I'm Back Bitches

No, I don't mean that in the offensive way.

Now that we got that cleared up, I would like to say "Bienvenidos" to me. A welcome back of sorts. I know it has been a while since I last put up a post, but I thought that I should continue what I started and update my blog. So... I'm back in pharm. school after taking 5 months off. WHEW!! Glad that's over! I never knew having such a long break could be so excruciatingly painful. I mean, I loved being home, but sometimes, it's just better to be busy all the time.

I'm retaking biochemistry and I am proud/relieved beyond words to say that I actually understand the professor! I was really scared that I would have just as hard a time understanding biochem this year as I did last year, but thankfully, so far that has not been the case.

I am also taking a "literature review" class with Dr. R. Today was my first presentation for that and it went great. I mean, I now know that I don't have to be so meticulous and so detailed in my oral presentation of the paper.

I also just received an email from Dr. G saying that I could work on my own independent study/research project this semester. I will basically be looking at the bone density test results for people my age. I'm really excited to do this project!

I feel like this year is starting off good! I'm back bitches and I'm here to stay this time!

Hanging out with Friends

Recently, I got to hang out with 2 of my best friends ever!!! One of my friends just came back from a study abroad trip in Spain and I haven't seen my other friend since December. Needless to say, it was a big day (hey, that totally rhymed and I didn't even plan it out. hehehe). Alexia showed up first and she helped me get started in making the spanakopita. Ok. So, what really ended up happening was that I looked at the recipe and then basically just added everything except the kitchen sink (and the feta cheese). I found out that I HATE feta cheese! Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! And yes, I know, Spanakopita is not authentic without feta cheese, but it still would have been good if I hadn't added too much salt. I'm started to sense a pattern with me cooking and using too much salt. Sadness. Anyways, we couldn't really eat the Spanakopita because it was too salty, but the strawberry shortcake that I had made for dessert was a good way to make up for the Spanakopita failure.

I went to the library yesterday and I picked out a whole bunch of baking/cook books. I got home and basically went through all of them and realized that they weren't very good. I mean, I'm sure the recipes are delicious, but I didn't want to try any recipe if there wasn't a pretty picture to go along with it. I know, I know, you can't judge a book by its cover but a pretty picture just makes me so happy!!! So, it's just too bad for those authors that didn't put in pictures. I won't be trying their recipes, but Michele sent me a lot of food blogs that I can look through. I feel like a kid in a candy store.

In other news, I signed up for my classes for next semester! It's an awesome feeling to be going back to school, but I have my doubts about whether I'll be able to really be studious again after such a long break from school. I guess only time will tell.

Baking!!! :D

I have gotten back into my Martha Stewart mode (Antoinette says I should be described as Aunt Jemima instead. lol). I've been baking non-stop. My adventures started off with strawberry shortcake and it was SO amazing!!! Emboldened with my success, I tried to make apple tart and that was also very good (while it was hot, and then it got really hard, but it still tasted very good). After that, I tried to make scones. I had a real adventure making these because I totally went off recipe. I decided that by then I had enough experience that I could try to figure out what needed to be added and how much. So... with my new found confidence in baking, I found myself making rosemary/orange flavored scones. They were actually really good and because they were good, I decided that I needed to experiment with even more flavors. A couple of days later, I made cranberry flavored scones. I wanted to experiment further and added strawberry jam on a couple of the scones before cooking them, and they were even better than the plan cranberry scones! And then the good adventures ended....

So, you know how I said that I've been so confident of my baking skills because I have been basically altering all the recipes I make and they all turn out good? Well, that ended today. I was SO excited to make coconut cake today that I didn't even mind that it would take me forever to make. I started off by trying to find some shredded coconut at my house. I finally found some, but I realized that the recipe called for sweetened coconut, so I decided to be a pioneer with baking and try to make my own sweetened coconut bits. I added some sugar to a bowl of water and threw in the dried coconut. I mean, really, after all that osmosis stuff we had to learn in biology, I figured this would work to make the coconut sweet. (I like the fact that I was using science for real life today. lol). This worked fine, but I think I got a little to excited by my discovery and added too much of it into the mix. And then I got too carried away with the coconut milk (I really wanted it to taste like coconut), and the mixture got SOOO runny. I still tried to cook it, but feels too moist and sticky still. And, I cooked it for like 20 minutes more than the recipe called for. And, to top it off, it doesn't even taste like coconut still! Sigh. I guess I was in for a disaster sooner or later...

But not to worry. I have also recently had success making savory food. Namely, I made enchiladas and lasagna. So, tomorrow, I'm going to make gnocchi!! YAY! And, I really do mean that the gnocchi will be freshly made with fresh sauce! I can't wait to try it tomorrow!

Second to Last Day

So, today is my second to last day that I'm in Stockton for the semester.

I feel very strange. I know I'm leaving, but it still hasn't really sunk in, so I'm kind of just floundering around until my brain realizes that I'm not going to be back in school for 5 months. Sigh. So depressing.

I was thinking back on the semester and although I didn't accomplish everything that I wanted to  - I didn't get a job and I didn't try to do the research that I wanted to do - I still feel like I had a great semester. I'm going to count off all the stuff that I loved about this semester!

1. I got over being a failure! yay! :D

2. I got to spend a lot of free time basically doing whatever I wanted to do. I watched all the TV shows that I wanted. I hung out with friends. I worked hard for LKS!

3. I got to have 2 littles for LKS! I have a new Indian family. lol.

4. I've made many new friends from all the elective classes that I took.

5. I made a trip to SF and it was amazing!

6. I've realized that a lot of my close friends are going to be in pharmacy school with me next year, so I'm very excited for that!

7. I enjoyed my classes without having to worry about getting good grades. It's so much more productive for learning than when you have to worry about memorizing every little thing.

8. I went to Sky High. A room full of trampolines is AMAZING, but so tiring!

9. I read a lot of novels because I actually got to go to the library.

10. I've survived this semester. I was so scared of coming back, but I did it. I think I can finally move on now.

Ok. I'll write more after I get back from the barbecue at my business prof.'s house. I hope it really doesn't last until 9. God, that's going to be torture!

Nostalgia

Today, I talked to my old roommate Mariham and I feel so nostalgic now. I sent her a link to this music video because it's now "our song." We watched this movie together and we both absolutely adore it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HibG9l1xOYY

But, yeah, I just really love the lyrics to this song. It makes me feel so happy.  : D

I really want to watch this movie again too. It such a cute movie!!

Craving Adventure

I really want to do something adventurous. My idea of adventurous is of course going somewhere new. I really, really want to get away from school and away from home for a while. Today, I thought of going to Empresso Coffee House, just so that I could have an excuse to leave my room. I don't know what's going on in the past couple of days, but I can't stand being in my room anymore. I mean, it's not like I have a choice, but I really just want to leave!!! But where can I go? What to do? I don't know. I feel like I should walk around and explore Stockton like a vagrant, but being a vagrant can be quite dangerous in Stockton, and I don't want to get killed, so I'm once again left to sit in my room.

I never understood when people said they had Cabin Fever. I guess I never had much free time before and being able to do nothing was blissful, but now, I'm beginning to understand how being in your room all day could make someone go crazy!!!

For Your Enjoyment

This is totally for your enjoyment. Sigh. Ok. Fine. It's for my enjoyment too. Doesn't he just look so hot? God. I can't believe I'm still not over him.

P.S. Dear Gap (I think...)
If you let him be in more of your posters, I'll buy more of your stuff. Just saying. Sexy sells.

I Forgot

I'm all done with my take home final, FINALLY!!! YEE! OK. So, I had an idea for a post but then I forgot. I was super excited to write whatever it was too, but now I can't remember anything. Darn it!!! Any who, I can't wait to go back to school on Sunday and see everyone again. I feel so alienated after having spent a week by myself.

Also, it's raining outside! yay! I love it when it rains. Let me clarify. I should say that I love sleeping to the sound of rain.

P.S. I'm still working on trying to get my dad to let me go to England over the summer. I must go. I feel like my life is going to change once I go there. I feel so suffocated in California. I seriously just want to leave. I have never felt like this in all my life, but right now, I want to take a vacation somewhere and not think about school or anything at all.

In other news, pledging starts this week! I can't believe it's been a year since I joined LKS. I'm getting a little (and another little that I share)! I still have to go shopping for them. I have no idea what to get though. I must figure it out soon. Obviously, I would have to get my littles, a small lamb and food! Maybe I can make some brownies or something for them both.

If I lived During Shakespeare's Time

I was wondering how everything would be if I lived during Shakespeare's time... so naturally, I felt a compulsion to write a blog entry about that. And, since I haven't made my world famous doodles in so long, I thought this would be the perfect blog to draw as well. (P.S. So, you can tell I got tired of trying to make the drawings look good towards the end. I wish I had artistic skills. It would make this post so much better, but beggars can't be choosers I guess)

1. I would most likely be wearing a beautiful, flowing gown like Cinderella (unless I was a boy). Also, if I was poor I would probably look even worse than when Cinderella dressed as a servant.

Clearly, the left drawing is if I was rich and the right is if I was poor. 

2. If I was a girl I would be married by now... not cool.

3. I would have died of the plague by now.

4. I wouldn't understand the language.

5. I probably wouldn't know how to read.

6. I could go see an actual Shakespeare play. Wouldn't that be wonderful? But then again, the plague combined with unwashed people would probably not be enticing.

7. I could find myself a Romeo.

8. I could learn how to write with those cool quills. I've always wanted to do that. They even use those quills on Harry Potter. AM-A-ZING! But then again, did they even teach girls to read and write? Oh, but how tragic and ironic would it be if they didn't?

9. I would probably stand out because of my dark skin and be ostracized. GASP! I would not like that at all.

10. I would get my shoes dirty with crap (literally) every time I walked outside.

11. I would have to use a chamber pot. No explanations needed.

12. I would get to see the pristine beauty of nature before the industrial era destroyed it. (HA! I knew I could think of something good about this time period!)

It was like Poetry

So, I went to watch a basketball game this week. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this, but it was the first school sports related anything that I have been to. After having gone to this game, I regret not going to any other sports events. I mean, I didn't understand the finer points of the game, but even just knowing the general idea made basketball look like poetry. It was absolutely amazing!! I loved it! But going to the game made me so nostalgic. I wish I could go back and play softball again. Seriously, I'm not even a competitive person (and I'm definitely not the best at softball), but I just really want to be given the chance to play one more time for my high school team. I was so tired of it during high school. I dreaded having to go to practice because I was so constantly tired, but now I wish I could get one more chance. Sigh.

One another note, I re-found this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzMh7zHir1I

It's from The Wild Thornberrys. Does anyone still remember that show? I used to wish I could have her powers of being able to talk to animals. It would have made my life! I miss seeing that show on television. I feel like the shows that are on TV now have no real substance. But then again, I guess the kids now just wouldn't appreciate these kinds of TV shows.

Anyways, I thought it would be a fitting song to post up after my recent post about having a fight with my dad. I finally figured out that my dad wasn't mad at me. He was upset with my brother and then took it out on me, basically. I think he felt really bad after because I refused to call home and my mom complained that he kept telling her to call me to make sure I was okay. lol.

Parents

I just got off the phone with my dad and it frustrates me that he gets mad over the tiniest stuff. Like if I say even one sentence, he'll go yelling and making it seem like it's MY fault when I really didn't even know it would offend him. What the hell. I'm just fed up with this crap. Wow. I am totally abusing my blog to rant but seriously, I just don't get it. And now he's going to bring it up to my mom and then she's going to call me and be like "what is wrong with you?" when really, I don't even know if what I said is wrong. GAH!!!!! I'm so frustrated. And it freakin' ruins my whole day. See, I'm totally daddy's girl but when he gets mad over nothing, I hate it. What am I supposed to do? I told him that he was being unreasonable, but does he listen? No, he does not. Whatever.

I'm going to go to L & L now for our fundraiser.

Everything is Changing

God. I do not know why everything is changing. I feel like our whole apartment kind of fell apart. I mean, first one of our roommates moved away and not another roommate is moving away as well. And in a few months, I will leave too. I feel really depressed. I wish the good times would last forever, but I guess we all have to move on. I wish everyone good luck. I know we will all keep in touch and I just want everyone to be happy. I mean, we were all happy together, so I hope that everyone finds that happiness again in their own ways.

Going to the Temple

I think I'll go to the Temple tomorrow. I feel like God and I have some making up to do. I know it's petty and lame of me, but I think my mind set right now is "OMG (quite literally). Why would you (God) let my life get like this? What happened? Why are you doing this?" Yes, I don't think this is the way I should be feeling. Last time I went to the Temple in San Jose, I felt so disconnected. I think my mom noticed my stepping away from everything spiritual and called me up last week. She literally asked me if I blamed God for everything that went wrong this year. I thought about it. OK. I know. This is not easy for me to say. I mean, it's okay to say "Oh. I know it's for the best," but really, I was just hurt. So, to tell you the truth, I don't know if I blame God. Thus, I'm going to go to the Gurdwara in Stockton and hope to make my peace with God. I'm being selfish. Yes, I know. I don't need more preaching, but I can't help how I'm feeling. I'm hoping that by going to the Temple, I'll kind of understand what's going on in my head right now, because I sure as hell don't know.

God, please help me understand what's going on with me right now. I'm not trying to be a bad person. I just don't feel like being good anymore.

Going to Class

I'm about to go to class. I'm taking a dermatology class so naturally, all we do is look at nasty pictures of diseases that your skin can get. It might be a little puke inducing but it's still interesting.

Fairy Tales

I was a bit inspired by my other post (is it possible to inspire oneself... in a very un-narcissistic way, of course?), so I decided to do a post entirely about fairy tales. They are letters of course addressing grievances that I imagine that different fairy tale characters have had against one another. Obviously these grievances are not going to be discussed in the story itself, but I felt it was important to make these characters more flawed than they already are.

Dear Fairy Godmother,
        I realize that you saved me in the end and I married the Prince, but why did you have to make me suffer so many years with my cruel step-family? What made you finally remember, after all this time, that you had a godchild that you had to protect? I mean, honestly, I slaved away for YEARS!! Have you ever tried to be a maid? I didn't think so! If I had a godchild, I would make sure he/she didn't have to go through hell to become a princess. Seriously, I didn't even care about being a princess. I just wanted to get away from my abusive family. Now I'll be traumatized for life. Thanks for nothing.

                                                                            Yours truly,
                                                                             Cinderella

Dear Snow White,
        Hi there. It's us, the 7 dwarfs. You know, the ones that fed you and housed you and gave you a family when you had no where else to go... We just wanted to see how you're doing now that you've married the Prince and TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT US! Was it too much to ask for you to write to us every once in a while. And was it too much to ask for you to help financially support us? You have a whole kingdom for crying out loud! We work in a mine. Do you even know how dangerous mines can be (read the news, honey)? We're old and need to retire. How about giving back to us in OUR time of need?

                                                                                      Your disgruntled subjects/friends

Dear Boy Who Cried Wolf,
        I did it to help you get your cred back, okay? You should be thankful I showed up and allowed the townspeople to see that you are not a liar ALL the time.
                                        
                                                                                    You're welcome,
                                                                                     Wolf

Dear Jack,
        I thought I told you never to speak to strangers, especially old men/women claiming to have "magic" beans. I know it turned out okay in the end, but what if it hadn't? Do you know what Hansel and Gretel's parents did to them? Well, next time you disobey me, I'll leave YOU in the woods to be eaten by a cannibalistic witch.
                                                                                     Love Always,
                                                                                     Mother

Dear Little Red Riding Hood,
        If you didn't want the wild animals to notice you, you should not have worn such a blatantly bright color. Please rethink your wardrobe choices. I only gave you that cloak so you could wear it elsewhere, but really, you should have enough sense not to wear it into a forest. I suffered because of your poor choices.
                                                                                 
                                                                                     Love,
                                                                                     Grandma

Dear Three Little Pigs,
         I'm allergic to you. That is why I sneezed. Did you even try to get my side of the story? I was saying "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your MOUSE away." For God's sake. I found out you had a mice infestation since 2 of you so brilliantly built your house out of hay and sticks (mice like that sort of thing). I was trying to be neighborly even if being around you makes me feel like I'm going to explode from histamine overproduction. Please stop being so wolfist. Try to become a little more enlightened before you ruin someone's reputation and have them thrown out of their only home. I lived in this neighborhood before you were even born and now because of your Salem Wolf Hunt, I've had to pack up my life and leave. Ohh. You better be watching over your shoulder now, cuz I'm gonna get cha.

                                                                                      Not so Happy,
                                                                                      Gentle Wolf

Dear Paula Deen

If anyone who doesn't know who Paula Deen is, she is a cook on Food Network. Paula Deen is a sweet old lady from the South. These are my letters to Paula Deen.

Dear Paula Deen,
        You make me want to move to the Southern United States. I mean, is everyone there really as hospitable as you make them sound? I hope so, because no one here gives food to new neighbors.
                                                                                                             ---Preet


Dear Paula Deen,
        Today, when I was watching your show and you used several sticks of butter in one dish, I knew it was culinary heaven. Why aren't the other chefs like you?
                                                                                                          ----Preet

Dear Paula Deen,
        I love when you give food a gender. For example: "And then we gonna put him in the oven." It makes me feel like I really know my food as if they were a dear friend. I know we eat the food, but to degrade him/her by calling her/him an "it" is just too dehumanizing. I totally get where you're coming from. I try to use this same concept when I cook at home. I want to be polite to my food. Thanks for the lesson on proper manners. Clearly, the South upholds it's reputation of good etiquette.
                                                                                                           ----Preet

Dear Paula Deen,
         I love when you say "y'all." It makes me feel like your dear friend because it shows that you are not afraid of being too familiar. Also, I feel it is important for any one person to feel like they are really worth more than just one person and "y'all" clearly makes each one of us feel worthwhile.
                                                                                                          ----Preet

Dear Paula Deen,
         You got remarried when you were quite old. Way to show those woman haters that women can and will do whatever they want, whether society accepts it or not. I mean, sure, most people don't get married when they are reaching old age, but you took the initiative to be different. That's why you are my hero. You didn't need a husband to support you and make you successful. You empower women everywhere. Bless your heart!
                                                                                                      ----Preet

Dear Paula Deen,
        I love your kitchen. I'm not sure if it's just a studio kitchen or if it's your actual kitchen, but it's amazing. Come to think of it, I like your house too. Girl, you got good taste.
                                                                                                 ----Preet

Dear Paula Deen,
         Your image is strikingly similar to the Godmother from the Cinderella movies. Do you think that's why my subconscious knew you had to become my favorite chef? Was there some inception going on there? I'm enclosing pictures so you can see for yourself. Maybe this is why I always think of you as a grandmotherly type of person.

                                                                                                                         ---Preet

                                                                                               

I'm Back

First of all, Happy New Year to everyone!!! I Can't believe the new year has already started. Also, can you believe that the first DECADE of 2000 is already over? My gosh! I still remember the hysteria when 2000 came around and everyone was afraid the world technology would go crazy and we would all be lost in an age of darkness - quite literally, because there would be no electricity. Anyways, I'm glad we all made it safely to 2011!

In other news, today was my first day of classes and I have to say, it wasn't too bad. I mean, I still feel upset but it's not a crushing depression anymore. I feel like I can learn something good from this and I get a break. I have absolutely no class tomorrow so I'm going to plan the fundraiser for LKS. I think that should keep me from being too bored, since I have nothing to do.