BAZAAR BIZARRE and wool smells like sheep.

Whooo! Support local artists!!  Man, art people are SO NICE! It's not some crazy elite group where you need to prove yourself.  It's an open and supportive environment.  People are always willing to tell you how much love they put into their product.  I got the chance to make a felted animal which I have never had the opportunity to do. Definitely need to pay attention as those felting needles are sharp!  Here is my new friend.  I would like to thank Jackie at Wool Buddy who taught me how to make such a cute creature.  It is now sitting on the Christmas tree. :)

Name: Hoot, Birthday: 12/12/10

DIY: Fabric Flower Ring

The surge of DIY projects is ENORMOUS online.  I just attended San Francisco's Bazaar Bizarre this afternoon and got inspired to actually finish some of my craft projects.  Big problem I always have is actually following through to the end of the project in a decent amount of time.  I get it done, it's just a matter of when. lol. Economic hard times means making gifts as opposed to buying gifts.  I really hate buying gifts.  It gets impersonal sometimes and for me is usually a last resort type purchase.  The artwork presented at this Bazaar was inspiring and most were so easy to do.  It just makes you wonder that you could really sell anything.  I always love the laser cut wooden earrings and pendants.  Of course, I'm not about to shell out $50 for a pair of earrings when I could possibly design my own and send it out to be cut.  But they are very impressive.  I just don't have a paying job to spend that kind of money at the moment.  Maybe when that job comes around...hopefully around the new year. haha. ANYWAYS! Time for a snappy DIY.  I literally just did this one a few minutes ago and took no time at all.

D.I.Y: Fabric Flower Ring
Inspiration: Aunt's very bling-y flower ring and Bazaar Bizarre
Materials: Cheap adjustable ring, synthetic fabric (I used fake satin), needle and matching thread, hot glue gun, small pliers for ring adjusting (optional)
Cost: $0
Most items I had lying around or just randomly found while cleaning my room. You can always get what you need from a craft store like Michael's. Make sure to use their coupons!

Ze materials

1. Make fabric flower
>Cut or tear a strip of fabric about 1" wide and 1ft long, Fold in half the long way
>Melt edges so the fabric does run. Use a candle and just hold it over the heat. DON'T PUT IT IN! IT WILL CATCH FIRE! In that case, blow it out and trim off the black portions. lol. Be safe kids.
>Loop fabric around a finger or pencil loosely
>Gather it on one side and then just sew randomly until it holds it's shape. Try to make a flat base

I like frayed edges but you can do whatever you like.

 2. Find a ring. Not as hard as you think. I used one of those cheap rings you get at the children dentist office. Now you can upcycle it! So collect them if you can. haha. And yes, I still go to the kid's dental office despite being over the legal age. Did you know adult dentists drill clean your teeth?!? THE HORROR. Worst nightmare I ever experienced. Sorry for the sidetrack. Back to the ring! Adjust it to your size, your recipient's size without them realizing it PRIOR to gluing the flower.

3. Heat up the glue gun and get ready to stick it! Find out how you would like to have your ring then holding it in place, squeeze glue where the gem will be and push it in. You want the flat bottom you made of the flower to level with the ring. Not sticking up and flopping around all weird. lol. Add more glue on the sides if necessary. It was necessary.

And the tacky gem is sucked into the flower. Yay!

4. You are DONE! Check it out. You're fabulous. :) Enjoy!

What a baller!

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! Good Luck!!

Cue soundtrack

Slightly obsessed with this song:
Ratatat- Loud Pipes

If I were to have a fashion show, I would use this song.  I ended my night with a television show called Fashion Forward: Making it.  I'm not cued in on the current fashion trends as I like to rub up against the grain and set my own trend.  The show was describing what it took to make it in the fashion industry.  I think the creativity part is what always gets me.  I'm still trying to figure out what industry I belong in still.  I love creating new things.  I like having a challenge to be innovative and experimental.  And I ALWAYS like working with my hands.  That is probably the biggest thing.  It's not just about creating something.  It's also about creating the new.  I think I want a career that does that.  But it seems like I would have to be my own boss then. Weird. What industry would give you that much leniency and freedom?  Not many corporate ones I'm sure.

I always wanted to design shoes...hmm... Did I study the wrong thing in school?  Why can't I be creative in the corporate food industry?  *sigh*  LET FREEDOM REIGN!  Let CREATIVITY RULE!

Basil Planting

Alrighty!  This is my first attempt in my life of being a gardener.  I always wanted an herb garden but living in a city means raccoons and other scary creatures touching it in the backyard.  Gross. lol.

So I had these basil stems from a box of Trader Joe's basil deciding against buying an already living plant.  Plus, the TJ's I was at did not have any basil plants available.  Anyways, I learned from a friend that you can grow seedlings/stems in a glass of water and it will root.  She was doing it with mint.  I was in a crazy, let's make everything with basil mood.  It took about one week to see any change in the stems.  Plus, you actually need to keep an eye on the water level because the plants drink it up so fast.  All five that I watered grew roots which was so exciting!  I just planted 2 of them outside in a pot to see how they will hold in the winter cold.  The rest I will keep inside for safe-keeping.  I don't think my family ever tried growing herbs in our soil so I'm crossing my fingers and hope this goes well.  I had a failed attempt with my friend's boysenberry seedling so maybe green herbs are more my style.  Next step, grab mint from a meal at a Vietnamese restaurant and grow it for mojitos! YAY!

Thank you Hoegaarden. It's a miracle!

Solicitations at my door.

Tonight my house got solicited by this girl aspiring to be a chef at the cordon bleu in SF.  My mother who answered the door doesn't do well in understanding fast english.  I hear La Cordon Bleu, pay $20, SF Chronicle. Of course my mother can't pass up a good deal so she gives in and decides to purchase the gimmick. Lovely.

I'm in my sexy Cal Poly sweats and gorgeous Lowell High School sweatshirt deciding to check out this girl for a quick evaluation.  It is your typical poor unfortunate soul from the 'hood hoping to make her life better.  So I told her outright that she was dumb.  Dumb for deciding to go into culinary school without any sturdy background in a quality education.  That culinary school is basically a money sucking industry where in the end, you probably will do better just trying to get a cook job now without that expensive schooling.  Told her that she should pursue something with better prospects like..nutrition or hospitality.  Even standing here with a B.S. degree from a well-known state university won't get you a job.  Good luck and good night.

I want a party with roomfuls of laughter, ten thousand tons of ICE CRRREAM!

My desk has gotten messy and I realized that my ice cream notes were hiding beneath it all.  Plus I saw the cutest old couple sitting outside SF's Mitchell's Ice Cream Parlor enjoying their single scoop ice cream cones.  Super presh!! So here I am to tell you all about Part 1: ice cream composition.  It's always a nice conversation starter! :D

Ice Cream Composition:

• milkfat- fat that comes from milk, cream, or fat alternative
• non-fat milk solids- Everything else in milk - fat= proteins, lactose(milk sugars)
• stabilizer- main function is to hold ice crystals in place or bulk up the product (ex: carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum)
• emulsifier- ingredient used to get fat and water to blend, provides viscosity and can substitute for a stabilizer (ex: buttermilk or egg yolks)
• flavors/colors/sweetners- extra sugars, fake coloring, flavor juices for deliciousness

Those are literally the minimum 5 ingredients you need to make ice cream.  That's why Haagen-Dazs has made such a profit on this new product.  People want to know their ingredients are real and not something created in a lab.  Even though this product probably was. lol.

To just get it out there that Mr. Jeff Potter was incorrect about ice cream composition:  Those "pockets" in the ice cream are not from water.  If it is, you have a serious problem with your ice cream company because they are thinning out the milk.  The "pockets" in the ice cream composition is from AIR.  It is a contributing factor to what makes the texture of the ice cream.  The more air mixed in, the fluffier the ice cream tends to be.  Cheap ice cream has a lot more air because you're paying for...nothing, actually.  Ice creams like Haagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry's use around a 30-45% overrun, which just means less air put in equaling a denser/smoother ice cream product.  And if you notice, those brands are more expensive. I would know.  Those are some of my favs. :)

There is much more to know but I'll let this solidify before I continue on Part 2: Processing.

P.S.  Got an interview for a dessert position.  It went well and I'm moving onto the next level. Whoo! I like how the main concern was if I understood the weather in the east coast.  AKA BURRRRRRR. I'm going to need a good coat and awesome cute boots.  Yes, that is the first thing I think of. lol.

2010 Job Catch-22

I just needed to make a post about this because I was ridiculously depressed earlier this week and maintained a gloomy outlook.  All that changed of course and I now see the glass half full which is great!

So the job catch-22 of this year:  Every job posting/listing I have found online states they want at least 1-2years experience minimum or more than that.  Er...ok.  Or they will say something like it is preferred a.k.a. HIGHLY recommended if you even want to be considered for an interview.  Well tell me something employers.  How is a recent grad supposed to gain experience if no one will hire in the first place?  The job catch-22!  I need experience to get a job, but I can't get a job unless I have experience.  What a maddening circle of horror.  Companies would be able to afford more risks if the economy was doing better and just hire a bigger staff.  Unfortunately, graduates in this year are suffering with contract deals and not getting any insurance benefits.  Thus, we will have sporadic jobs and bad teeth. Greattttttt.  Something to look forward to, no?

I was wondering around at the Giants World Series Parade and realized there is so much to celebrate in life.  So before when I saw nothing in my future, I see every possibility in store.  I've been using cover letters to gauge my sass by seeing if I get a job interview in response.  It's been interesting.  At this point, I have nothing to lose and might as well use it as a testing ground.  With the idea that failure happens regardless, I feel free to test my limits and see what comes of it.  Maybe a job, maybe not.  But there are plenty to apply for. Exciting!

Post Grad grumbles

I know I promised an ice cream composition entry.  I promise I didn't forget.  I think that's something I can add to my resume? Dependable? lol.

I just finished watching Post Grad hoping for some...hope, I guess. When she doesn't get the job and has to move back home, I know exactly how that feels.  Scouring the internet for any job position, I'm so there.  Seriously, any position that does not require manual labor I have applied for.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I can apply to every job position available and still not get an opportunity.  It is unbelievably frustrating to think that I am unemployable.  BUT HOW CAN THAT BE???  I haven't found myself completely because let's face it, post grad and still young, I could do with a bit more soul-searching.  But I do know that I work hard, I'm diligent, efficient, and most of all enthusiastic!  And enthusiasm is not something that can be taught.  Granted I have a witty, sarcastic streak but there should be some fun in life.  I feel that the best medicine is laughter.  So tell me please.  After applying to I've-lost-count-of-how-many-jobs, how is it that I still haven't found the match for me?  But let's quit this whining and be honest.  

Someone mentioned to me that my generation is a group of me me me.  We feel privileged and to put it blunt, a bit conceited.  We all think we're awesome and that whatever industry we studied for owes us for the education we received for them by giving us a job.  I thought at this point I would be a marketing assistant reading the lasted trends in candy technology and planning out the next candy expo.  I was that girl with a plan.  I could tell you what I would be doing in 2,5,10,15 years from now.  But the world isn't playing by my rules which I find discouraging.  However, my plans are falling apart before my eyes and there is nothing more I want to see than a plan fulfilled.

I am literally spending all my time in front of a computer praying for job responses and inquires to past co-workers.  I entered food science thinking, yes, everyone needs to eat!  This is the perfect field to go into because everyone needs to eat!  There will be a plethora of jobs available and I won't have any problem getting job offers.  Wrong.  Well....we can't be right everytime I guess.

So here's to another day, another week, hopefully not another month, of praying for a career.  If you have any ideas, or can relate, or not looking forward to leaving college, leave a comment.  Tell me your story.  :)

Oh. And Go SF GIANTS! Epic game tonight!! I just can't look away. WHOO!! The world series is off to a great start. YAY!

Career Option: Food Stylist?

When is ice cream not really ice cream?  Shockers!  Food photography is slightly deceiving but with the best intentions though.  Nowadays, everyone can claim to be a food photographer with the accessibility to stellar cameras with low prices. All you need to do is focus, right?  But it's another thing to be a food stylist.

 To be a food stylist, you need to understand food chemistry, food product development, and good photography.  All that needs to revolve in a creative mind. Oh, wait. I can do all that. Hahaha.  This is an incredibly hard path to follow as everything is based on your portfolio and your past clients.  It's intimidating!  It would be a dream to travel worldwide and take food photographs armed with all my technical food knowledge to get the best possible picture. I've been researching local food stylists and hoping to contact them in the hopes of becoming an apprentice.  Here are some that I fell in love with:

Katie Christ: http://www.katiechrist.com/
Ann Belden: http://www.annbelden.com/

My personal favorites whom I would love to work with:
Randy Mon: http://www.randymon.com/
-His work is absolutely incredible.  It would be sensational to be mentored by him. The effortless look with simple crisp focusing.  I am actually drooling because of these photos.  I love his bio story as well and he seems like an easy-going person with a humorous attitude.

Susan Devaty: http://susandevaty.com/index.html
-Something about her work makes me feel very cozy and comforted.  I have no idea why though.  My first impression of course.  There are some images where I can see the fakes added which are funny.  Her portfolio is very extensive and her client list is impressive as well as Randy's.

I stumbled upon this article from PBS kids about the advertising techniques food stylists use and how we should not believe what we see.  Just an example of what some food stylists choose to do.  Here is the website from PBS: http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/advertisingtricks/foodadtricks.html
Like every industry, there are different degrees of a person.  Some food stylists are food purists (using the actual food) to the extreme of food manipulators (using decoys as much as possible).  Definitely an option and again, I just need to do something with my life and degree.  I cannot sit here with idle hands.  I'm getting antsy!

I CAN HAZ SCIENCE?

Tell me.  How does a computer science nerd get involved in food science?  That is not even what he paid his college tuition for!  How does he get to do what a food science (me) person should be doing? Let's ask Jeff Potter, author of Cooking for Geeks(2010).

I just came back from a "lecture" given by Jeff Potter on his "expertise" on food science.  It was so impressive to see people interested in food science.  HELLO. HI! Welcome to the blog. I cover all of that if you just let me know what you want to know about. The questions asked by attendees were so intellectual and I am proud to be a San Francisco local.  We're so smart.  :)  And I forgot who I was listening to but they spoke about people wanting to feel like experts.  Everyone in that room thought they were some kind of food expert.  That both astonishes me and amuses me.

Oh, and yes, those words are in quotes for a reason.  Thankfully, most of his questions were saved by food scientist Tina who also attended the event.  I like to think of her as the super awesome sidekick and brains behind the operation.  Of course, I am sure Potter did his thorough research in the "food science literature" to fully write the book correctly.  Props to him.  But I still think it should've come from someone who actually studied the subject for 4-5years of their life in college with proper professors and massive amounts of knowledge.  I'm just sayin. And for those of you curious, I did ask him a hard question and did stump him to my immense pleasure. Of course, I was just asking to test him.  I give him a C for effort though before the question was commandeered by food scientist Tina.  All in all, great talk and fascinating question.  I have hope that this blog will be successful if not more because well...I got an education in food science. What you think about that!

To the boy who asked the ice cream question and makes ice cream, you look very familiar and I am so fascinated to see what kinds of ice creams you have made.  I wish I got your contact info....Anyways! Your question was about ice cream and the composition of it.  Jeff Potter answered it wrong but I believe you understood my correct answer.  I'll continue tomorrow with an ice cream blog.  I mean...I did take a 10week course in frozen desserts and made my own ice cream at the factory level but you know...no big, right?

Too tired to continue. But Potter...that reminds me.  I have read the entire HARRY Potter series backwards and then forwards within the past 2 months.  I love HARRY Potter.  And time to resume reading the 7th book.  I can't wait for the movie to come out!! Yayayayayay!  Until tomorrow, delicious dreams.

Savor the Central Coast, Sunset Magazine

Shout out to Sunset magazine!  Absolutely incredible event!  I had an amazing time being back in my college town two weekends ago and had the opportunity to attend the event free of charge.  That is why it feels good to have connections. The event had so much to do, eat, drink, and play.  It was super well organized and I wouldn't mind having a part in planning it. (hint hint)  Hire me! I know food, planning, marketing, and writing! What more could you ask of an employee? lol. One day.....

So I have quite a few pictures but I don't want to make this entry too long.  I get bored half way through reading long ones too.  You can find out more information about what wineries were involved and local eateries at their website: http://www.savorcentralcoast.com/

Now time for some pictures!

It's nice going to an adult event and paying free99 to get in

Windswept and riding the original Disneyland train

To my favorite Katie DeFrisco for being amazing!

Oh my gosh! It's a roasting lamb!

Garden exhibit with farm fresh produce.

My dearest Kim petting the baby watermelon.

Oh, and meeting Tyler Florence. No big. lol.

Cook: Homemade Applesauce 101

Hello!

I just realized I still haven't posted pictures from Sunset magazine's Savor the Central Coast. But let me make a quick cooking blurb since I went apple picking nearly a week ago.  My grandparents have about 4 apple trees in their backyard.  One is grafted to produce red delicious and golden apples.  Two are fuji and the last is another golden apple tree.  Yum.  My favorite fruit in the entire world is apples.  I swear to you.  I could eat it for days, and I did when I was in elementary school.  Best snack ever!  My grandma is overwhelmed by all these apples and settles to make the damaged ones into applesauce.  Epic.  She taught me and now I share with you.  No additional sugar needed!  Super healthy treat.

1. Pick and wash apples. From your local farmers market or the grocery store.  Too bad you don't get any kind of discount for bruised apples. Shucks.

Golden Delicious apples fresh from Gparents garden

2. Don't mind the bruises.  Just cut out where those sneaky worms got to. Keep the skins on!  You're going to steam them with it on.  Remove the seeds and stem so they look something like this....

No seeds, no stems, no worms!

3. Place into a steam proof bowl and place that into a very large pot on a steamer stand.  It's ok for the water to touch the bottom of the bowl.  The only place you DON'T want water is in the bowl with the apples.

4. Put on the lid and set the flame to med-high heat.  Steam for about 30min.  I only used 3 apples but I still needed a considerable amount of time.  You're looking for the apple skins to slough off easily.  Turn off the flame when you do that. (I learned the hard way and got a steam burn from being too eager. sad day.)  Remove as much of the skins as you can.

5. WHISK. Or CHOPSTICK.  My grandma does the chopstick way but I found that took longer.  Whisking is speedy and makes the applesauce smoother.  Yum...It should look like this.  I like my applesauce chunky but I supposed if you want it smoother, feed it to the food processor.  Good luck!

No skins, chunky applesauce! YUM!

TJ's Test Kitchen #1

Let's incorporate some cooking into this blog.  I am a HUGE fan of Trader Joe's.  From the quality of their products to their marketing techniques, never have I been so in awe of a company's business.  So being a frequent customer to their store, I like to check out their new products.  One that they recently put out is a vacuumed sealed pre-cooked pulled pork.  Yum?  Having studied vacuumed sealing and microwave engineering,  I still can't bring myself to think that it will taste good.  However, true to Trader Joe's reputation, I doubt they would send out a product without ample test studies.  So I bought it.  Followed the instructions and warmed it up since vacuumed sealed objects are cooked through different processes like retort or high pressure processing.  And it came out like this....

 

Review:  Salty.  But that is understandable because of preservation techniques employed.  The texture is what gets me a little bit.  Slightly soggy in one bite then tough and chewy in another.  I made a cole slaw to go on top to add more of a tang flavor.  The sauce of sweeter than I expected but I liked it over all.  And yes, that ceramic dish it is sitting on is handmade.

I've noticed a lot when I cook, I tend not to measure.  Not that I'm lazy when cooking but estimating is more fun than strictly measuring each portion.  I only do that for baking because those ingredients all chemically react with each other to form the desired results.  Otherwise you'd end up with a bloated bread loaf from too much yeast. Hahaha.  And what good would that be?? Can't eat it! 

I'll give you all the scoop on the event I went to this past weekend in the next post: Savor the Central Coast hosted by Sunset Magazine.

OVERHAUL DESIGN update: I'm working on a new design and layout.  Bear with me if things look a tad funky and odd.  Should be all up and running by next week.  Thanks!

Who's the Boss here?!?

I took a little detour in my readings and snagged The Devil Wears Prada at the Big Book Sale hosted by the SFPL.  I'm obsessed with the writing and my ability to follow so well with the flashbacks and backtracks.  For those who do not know,  the book is about a girl working as an assistant to an impossible, demanding editor-in-chief of a major fashion magazine.  Needless to say, it's a treat to delve into another world for a few hours a day to escape my very scary reality of unemployment.  At this point, I would do anything just to have something to do outside of the house and be paid for it.  I'm crossing my fingers for the next internships I applied for and the first one back in...early August? Wow.

Trying not to let the little things get me down.  But I still need to shed a healthy stress-relieving tear sometimes.  I'm striving to remain positive and optimistic about the bleak future ahead.  With personal dilemmas and non-existent work stories, I feel staying motivated might stop me from sinking into depression and a few prayers never hurt either.

TOPIC:  Conspiracies of the food industry and control in your life

I feel I would like to have more control over my life; we all know realistically that we do not and cannot control every little detail.  So who is really controlling what you are eating?  Who has control of your decisions?  Is it you? The industry? Advertisers?  Marketing people?  Are these really your independent choices?

Of course the answer to that is YES.  It is ultimately your decision.  I don't understand why we even need to discuss this.  I've read over cases especially where nutrition is concerned like lawsuits against McDonald's for causing obesity.  Blame goes to the company because they "forced" the product onto the consumer.  To be honest,  I'm on the company's side.  They're just doing their job to survive in a free market economy.  The fact that they persuaded you to buy their product is just evidence of effective marketing.  You can always say no, you know?  There is a new bill in debate that will place the NLEA nutrition label in the FRONT of packaging.  This is in hopes that consumers are more aware of what they are buying and can make healthier choices.  Then what's the point of PDP (principal display panel), saving the marketing and design for consumers to see?  Is it really that hard to turn a package around and check out the calories?  No...plus you lose a couple more calories from exerting the energy to lift and turn the package.  Bravo to you.

So who is the boss? YOU.  And don't you forget it.  Happy grocery shopping!

No class schedule; your Major, your Life

This is so weird.  The fall quarter has started at Cal Poly and I have no class schedule.  I don't have to wait for SLO transit to slug down the street at its snail pace.  I don't have to deal with crowded hallways.  I don't have to suffocate in a cement library.  And most of all, I don't have to run up and down the hilly campus to get to those darn microbio labs on the fourth floor of Fisher. lol.
Don't get me wrong.  I totally miss the busy-ness of school. And the close community of friends.  I miss the craft center too.  I think my brain is melting from lack of use. Geez. This will have to be a short entry as I have to prep for my job interview. I have no idea what to wear. Goodness.

So I finished reading "Complicated" and found it rather enlightening.  I was hoping for more case studies but he gets heavy into the ethics of surgery and the patient/doctor dynamic.  It's one of those books that question protocol and why things are the way they are.  Like...why do you need to ask this question? Is it going to do good or harm?  Fascinating book all the same.

I was perusing my first food science textbook I bought freshmen year.  The professor said it would be a good reference.  And it cost me an arm and a leg so it had better. lol. The first chapter is about why you should major in food science, the job prospects, etc.  I have to give you a quote because it is hilarious.
Q: Will food science students be immediately employable after completion of a B.S. degree?
A:"Yes. Most students have no difficulty obtaining employment throughout the food industry..."

HAHAHAHA. Clearly the book didn't take into account a changing jobless economy. Oh well. I'm starting on Marion Nestle's Food Politics and super stoked. Next entry I'll cover food industry consumer ethics and a common trend we will notice in today's packaging: reducing sodium. Laters!

Sociology section smells weird

I was just at the SF Main Library because the best dorks still read books FOR FREE.  That's right. I was perusing the sociology sections looking for Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers and Blink when I smelled something nast.  I figure it must be the sweat and tears sociologists shed when trying to solve society's problems, of which most are impossible.  Tear. So escaping that area quickly, I found two new reads to occupy my unemployment hours: 

Food Politics- Marion Nestle  & Complications- Atul Gawande

 

 

Marion Nestle was a guest speaker at Cal Poly for one of our agriculture panels.  I never got a chance to listen or speak to her but many of the professors were putting up a hellavaloo about her coming to campus.  For the good and bad reasons, this woman brought a lot of controversy.  I haven't started on that book yet but I'll definitely keep you up to date on the "corruptions of the food industry."  Funny. As much as I love the SLOWfood USA movement and other sustainable causes, it doesn't seem feasible in our country.  Plus, all the technology the industry utilizes to ensure safe food and a long shelf life. Yum? It would be if we actually did something good like invest in research on how to create a product for those in impoverish countries to maintain a STANDARD nutrition level.  But that's just my stance on the whole industry thing.

Moving on! There was much talk about the book Complications at the local art center I was volunteering at this past summer.  And I have to admit here my slight obsession with the medical field from watching a lot of House M.D. and Grey's Anatomy.  I'm not sure why I never got into the field. Wait, I remember! Takes too long to learn all that and I have no money for med school. Whoop! Still utterly fascinating.  This book makes you doubt doctors and the whole "what is medical school for exactly?"  Completely terrifiying, stomach squirming details of true story events that go on in a hospital.  Reading is like crack.  Start and you can't stop. I'm enjoying this book so far.

Today has been mildly productive.  Still checking my email every 5minutes expecting at least an acknowledgment email from employers.  I was complimented on my outfit by the nice librarian.  And another extremely nice librarian FINALLY fixed my barcode on my very old, very sentimental library card.  I can't seem to let go... 

Yes sir! I've had this for 17years and counting now. Wowza!

So to continue my productive day, I am making a trip to the dreaded phone people.  Boo for hidden charges in phone upgrades. Lovely. Until another day, happy reading.

To be or not?

It took me forever to settle on a blog name because the one I truly wanted was already taken.  But I have finally made a blog to tell you all about the awkward in-between when you have a four year degree but no job. Yay? Yes, YAY!

I graduated with a B.S. in Food Science but with a flair and knack for marketing.  No surprise since I thought every lab report should have been a marketing proposal and I spent more time on drawing and designing the cover than the actual data and analysis. Tsk tsk.  Thank goodness for professors who can acknowledge creative talent and provide an outlet of which I can excel at.  So while I play the waiting game with job-prospects, I shall entertain you with all the knowledge I know about food and what I actually learned in four years. Because yes, you can graduate close to honors in four short years with some knowledge in your head.  Or at least I think so.

This is not your average Alton Brown "Good Eats" type of conversation here.  Though it is nice to know what goes on inside your kitchen pot.  In addition to information like that, I will delve into the secrets behind your scrumptious chicken-pot-pie..from a box. Yes! The world of food manufacturing!  It is all around us and even though the world wants to move towards greener pastures (Oh I'm so witty. lol), we cannot ignore how the food industry has made an impact in our lives.

In conclusion! This blog will cover kitchen science, food manufacturing science, food explorations, art design and random crafty projects.  I hope you are as excited as I am! Get ready, 123go!