107-3853517

THE TOP 10

'Charlotte's Web (Trophy Newbery)'
'The Velveteen Rabbit'
'Where the Wild Things Are'
'His Dark Materials Trilogy: The Golden Compass / The Subtle Knife / The Amber Spyglass'
'Haroun and the Sea of Stories'
'The Giver'
'The Thief Lord'
'Inkheart'
'James and the Giant Peach'
'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Puffin Novels)'

THE TOP 20

'Out Of The Dust (Apple Signature Edition)'
'Your Favorite Seuss : A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss'
'Holes (Yearling Newbery)'
'The BFG'
'Matilda'
'Skellig'
'Kit's Wilderness (Readers Circle)'
'The Tale of Despereaux : Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread (Newbery Medal Book)'
'A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)'
'The Sea of Trolls (Horn Book Fanfare List (Awards))'

THE TOP 30

'The Three Pigs'
'Jumanji'
'The Chronicles of Narnia'
'Harold and the Purple Crayon 50th Anniversary Edition (Purple Crayon Books)'
'The Wheel on the School'
'Stinky Cheeseman (Picture Puffin S.)'
'Frederick'
'Swimmy (Knopf Children's Paperbacks)'
'William's Doll (Jp 067)'
'The Mountain That Loved a Bird'

THE TOP 40

'Harry Potter Paperback Boxed Set (Books 1-5)'
'The Hobbit'
'The Secret Garden'
'The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition'
'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz : 100th Anniversary Edition (Books of Wonder)'
'Tom's Midnight Garden'
'The Phantom Tollbooth'
'A Little Princess (Unabridged Classics)'
'Peter Pan (100th Anniversary Edition)'
'Pinocchio (Puffin Classics)'

THE TOP 50

'To Kill a Mockingbird'
'The Catcher in the Rye'
'Fahrenheit 451'
'A Wrinkle in Time'
'Bridge to Terabithia'
'Island of the Blue Dolphins'
'The Neverending Story'
'The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure (The 'Good Parts' Version)'
'From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler'
'Speak'

weekend update

On February 2, Thomas (Danny) proposed to Sarah!
The wedding is set for July 22 in Texarkana.

On Friday, Feb 3: Performance Team looked awesome at the Austin High School Varsity Basketball Game. Thanks Erik and Coaches! Good conversation and drinks at Trudy's to celebrate...

On Saturday, Feb 4: Worked at Randalls Rx and drove to Waco. Got Sushi, bridal magazines, and hung out with the happy couple!

On Sunday, Feb 5: Jordan got a 2006 Dodge Ram Truck

Make the Big Switch

Ben Idom on the conversion from PC to Apple:

thats just cause your pc brain couldnt handle so much reality at once
its like you came out of the matrix
and cant make the big jump across the buildings on the first try

Cool website: http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/

Athens

My current fascination is the Athens component in Greek mythology. It all ties together with my interests in gymnastics (gymnos, gymnasium), academics (academy), and athena (lots of things).

Professor Gosling

This semester I am working in a psychology research lab for Professor Gosling. He was also my Intro Psych professor back in the freshman days of 2002. Now he is world renound!

Professor Sam Gosling made the cover of the January 22, 2006 issue of the New York Times Magazine, in a feature titled "The Animal Self". He was also on National Public Radio's "On Point" (Animal Personality) on January 23, and on ABC's "Good Morning America" (What does your workplace say about you?) on January 26.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1543748

weekend

Friday: Houston, UT-HSC
Saturday: Randalls Pharmacy, nap, Babysit for Beth/Hannah Roberts
Sunday: Starbucks with Afsan, Champions Academy mtg, Starbucks with Erik

To the world you may just be one person,
but to one person you may just be the world.

Everyone does magic all the time in different ways. 'Life' plus 'significance' = magic.
Grant Morrison

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire.
Aristotle

Tips from the 19th hole...

Tips from the 19th hole...

It Hurts

Tex, you were so special to me and I will never forget you. I love you. I miss you. I hope to see you in Heaven one day. My heart hurts and goes out to you.

Athena

Classical Mythology
I have always really liked Athena. The geneology of the gods is remarkable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena

thursdays

Spring 2006
Senior, graduate May 20, 2006

good course schedule

today:
counseling class
coop-buy books (it is outrageous the amount of money made the month of january--national champion merchandise and student text books; stocks=cha ching!)
home-take care of Tex (he has an eye-infection, sneeze, runny nose. poor lil guy)
missed class--already skippin' kiddie lit. wow, im off to a great start
jenn--brought presents for Tex and date to starbucks...readin and chattin
home-bedtime for Tex!

Tex

Tex is my new baby kitten!
He is 4 weeks old and weighs 0.5 lbs.

10

10

Rose Bowl 2006

New Years

New Years 2005 in Dallas!
Good times :)