tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22700393364838858532024-03-05T07:30:10.217-05:00Kimber's Great Adventure"Thou shalt leave home. Thou shalt get lost. Thou shalt find slander, oppression, opportunity, escape, and destruction. Thou shalt, by definition, find adventure." - Michael ChabonKimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-78303732965124038532015-07-01T09:05:00.000-04:002015-07-01T09:05:59.348-04:00I think too much about trivial thingsLike accents in movies. We've all experienced this. You're watching a movie that is set in a country other than the home country of the actors. If the movie is in English, one of three things will happen:<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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1. The actor will execute the accent flawlessly, like a voice chameleon, making us struggle to remember where Meryl Streep was actually born. </blockquote>
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2. The actor will do a terrible job, affecting an accent so horrendous it will distract us the entire time. </blockquote>
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3. Like Tom Cruise in Valkyrie, the actor won't even worry about it, while everyone else works on their varyingly good and bad accents. </blockquote>
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Now I'm going to make a controversial assessment: Tom Cruise was right. (I just put words together in a way no one ever has before!) </div>
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But seriously, in Germany in the 1940s, what is the likelihood that Nazis would be speaking to each other in German-accented English? Zero. They'd be speaking German. With a Salzburg accent. Or a Munich accent. Or whatever. </div>
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My point is, if you're going to ignore the language, why worry about the accent? If Americans are playing Germans, let them speak American. OR make everyone speak with accents. (I'm looking at you, Tom.) </div>
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But if they decide to go with accents, they can only do the flawless kind. Get a vocal coach if you have to, but make it happen! </div>
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This has been trivial concerns with Kimber. </div>
Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-8685333591514425072014-04-27T20:52:00.001-04:002014-04-27T20:59:36.076-04:00Make way for ducklings! (And tourists)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm spending the week in Boston for work, and today I was completely free, so I spent the day touring the city with some dear friends. In true tourist fashion, we bought tickets for the hop-on/hop-off CityView tour bus. It was a very comfortable bus with very pleasant guides, and I learned a lot. I'm not going to recount all I learned, but if you're ever in Boston, I recommend it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There were many highlights of the day, but one of my favorite pictures is from this memorial in Boston Common. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1m7xcZ-9UgheSwIzuKiYE9dm6cVSzdKgt8jovyS6TNQsdkSeQx2WOo-5RCjm3mKpaKEVmWcsyyMetJSH8nkUTNuA5aniy91b0Nzt1AyFUSRo3ITi59ct6Z-wbddfDkromCzpswk7eBcc/s640/blogger-image--1729527866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1m7xcZ-9UgheSwIzuKiYE9dm6cVSzdKgt8jovyS6TNQsdkSeQx2WOo-5RCjm3mKpaKEVmWcsyyMetJSH8nkUTNuA5aniy91b0Nzt1AyFUSRo3ITi59ct6Z-wbddfDkromCzpswk7eBcc/s640/blogger-image--1729527866.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These little guys are from the classic children's book <i>Make Way for Ducklings</i>. They get dressed up for various Boston events. This time of year, they're wearing their Easter hats! I love them. </span></div>
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Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-38982875873589525102014-01-30T14:46:00.001-05:002014-04-27T22:50:09.569-04:00Facts About FlourOr just one fact about flour:<br />
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Old flour makes cruddy sugar cookies. </div>
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Here's how I came to this realization. For Christmas, I made my boyfriend the cutest sugar cookies. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6BrKpyLV7a9WuFm5RkGmRmKWwD4Fetp_UAvXnFWrwI5PDd_k1FgKlIyRWAKY1p1_-aJW8whCh1hAo3iCn_NmXUT1qX7NGmklcQwXCBS4Lnk_GqAdAKs3C5Ivm5Q2H7D_WqCv_dkMMgKw/s640/blogger-image-1609051554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6BrKpyLV7a9WuFm5RkGmRmKWwD4Fetp_UAvXnFWrwI5PDd_k1FgKlIyRWAKY1p1_-aJW8whCh1hAo3iCn_NmXUT1qX7NGmklcQwXCBS4Lnk_GqAdAKs3C5Ivm5Q2H7D_WqCv_dkMMgKw/s640/blogger-image-1609051554.jpg" /></a></div>
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Aren't they adorable? I made them late at night on Christmas Eve Eve so that he wouldn't know about them until Christmas. I painstakingly rolled out the dough on Christmas Eve morning and had the darnedest time getting that green sugar to stick. As your eyes will tell you, they looked great when they were done. </div>
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But they tasted like crap. Or, more accurately, they tasted like flour. I blamed the ratios in the sugar cookie recipe, which was part of the problem, but it wasn't the whole problem. As I discovered when I made waffles a few weeks later, our flour was old, and therefore, not good. </div>
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Last night, I made new cookies. (There is no picture because they were significantly less twee.) I used new, unbleached all-purpose flour (and a less flour-heavy recipe), and they turned out great. </div>
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I realize this may not be the discovery of the century, but it certainly made me think twice about using whatever ingredients are lying around. </div>
Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-81203072813318377442013-12-28T14:16:00.000-05:002013-12-28T14:27:57.130-05:00Farewell, 2013Has another year ended already? Around this time last year, I made a New Year's resolution to blog more. I clearly failed on that point. I'm going to let you in on a little secret, dear readers: time flies when you have a grown-up job. Here's another secret: when your day consists of working, eating, and watching tv, you have fewer interesting things to write about. <div><br></div><div>Admittedly, my job is good fodder for stories, but it would be bad form to discuss applicants on the internet. If you're interested in the life of an admissions counselor, check out <a href="http://admissionsproblems.tumblr.com">Admissions Problems</a>. Maybe in the New Year I should resolve to make an effort to do more fun things. </div><div><br></div><div>I'll let you know how that goes...</div>Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-22631800275163243162013-08-26T22:23:00.000-04:002013-08-26T22:23:47.172-04:00My New-Found TalentThis evening I had cause to do something I have never attempted to do in my life: replace a burnt out headlight. Over the weekend, my boyfriend discovered that his driver's side headlight had gone out. Lest he break the law, he rushed to buy a new bulb, assuming that it couldn't be too hard to replace himself.<br />
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At his behest, I found a video on YouTube detailing how to replace said bulb. We watched it together, noting the intricacies of sticking your fingers into things.* Given my long spider fingers, he commented that I might have to help him with it.<br />
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What ensued was some Total Kimber Domination. I fixed the crap out of that headlight! I really enjoyed doing it, and I have a new skill! I also learned about the fuse boxes inside of cars and that pulling the fuse for my radio did not fix my CD player problem, but that's a conversation for another day.<br />
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My takeaway from tonight's adventure is that I have an innate ability to fix cars and/or I love following directions. I think it's the latter. As a child, my favorite part of playing with Legos was always the complex instructions, as opposed to making up my own things. Then again, once you've learned the fundamentals, there's no end to what you can do! Next stop: rebuilding the engine for no particular reason!**<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fixing a car in a dress = Classy! </td></tr>
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*That sounds vaguely gross. Sorry.<br />
** No, not really. But I might tackle that CD player thing!Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-58410925815664056652013-08-10T21:51:00.000-04:002013-08-26T22:24:37.891-04:00Chicken Korma = NostalgiaWay back when I lived in Edinburgh, one of my favorite things was the chicken korma at Tikka Mahal. I have never had a korma as good as they made there, but in an attempt to capture a taste of those times, I've found and modified this korma recipe. I can't speak to its authenticity, but it's pretty tasty. It's super involved but worth the work in the end.<br />
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<b>Chicken Korma</b></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b> </div>
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¼ c cashew halves</div>
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¼ c boiling water</div>
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3 cloves garlic</div>
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1 Tbsp pureéd ginger</div>
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3 Tbsp vegetable oil</div>
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1 large onion, minced </div>
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1 tsp ground coriander</div>
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1 tsp ground cumin</div>
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1 tsp garam masala</div>
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1 tsp ground turmeric</div>
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1 tsp chili pepper</div>
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½ tsp ground cinnamon </div>
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1 Tbsp brown sugar</div>
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1 Tbsp curry powder</div>
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4 skinless chicken breasts, diced </div>
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¼ c tomato sauce</div>
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1 c chicken broth</div>
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½ c coconut milk</div>
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½ c plain yogurt</div>
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2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water</div>
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Salt</div>
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1. Place cashews in a small bowl, and pour the boiling water over nuts. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. </div>
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2. Place garlic and ginger in food processor and blend until smooth; set aside.</div>
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3. Heat oil in wok over medium heat. </div>
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4. Stir in onion, and cook until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. </div>
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5. Mix in garlic/ginger paste, and season with coriander, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, brown sugar, curry powder, and chili powder. </div>
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6. Stir in chicken, and cook for about 5 minutes. </div>
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7. Pour in tomato sauce and chicken broth. </div>
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8. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.</div>
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9. Meanwhile, place the cashews, along with the water in which they were soaked, and the cream and yogurt into food processor. Process until smooth.</div>
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10. Stir the cashew mixture into the chicken and onions. </div>
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11. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. </div>
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12. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.</div>
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13. Serve over basmati rice. </div>
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Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-84507065778541189002013-07-29T19:18:00.001-04:002013-07-29T20:04:49.497-04:00Pineapple Casserole<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tonight I made one of my favorite recipes, which I'd like to share with you, Dear Reader: <b>Pineapple Casserole</b>. The first time I share this dish with people, their reaction is usually skeptical. And yet, pineapple pizza is scientifically proven to be the best kind of pizza, so clearly pineapple and cheese belong together. This recipe is not only delicious but also super easy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1 20-oz can pineapple chunks in juice</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2 Tbsp all-purpose flour</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2 Tbsp sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1 ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1 ½ (approx. 25) crushed Ritz crackers</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3 Tbsp melted butter</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Directions:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1. Preheat oven to 350°F. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2. Drain pineapple juice, reserving 3 tablespoons. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3. Arrange pineapple on the bottom of a 1½-quart casserole dish. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4. Combine flour and sugar and sprinkle over pineapple. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5. Drizzle pineapple juice over top. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">6. Cover with cheddar cheese. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">7. Combine crackers and butter and cover the cheese. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">8. Baked, covered for 15 minutes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">9. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes. </span></span><br />
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Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-34438388912028214732013-06-25T22:21:00.004-04:002013-06-25T22:22:41.719-04:00Found ArtWhat I am about to share is one of the most wonderful things I have ever had the pleasure of stumbling upon in a dining hall. I found this piece of art abandoned on a table my freshman year. It was drawn on the back of one of the many flyers you might find on a college campus. I photographed it with my late-2006 model camera phone and then left it for someone else to find and delight in. I considered composing an in-depth analysis of what makes this so magical, but I think I'll let the work speak for itself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn_PRzcBBZ38LglcMlMQLLhlgY7fJTZ7D00o1yqLcMJEfDhWhayWbndoB4D_d6SH5xPipS2G39YsPt__0kmfIPo5yUbWpacYm5EGnvy13Nh6qo_75hU6LL62VHFxcG21cQc0BSJ_gGWa9/s1600/rainbow+horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn_PRzcBBZ38LglcMlMQLLhlgY7fJTZ7D00o1yqLcMJEfDhWhayWbndoB4D_d6SH5xPipS2G39YsPt__0kmfIPo5yUbWpacYm5EGnvy13Nh6qo_75hU6LL62VHFxcG21cQc0BSJ_gGWa9/s320/rainbow+horse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I apologize for the poor quality. The speech bubble reads, "My ambrosia salad does not have enough cherries."</div>
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That is all. </div>
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<br />Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-8764344567598846662013-06-17T20:02:00.001-04:002013-06-17T20:33:50.529-04:00I'm back, bitches!And... that's about the most exciting thing you can expect from the rest of this post. I had hoped for a triumphant return to blogging with an awesome post that was so polished and interesting you'd think I'd spent the last five months working on it. Instead, I have spent the last five months writing nothing, but now it's time to get back in the habit.<br />
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<img border="0" class="bloggoimg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjY8-bIRq87TyDOYpdWbX7RxDghQVzNjUzpS-mM5ktQwChoTJbe6DA10kbCrXblSIoHL0vTlc0wGKkr08n4-xhzN5qD9eqUKBhz028abcR8HtPZxF9eBROsaGUyLD8PJsJHJ1nimXU7MU/I/photo_849221.jpg" /></div>
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Since January, I've been actively learning how to be a college admissions counselor. I'm getting pretty good at it, I think. My job provides lots of hilarious fodder for anecdotes, but since this blog is way too public and I would like to keep my job, I'm not going to go into any of those hilarious anecdotes here. Sorry. As a consolation, I offer this link to the <a href="http://admissionsproblems.tumblr.com/">Admissions Problem Tumblr</a>. It's pretty spot-on. What I will say about my job is that I work with wonderful people whom I've truly enjoyed getting to know. And while, like any job, it can be difficult and frustrating at times, I like it a lot. </div>
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In other news, I've been doing a lot of cooking these past few months. Expect recipes and pictures in my coming posts. Other fun food-related activities I've been pursuing include the monthly food truck rallies that have been going on downtown and attending the <a href="http://www.publix.com/aprons/Home.do">occasional cooking class at our local Publix</a>. So lots of things I can write about!<br />
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It's summer. I'm feeling motivated. Let's go!<br />
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Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-85525645503626234552013-01-30T09:23:00.000-05:002013-01-30T09:23:53.008-05:00New Job and Some SpamGreat news, dear readers! I am now gainfully employed. I was recently hired as an admissions counselor for a local college, and I could not be happier about it. Besides the prospect of regular paychecks, I'm super psyched to be working in academia. It's pretty much the best. I'm sure this new position will eventually yield great blog posts, but for now, I will just say that my coworkers are great, and I think this is going to work out well.<br />
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But just so that you don't leave empty-handed, here's some pretty good spam, left as a comment on this very blog.<br />
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The comment was posted by a "person" named WELCOME TO TEMPLE OF SOLUTION," and here's what "she" had to say:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hello! my name is Miss fred philiph, I’m from uk. I want to share my testimony with all of you. priest omigodo gave me the possibility to start my new and happy life with jane. The commitment and Marriage spells worked beyond my imagination. 6th of June will be always in my memory as the start of our new life. We had the most beautiful wedding and I was in the seventh heaven from happiness. I am sure that this feeling will be with us during our whole life and it will never leave us. We’ll remain grateful forever. Please my friends if you need the help of this man just contact him on his email: templeofsolution@gmail.com or call priest omigodo on his phone number +2348079367204</span></blockquote>
So... I think what she's saying ("she" being "Miss Fred Philiph") is that a "priest" named "Omigodo" used some sort of magic (i.e. "commitment and Marriage spells") to help her secure a same-sex union with "Jane." Since I'm pretty sure same-sex marriage is legal in "uk," I can only assume that Jane was not consenting to this union and that Priest Omigodo used some sort of mind control to force Jane to marry Miss Fred Philiph. That's actually pretty impressive. I guess Temple of Solution really knows how to get things done. Thanks for the comment, Miss Fred! <br />
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ALSO! I did a Google search for Priest Omigodo and I found this gem on some random message board:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px; text-align: justify;">I work at a very big farm and have too many chickens and sheep to feed nad take care of by myself. I needed a helping hand so I contacted priest omigodo to see if he could cast a spell and get me an extra hand to help.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px; text-align: justify;">priest omigodo make spell for sure but it no work out so good like I expect. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px; text-align: justify;">priest omigodo make extra hand all right, but now I have three arms and hands and it is very hard to buy clothes.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15px; text-align: justify;">Thanks but no thanks priest omigodo</span></span></blockquote>
Thanks but no thanks! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwybBh6Q3MXWGoTUrjGXZu4P4caEDIsxgO679K61gkQWMocswrGWmBNmmre7TgPnU2UD65GdMcR1ToqbZq6wHdxOdIWwSJXSi2UhWT0s-UTXR6o18JD_kASBJ_StIN5kylxVq_g6JXynX/s1600/do-not-want-polar-bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjwybBh6Q3MXWGoTUrjGXZu4P4caEDIsxgO679K61gkQWMocswrGWmBNmmre7TgPnU2UD65GdMcR1ToqbZq6wHdxOdIWwSJXSi2UhWT0s-UTXR6o18JD_kASBJ_StIN5kylxVq_g6JXynX/s320/do-not-want-polar-bear.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-41796523249411844512013-01-20T16:45:00.000-05:002013-01-20T16:45:36.331-05:00A Concert I Didn't Attend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is an old story (more than a year old now), but it's a slow news week, and I don't have anything to say about Manti Te'o. Back at the University of Edinburgh, EUSA (Edinburgh University Student Association) would host a variety of events on campus every week. These included live music, comedy, theater, etc. You know, standard college stuff. </div>
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Well, one weekend, in an attempt to participate in the campus culture and have a fun evening, a couple of friends and I decided to go to a live DJ set by Zane Lowe. Never heard of Zane Lowe? Yeah, me neither. But my friend was buying advance tickets and I agreed to accompany her. In fact, I'd never been to a DJ set before, so I thought it would be an experience, at the very least. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCR6EJe5Wn4QF8j9x6MygF7IJX77bmGLeF9oFfLJrCYMqoc9WxdkZdK4Ljv-LtJKEx1R9687fM1hKzC7kh63XRbrGP4_pMGOhLBQ8S-kgUeaSIoSko1IrL9LAQI-BT9NslKK906Qe9lkx4/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCR6EJe5Wn4QF8j9x6MygF7IJX77bmGLeF9oFfLJrCYMqoc9WxdkZdK4Ljv-LtJKEx1R9687fM1hKzC7kh63XRbrGP4_pMGOhLBQ8S-kgUeaSIoSko1IrL9LAQI-BT9NslKK906Qe9lkx4/s320/IMG_0986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As you can see from this ticket, the show was scheduled to take place on a Sunday evening at 21:00 (that's 9:00 p.m. for those of you who don't read 24-hour time). At this point in my life, I had a standing Skype date with my parents every Sunday at 11:00 p.m., so I figured we would get there around 8:30, stay for a couple of hours, and then I would head home. I mean, realistically, how long could a DJ set last, right?<br />
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The first part of the plan goes well. We actually arrive a bit earlier than planned, but when we walk up to the venue, there isn't anyone there except for one or two official-looking people. At first, we assume everyone is already inside. It's then that we learn that the 21:00 time on our tickets is when the doors open. Ok, small setback. We decide to go to a nearby bar and drink for 45 minutes and then come back. I'm thinking if the doors open at 9:00, it should start by 10:00 and then I'll still be able to stay for an hour before I need to go home and chat with my parents.<br />
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You may be wondering, dear readers, why I didn't just cancel the Skype date so I could plan to stay later. Well, I certainly could have. But it was a Sunday night, I had class the next day, I was tired, and, to be quite honest, I missed my parents and wanted to see them. And I figured an hour would probably be long enough to enjoy a DJ I'd never heard of.<br />
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So at 9:00, we walk back to the venue. The doors are now open, we walk in, and... no one is there. Maybe 7 other people. It's then that we think to ask the official-looking people when the show is expected to start, and as casually as can be, one of them says, "Oh, probably around midnight." Excuse me? Midnight? You put 9:00 p.m. on the ticket and the show starts at <i>midnight</i>? Not once in any of the advertisement for this event did they indicate this show wouldn't begin until early Monday morning. They also inform us that there will be some opening acts we can enjoy starting around 10:00. Great. Thanks.<br />
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My friends and I spend the next half-hour sitting in the still mostly empty student union until one of them suggests we go across the street for some chips and cheese. That ends up being the most exciting part of the evening for me, as it was the first time I'd had chips and cheese.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCFK6sGDx1o8xSva_M2QuhKfLDc97qPY39hxfgDsE_Rqx5N-UkBIiFU1Qa9SdvkjNqONpDopFoss1mY_ZxKls-WLzPZT7Cn5q2-MSVJWilLtNrp6r2RPD2HpoVYtA7g78YcdmKkF5yTXv/s1600/Chips+n+Cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCFK6sGDx1o8xSva_M2QuhKfLDc97qPY39hxfgDsE_Rqx5N-UkBIiFU1Qa9SdvkjNqONpDopFoss1mY_ZxKls-WLzPZT7Cn5q2-MSVJWilLtNrp6r2RPD2HpoVYtA7g78YcdmKkF5yTXv/s320/Chips+n+Cheese.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After eating, we go back to the venue, where an opening DJ has started playing extremely loud music to a room of about a dozen people. I have one drink, bid my friends goodnight, and then go home, where I have a lovely conversation with my parents. The next day I learn that the DJ set lasted until about 3:00 a.m., at which time I was blissfully asleep. An excellent Sunday indeed!<br />
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And that is the story of the concert I didn't attend.Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-90770562478172884192013-01-17T16:25:00.000-05:002013-01-17T16:25:27.198-05:00Recommendation: Apple TVI have been accused before of being a shill for the Apple company, and I admit those accusations have some validity. I own a lot of Apple products, and I really enjoy them. And while I know that Apple doesn't need my help, I'd like to make a case for the Apple TV, particularly if anyone is trying to decide whether to get one.<br />
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For those of you unfamiliar with the Apple TV, it is not a "TV" in the sense that it has a screen and you watch it. Rather, it is a small box that hooks up to your TV and does wondrous things. Primarily streaming. Exclusively streaming. But it's still wondrous!<br />
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Here are a few of the things that the Apple TV streams:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Hulu Plus</li>
<li>Netflix</li>
<li>YouTube</li>
<li>Select sporting events</li>
<li>Content from the iTunes store</li>
</ul>
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But that's not all!<br />
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It also <b>links to your computer</b> and allows you to stream content wirelessly from said computer to your television. This is great if, like me, you have lots of movies loaded onto your hard drive that you would like to watch without having to connect your computer directly to your TV. And it doesn't just stream your movies. It can access your <b>iTunes library</b> and, if you've activated Photo Stream in the Cloud, your <b>photos</b>.<br />
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Plus, using AirPlay, <b>it can play things from your phone</b> or <b>mirror whatever is on your phone's screen</b>, which is nice if you want to show someone something you were looking at from Twitter or something. I don't know what you look at on your phone.<br />
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Ok, so it streams lots of things. Why is that so great?<br />
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<ol>
<li>First of all, I would much rather take in all this media on my big living room TV than on my laptop. </li>
<li>Second, and perhaps more importantly, <b>it's very easy to use</b>, which means that for the first time, my mom is accessing Netflix on a regular basis. </li>
</ol>
I have a Wii that also streams Netflix, but neither of my parents like to use it because they don't understand the Wii-mote. The Apple TV remote has buttons and does not require excessive arm waving. So now I keep the Wii in our back room, where all the gaming takes place and where we can stash my niece and nephew when they need to watch <i>My Little Pony</i>, and the Apple TV stays in the living room, where we can have family movie night. Or where my mom can watch 8 episodes of <i>Downton Abbey</i> in a row. That said, the Apple TV might not be for you.<br />
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Reasons you might not want to get an Apple TV:<br />
<ul>
<li>If you have a Roku box</li>
<ul>
<li>The Roku box, as I understand it, does most of the same things as the Apple TV, making a new device redundant.</li>
</ul>
<li>If you have an Xbox </li>
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<li>The same could be said for the Xbox, except that it works with Windows Media Player. If you have a Mac, the Apple TV is probably going to be easier to set up and use out of the box for streaming stuff from your computer. But as Xbox users know, it will stream Netflix and Hulu Plus and the like, so if you're like me, you might want to keep the Xbox hooked up where you play most of your games and hook up an Apple TV where you watch most of your media, if they're different places.</li>
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<li>If you don't own any other Apple products</li>
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<li>Apple TV works with iTunes and at least one of the benefits involves linking it to your iPhone. If you don't use iTunes and/or don't have an iDevice to link it to, then you won't get the most out of the Apple TV.</li>
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But me, I love it. I've been wanting one for a long time, and it has more than lived up to my expectations. And at less than $100, it's a pretty good deal. So there you go. Apple TV.<br />
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Apple, give me a cut of every one of these you sell from now on.Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-51995563277607948472013-01-07T13:35:00.000-05:002013-01-07T13:39:12.538-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Twelve: Black-Eyed Pea CakesWell, we did it, chums. You got 12 new posts and I proved to myself that I can create original content on the regular. True, this one is a day late, but that's better than a month late, I suppose.<br />
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For this final post of Christmas, I would like to share one of my most successful new recipes: <b>Black-Eyed Pea Cakes</b>.<br />
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I got the recipe from one of the food demonstration people at Publix and then I modified it to be vegan. I served them at my New Year's Eve party (for good luck), and they were a huge hit, so my boyfriend and I made them again a couple of days ago. As fast as we could churn them out, they were gone. Here's how we did it.<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
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<ul>
<li>2 cans black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed, and divided</li>
<li>1 8-oz. tub Tofutti (fake cream cheese) or regular cream cheese</li>
<li>3/4 cup corn meal</li>
<li>1/4 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking soda</li>
<li>green pepper sauce (recipe calls for 2 tsp, but I use a lot more and eyeball it)</li>
<li>1/2 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped</li>
<li>1/4 almond milk (or soy or regular milk, but I like the almond)</li>
<li>canola oil</li>
<li>salt (to taste)</li>
<li>pepper (to taste)</li>
<li>other spices (to taste) - this is the step where you get to be creative because I'm not going to tell you what to put in there, mostly because I can't remember. I was just tossing things in willynilly </li>
</ul>
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1. Whisk together corn meal, flour, and baking soda.<br />
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2. Using a food processor or immersion blender, blend together corn meal mixture, one can of beans, green pepper sauce, milk, Tofutti, salt, pepper, and any other spices you wish.<br />
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3. Stir in second can of beans and green onions.<br />
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4. Form into 4-inch patties.<br />
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5. Heat enough oil in a large pan to coat the bottom of the pan, and fry patties 3-4 at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until they start to get brown and crispy.<br />
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We served them with green pepper sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, and/or sour cream. Very popular!<br />
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<br />Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-5399053193732834372013-01-05T22:11:00.003-05:002013-01-05T22:47:07.788-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Eleven: Almost ThereWe've almost finished the Twelve Days of Christmas, chums. Today I saw something really funny while I was out shopping, so I'm just posting a picture of that thing.<br />
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You're welcome.Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-19134402892055057432013-01-04T09:55:00.004-05:002013-01-04T11:42:32.114-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Ten: Christmas Movie Round-UpWhat is Christmastime without Christmas movies? Well, it's still Christmastime, but it's slightly less awesome. This Christmas, as per tradition, I watched my two favorite Christmas movies for the umpteenth time AND I watched a film that, you will be surprised to learn, I'd never seen before. So now I'm going to talk about those three movies a little bit.<br />
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1. <u><b>The Muppet Christmas Carol</b></u><br />
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There are so many things to love about this movie. So rather than writing a wordy paragraph about them, here's a list I've compiled:<br />
<ul>
<li>Charles Dickens</li>
<li>The Muppets</li>
<li>Charles Dickens + The Muppets</li>
<li>Michael Caine</li>
<li>Singing</li>
<li>"Fozziwig" </li>
<li>Using actual lines from <i>A Christmas Carol</i></li>
<li>Bean Bunny</li>
<li>Crying during the "Tiny Tim is dead" scene</li>
<li>Crying during all of the songs</li>
<li>Sam Eagle telling young Ebeneezer that hard work is "the American way" and then changing it to "the British way" after Gonzo whispers in his ear</li>
<li>The rat clerks</li>
<li>Waldorf and Statler as Marley and Marley</li>
</ul>
And that's just to name a few. This movie is so funny, so heartwarming, and so (strangely) faithful to the original that I can't bear not to watch it during the holidays. It's easily my favorite adaptation of <i>A Christmas Carol</i> and one of the best films in the Muppets' catalog.<br />
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2. <b><u>It's a Wonderful Life</u></b><br />
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I hope no one could argue that this isn't a classic Christmas movie. I don't even really feel the need to explain my reasoning for having it in my top 2. It's all about one man making a major difference in the lives of his friends and neighbors even if he doesn't see it himself, and that's really beautiful. If you've never seen <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i>, you really need to. Not only because it's a great movie but so that you can understand this SNL parody.<br />
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<u><b>3. The Nightmare Before Christmas</b></u><br />
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Ok, confession time. Before this year, I had never seen <i>The Nightmare Before Christmas</i>. Shocking, I know. I tried watching it a couple of times as a child, but it really creeped me out, so I stopped. Over the years, I heard most of the music from the movie, and I knew what it was about. I even beat the Halloweentown level on <i>Kingdom Hearts</i>. But I just couldn't bring myself to actually sit down and watch the movie. But this Christmas I discovered it on Netflix and I decided it was time. And you know what? It was just as creepy as it was when I was a kid. But it was also pretty funny. I especially enjoyed the scene where Jack is trying to figure out the science behind Christmas. This chalkboard is great. Science!<br />
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And I felt that as a person who grew up in the 90s, it was my duty and obligation to have watched this perennial Hallow-mas/Christma-ween classic. The ending was a bit abrupt, but that's fine. It was still a pretty solid film, and I'm glad I saw it. </div>
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And you know, this movie isn't all that different from <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i>: man is dissatisfied with life, wishes for different life, realizes life was actually pretty good. And also there's skeletons. Yeah, that sounds about right. Merry Movie-Watching, everyone!</div>
Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-5050880214966881382013-01-03T09:04:00.002-05:002013-01-03T09:04:35.684-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Nine: New Year's ResolutionsWell, it's that time again, friends: time for New Year's Resolutions. Aside from "blog at least once per week," I'm going to keep my resolutions to myself, mostly because they sound lame. But to give you something to ponder, here's a great list of resolutions by Woody Guthrie that I found on <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/01/01/four-famous-new-years-resolution-lists-jonathan-swift-susan-sontag-marilyn-monroe-woody-guthrie/">Brain Pickings</a>. I think I'll take a page from Woody's book and spend 2013 working more and better and washing my teeth, if any.<br />
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<ol>
<li>Work more and better</li>
<li>Work by a schedule</li>
<li>Wash teeth if any</li>
<li>Shave</li>
<li>Take bath</li>
<li>Eat good - fruit - vegetables - milk</li>
<li>Drink very scant if any</li>
<li>Write a song a day</li>
<li>Wear clean clothes - look good</li>
<li>Shine shoes</li>
<li>Change socks</li>
<li>Change bed cloths often</li>
<li>Read lots good books</li>
<li>Listen to radio a lot</li>
<li>Learn people better</li>
<li>Keep rancho clean</li>
<li>Dont get lonesome</li>
<li>Stay glad</li>
<li>Keep hoping machine running </li>
<li>Dream good</li>
<li>Bank all extra money</li>
<li>Save dough</li>
<li>Have company but dont waste time</li>
<li>Send Mary and kids money</li>
<li>Play and sing good</li>
<li>Dance better</li>
<li>Help win war - beat fascism</li>
<li>Love mama</li>
<li>Love papa</li>
<li>Love Pete</li>
<li>Love everybody</li>
<li>Make up your mind</li>
<li>Wake up and fight</li>
</ol>
Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-77993946275308591682013-01-02T09:45:00.000-05:002013-01-02T09:45:29.414-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Eight: Eggnog and Angel Food CakeYou know what goes hand-in-hand during the holiday season? Eggnog and angel food cake. I bet you're wondering why, dear reader. Well, I'll tell you!<br />
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I always make my own eggnog this time of year. I think it tastes better than the store-bought stuff, it's not a strange shade of yellow, and I feel comforted knowing exactly what's going into it. Plus, when people drink it, I get <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/09/self-reflection-and-cheese.html">that praise I so crave</a>. So a few years ago I started making egg nog, and I've pretty well perfected it by now (if I do say so myself), but one thing has always eluded me: what to do with the leftover egg whites. My recipe calls for a dozen egg yolks, leaving me with a lot of unused egg. I could make egg white omelets or some bullshit, but that's way too healthy.<br />
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So this year, for the first time, I decided to Google what to do with leftover egg whites, and I discovered that angel food cake just happens to require about a dozen of them. Hooray! So now I've got a new holiday tradition. For every batch of eggnog I make, I also have to bake a cake. Logic!<br />
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My eggnog recipe can be found <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-in-florida-jealous.html">on this previous post</a>. Here's how I made the angel food cake:<br />
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Ingredients<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)</li>
<li>1 cup, plus 1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>1 1/2 cup egg whites (about 12 large eggs) at room temperature</li>
<li>1 tsp cream of tartar</li>
<li>2 tsp fresh lemon juice</li>
<li>1/2 tsp vanilla extract</li>
</ul>
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a tube or Bundt pan. <br />
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2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt.<br />
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3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, begin to whip the egg whites on medium speed. When they become foamy, add the cream of tartar and lemon juice. The cream of tartar will act as a stabilizer for the eggs.<br />
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4. Increase the speed to high and continue to whip the egg whites until they just begin to hold their shape in soft, droopy peaks. Gradually whip the remaining sugar into the whites, 1/4 cup at a time. Do not overwhip. You want them soft and cloud-like. Just before you finish whipping, add the vanilla.<br />
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5. With a rubber spatula, gradually fold the flour mixture into the egg whites.<br />
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6. Spoon batter into pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 minutes.<br />
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7. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pan over a cooling rack and let it sit until cool. Then remove the pan and enjoy!<br />
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<br />Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-14382438499009032202013-01-01T23:30:00.000-05:002013-01-02T00:54:42.410-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Seven: Happy New Year!Who says you can't make a snow angel in Florida?<br />
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Happy 2013, everyone!Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-57419852472510422752012-12-31T18:02:00.000-05:002012-12-31T18:02:46.016-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Six: The Year in ReviewSince this is the last day of 2012, I thought I'd take a moment to be a little reflective about the past year. And what better way to reflect on the past year than with a bunch of links to old blog posts? So without further ado, here are the highlights from Kimber's Great Adventure 2012. (Internal linking for the win!)<br />
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1. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-last-year-on-earth.html">Happy Last Year on Earth</a><br />
Remember when we all thought the Mayans were going to kill us? Or something. This was my first post from this year, in which I reference that now-debunked prophecy, tell you about a delightful New York New Year's tradition, and plug a DC cupcake shop.<br />
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2. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/today-i-learned-expensive-lesson.html">Today I learned an expensive lesson</a><br />
In February I discovered some troubling news about international shipping. Take my experience as a warning, dear readers.<br />
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3. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/03/x-files-raises-lot-of-questions.html">The X-Files raises a lot of questions</a><br />
I wrote this back in March, and I'm still trying to make my way through all of <i>The X-Files</i>, so I thought I'd bring it up again. These issues continue to bother me, well into Season 4, but I can't stop watching. And to be honest, I think this post was really well-written. You may disagree, but you'd better read it again to make sure.<br />
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4. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/04/debilitating-fear-of-mine.html">A debilitating fear of mine</a><br />
In April I laid bare my soul and confessed one of my greatest fears, after spontaneous human combustion, of course. There's no defense against that!<br />
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5. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-18-hour-journey-from-france-to.html">My 18-Hour Journey from France to Edinburgh</a><br />
Thanks to a series of wacky mishaps, a simple trip from one part of Europe to another became a noteworthy adventure. As a bonus, this post includes a video of my friend Cailey recounting my reaction to a thing.<br />
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6. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/07/rather-than-love-than-money-than-fame.html">"Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me tooth"</a><br />
In this post from July I discuss my fear of cavities. In a cruel twist of fate, I got my first filling in September. Damn you, hubris! I blame Scotland's lack of fluoridated water. I have since bought a powerful electric toothbrush and received a <a href="http://www.waterpik.com/">Waterpik</a> for Christmas.<br />
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7. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/09/no-one-could-say-flight-was-boring.html">No one could say the flight was boring</a><br />
On the way home from Scotland in September something awful happened to my mother. Awfully funny! I apologize for that joke. WARNING: Do not read if you have a problem reading about vomit.<br />
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8. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/09/self-reflection-and-cheese.html">Self-Reflection and Cheese</a><br />
Because no review of my year would be complete without at least one recipe, take a minute to think back on this tutorial for homemade ricotta. I've made it many times since, and it's always a hit. Bonus Tip: If you don't like lemon-basil ricotta, you can make plain ricotta by substituting distilled white vinegar for the lemon juice. You're welcome.<br />
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9. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/10/things-fall-apart-but-thats-good-thing.html">Things "Fall Apart" (But That's a Good Thing)</a><br />
This year my dear friend Joe created an awesome iPhone game, which deserves another plug. If you have an iPhone and you haven't already bought this for yourself or someone you love, you should really consider it. And then tell everyone you know to do the same.<br />
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10. <a href="http://kimbersgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2012/11/ikea-2-return-to-sanity.html">IKEA 2: Return to Sanity</a><br />
In this sequel to 2011's <i>IKEA, Bringer of Madness</i>, I return to and make peace with the popular Swedish retailer. Read about my experience and also my advice for those new to the IKEA experience.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this retrospective, my friends. Tell me what you thought and what your favorite post of the year was in the comments section! Because you keep a list of your favorites, right?Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-13715606115410197992012-12-30T11:29:00.000-05:002012-12-30T11:29:31.352-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Five: Paint Sample CalendarsIn addition to my very young nieces and nephews, I have three older nieces, aged 13, 17, and 19. As with the younger kids, I wanted to make something for Christmas that would appeal to all three of them and would be somewhat utilitarian. I found an <a href="http://chicisms.com/crafty-chic-paint-sample-calendar/">awesome tutorial</a> for paint sample calendars and decided to try my hand at it. So here goes.<br />
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Project #4: <b>Paint Sample Calendar</b><br />
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Supplies<br />
<ul>
<li>Frame (Following the advice of the tutorial, I got one from IKEA named <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10186050/">NYTTJA</a>. They have a picture width of 11.75" by 15.75" and only cost $3.99.)</li>
<li>Poster board for mounting</li>
<li>Paint swatches</li>
<li>Scissors</li>
<li>Glue</li>
<li>Straight edge </li>
<li>Wet- or dry-erase marker</li>
<li>Velcro</li>
</ul>
1. First, let's talk about paint swatches. When I started this project, I was under the impression that Lowe's would give me one of those big paint swatch books and I could just rip the strips I wanted out of it. Not so. Nowadays (at Lowe's, anyway), free paint swatches do not come in long convenient strips. They come in very inconvenient squares that you would need to individually cut to size for this project. What I did was sweet-talk the Lowe's guy into letting me borrow the book of paint swatch strips, which I then took home, chose the colors I wanted and scanned them into my computer. My boyfriend later pointed out that I could have just scanned one strip and then changed the colors on the computer. If you are computer savvy, feel free to do that. In the end it was a bit annoyed but worked fine to just scan all the colors I wanted.<br />
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2. OPTIONAL STEP: I didn't want the names of the paint colors on my swatches. I thought they would be distracting. So I used the eyedropper tool in Paint to match the paint colors and then color out the words on the swatches.<br />
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3. Cut/print swatches to size. If you use the NYTTJA frame, a 2" width for each strip works well. If you're using a different frame, keep in mind that you need seven strips to fit comfortably within your picture area so size accordingly. Since all of my strips were scanned into the computer, I just used the ruler in Word to make sure they were all 2" wide and then the lengths adjusted around that.<br />
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4. Secure swatches to poster board. I don't have pictures of this process, but what worked well for me was placing all of the strips down first with a little tape to make sure my spacing was good and then individually gluing them down while leaving the other strips in place for reference.<br />
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5. Place completed poster board in frame.<br />
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6. Since I gave this as a gift, I wanted to include the writing utensil. You can use a dry-erase marker, but I opted to go with wet-erase, like you would use on overhead projector pages. My rationale was that wet-erase stays on better and would be less likely to fade over the course of a month and the point of the pen is finer for writing on the calendar. Plus, dry-erase can be difficult to remove after a long time, and wet-erase can be cleaned with just a wet paper towel.<br />
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And that's it! I did three calendars, each in the favorite color of the niece in question. Then I filled in January to get them started. Needless to say, they loved them. Or at least pretended to.<br />
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<br />Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-798685936992389822012-12-30T11:20:00.001-05:002012-12-30T11:20:22.579-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Four: Brownies in a JarI've been wanting to do this for a couple of years, and this crafty Christmas seemed like a good time.<br />
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Project #3: <b>Brownies in a Jar</b><br />
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Mixes in a jar really appeal to me for some reason. They combine the craftiness of scratch-made food with the ease of store-bought mixes. The idea, if you've never seen it, is that you put all of the dry ingredients for a given recipe in a jar, measured out and usually layered in a decorative way. Then you give it as a gift, along with instructions for adding wet ingredients and cooking. It's like giving them brownies, except the jars keep longer and the receiver gets to share the glory of making something delicious. </div>
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Ok, so brownies in a jar. </div>
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Ingredients</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 cups granulated sugar</li>
<li>1/3 cup dutched cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark)</li>
<li>1 cup sifted all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt</li>
<li>1 cup peanut butter chips</li>
<li>1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chips</li>
</ul>
</div>
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1. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. </div>
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2. Layer ingredients in a quart-size jar in the following order: sugar, cocoa, flour mixture, peanut butter chips, and semi-sweet chips. Tap the jar a bit after each layer to allow the layer to settle. By the time you get to the chips, you might have to push everything down a bit to make it all fit. </div>
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3. Attach a label with the following instructions and give as a gift. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul>
<li>Heat oven to 350 F.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup (1 stick) of melted and cooled butter and 2 eggs, lightly beaten, with the contents of the jar.</li>
<li>Pour into greased 8x8 baking pan.</li>
<li>Bake for 35 minutes. </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Here are some labels I made if you don't want to write all that out:<br />
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Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-91420832783708885372012-12-28T10:34:00.002-05:002012-12-28T10:34:50.279-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Three: Homemade Play-DoughI spent a lot of time over the past few weeks agonizing over what to get my youngest nieces and nephews for Christmas. There are four of them between the ages of 1 1/2 and 5. I wanted something I could make that would be appropriate for all of them and, let's be honest, wouldn't cost a lot of money. Which led me to...<br />
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Project #2: <b>Homemade Play-Dough</b><br />
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<u>Supplies</u><br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup flour</li>
<li>1/3 cup salt</li>
<li>2 teaspoons cream of tartar</li>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>1 tablespoon vegetable oil</li>
<li>food coloring</li>
</ul>
1. Mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, cream of tartar) in a 2-quart saucepan.<br />
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2. Add water and oil and heat over medium-low, stirring constantly.<br />
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3. As you stir, the mixture will start to solidify. When you notice it starting to thicken, add food coloring and mix in. It's much easier to add at that stage than waiting until it's totally cooked.<br />
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4. Keep stirring. Your arm may start to tire, but within a few minutes the mixture will thicken and start to pull away from the sides of the saucepan. You'll know it's done when it has become a blob of play-dough! It'll be easy to get out of the pan because the dough will want to stick to itself.<br />
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5. Set aside to let it cool and then store in an airtight container or plastic Ziplock bag. </div>
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This recipe yields about 2 cups of play-dough. I made four batches, each in a different color, and then divided each batch into four half-cup servings.<br />
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Here are the things that were great about this:<br />
<ul>
<li>It was fast.</li>
<li>It was easy.</li>
<li>It wasn't expensive.</li>
<li>The kids loved it. </li>
<li>The play-dough is non-toxic. </li>
<li>I can now make replacement dough for Cranium. </li>
<li>You get to play with play-dough!</li>
</ul>
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Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-28288954508508202472012-12-27T09:45:00.000-05:002012-12-27T09:45:09.538-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day Two: Photo Tile CoastersThis Christmas I decided to go the frugal route and make most of my presents. So for the next few days, I'm going to post tutorials for my many gift projects. Happy Crafting!<br />
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Project #1: <b>Photo Tile Coasters</b><br />
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<u>Supplies</u><br />
<ul>
<li>4" x 4" ceramic tiles</li>
<li>Modge Podge</li>
<li>Paintbrush</li>
<li>Scissors</li>
<li>Printed photos</li>
<li>Clear acrylic spray paint</li>
<li>Cork lining</li>
</ul>
1. Go to Lowe's, Home Depot, or wherever fine tiles are sold. Okay, not necessarily "fine." I got the cheapest tiles I could get. In retrospect, perhaps I should've paid a little more and gotten smooth ones instead of the textured tiles I ended up with, but I'll address that a little later.<br />
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2.Choose which photos you would like to turn into coasters. Re-size them to be the same size and shape as your tiles, in this case 4 in. by 4 in. square.<br />
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3. Print. You can use regular computer paper or something fancier if you want. I went with a slightly thicker stock but nothing too special. I also discovered that fading the color of the pictures before printing resulted in less color bleeding in the Modge Podge step. Feel free to play around with it. I did four test coasters before I finally got it right.</div>
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4. Cut out your pictures. I cut them slightly smaller than the face of the tiles to avoid having paper stick out over the edges.</div>
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5. Modge Podge time! Using a paintbrush, put a thin layer of Modge Podge on the surface of the tile. Before it has time to dry, place your picture atop the Modge Podge and smooth out any air bubbles. This is where the texture of the tiles became a bit of a problem. Working around the grooves in the surface made it difficult to remove the bubbles without messing up the slightly damp paper. However, the resulting texture did look neat, so just follow your heart. But if I were to do this again I would probably choose smooth tiles.<br />
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6. Once the picture is placed and the air bubbles are gone, paint a layer of Modge Podge over the entire surface of the picture and around the edges of the tile to ensure it is completely sealed. This is the stage at which I observed bleeding of the colors. Work quickly and don't brush more than you have to to completely cover the picture in Modge Podge. Or maybe you like the bleeding colors effect. In that case, have at it. Again, a test coaster may be in order.<br />
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<b>[A word of advice: If you do mess up on your Modge Podging, miss some air bubbles, or you just don't like how the color looks, let the tile dry completely before removing the picture. If you try to rinse off wet Modge Podge it will be sticky and difficult. If you let it dry first, you will be able to peel off the photo fairly easily.]</b><br />
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7. Make sure the Modge Podge has completely covered the picture, sealing it to the tile, and let dry completely. Spray with clear acrylic paint for final sealing and waterproofing and to give the coasters a bit of shine. (You can get matte spray paint if you don't want the shine.) The Modge Podge is itself a sealant, but I do recommend this step as sort of a precautionary measure. You don't want to find later that the Modge Podge is letting in some water.<br />
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8. The last step is to affix something to the bottom of your tiles so that they don't mess up your furniture. You can use cork, felt, or even little rubber dots. I went with some cork lining I found at the hobby store because it was thin and already had adhesive attached. All I had to do was cut it to a little smaller than the tiles, peel off the backing, and stick it on.<br />
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And that's it! I made sixteen tiles, which ended up being a day-long project, partly because of my trials and errors. But it was worth it for a lovely (and functional!) keepsake that my family members loved.</div>
Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-56172918506905301542012-12-26T11:04:00.001-05:002012-12-26T11:04:34.312-05:0012 Days of Christmas: Day One: Some ClarificationJust so we're clear, the Twelve Days of Christmas are NOT the twelve days leading up to Christmas. They are, in fact, the twelve days <i>after</i> Christmas, ending on January 6, which is celebrated on the Christian calendar as Epiphany. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)">Epiphany</a>, for those who don't know, is a Christian feast day commemorating the visitation by the Wise Men of the baby Jesus.<br />
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Ok, so now that we're all on the same page, I will begin my "12 Days of Christmas" series of blog posts. It's my gift to you. For the next eleven days I will post something every day, ultimately devolving into meaningless nonsense as I try to consistently produce interesting content. So enjoy that!<br />
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For this first day, I'm lobbing myself a softball and just posting this funny recording in honor of that most repetitive of Christmas carols...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NQkF7fpw-wI" width="420"></iframe>Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270039336483885853.post-57574012473630413902012-12-19T17:05:00.001-05:002012-12-19T17:26:14.684-05:00Adventures in Housewifery: Getting Wax Out of ClothesToday I learned an amazing household cleaning trick. So amazing that I want to share it with the World! I had lit a candle for some air-freshening and ambience somehow managed to pour wax all over my pants. Don't ask how; I don't want to talk about it. Anyway, here I am with wax all over my only really good pair of black pants, and I know enough about wax stains to know that throwing it in the laundry would not be a good idea.<br />
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So I turn to my trusty Google and ask it how to remove wax from clothing. And voilà! Amazing trick!<br />
<ol>
<li>Get an iron. </li>
<li>Get some paper towels. </li>
<li>Place paper towels over waxy places. </li>
<li>Iron. </li>
<li>The wax will re-melt and be absorbed by the paper towels. </li>
</ol>
And that's it! Wax removed! So easy someone with a rudimentary understanding of ironing could do it. Just make sure to completely cover the wax with paper towel before you start ironing so as not to melt the wax further into the fabric. I hope you all spill wax everywhere sometime soon so you can try this out. Merry Christmas!<br />
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<br />Kimberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102475219270411525noreply@blogger.com0