I finally finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I had been reading it on and off since September because I had been applying to jobs, got a new job, and started working on my grad school application. I thought that it was an amazing novel and difficult to put down at times. It doesn't take long for the story to get underway or to get the reader intrigued. It is a difficult read, however, and I found myself having to go back several chapters to re-read certain parts to get a better understanding. The characters are complex, and there are very many characters that you have to follow. Also, the novel has an incredible amount of detail and each detail is key to the mystery. I highly recommend this novel, and since I usually never enjoy mystery novels, you know that it has to be good!
I plan to read the other two novels that follow this one, but before I go out to buy them, I will be finishing The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I began this book over the summer, but never had a chance to finish it because I borrowed it from the library. When my time ran out, I had about 150 pages left, and I wasn't allowed to renew it because it had a waitlist. I asked for it for Christmas, and I can now finish it. So far, it has been incredible! I absolutely love this book, and I recommend it to anyone. It is a quick read, and opens your eyes to both gender and racial issues through quite a new perspective. IT IS A MUST READ.
I hope you all had a very merry Christmas! I know I did! And it snowed Christmas morning, which was cool. It snowed today as well, but only about half an inch. Some people around us, about 2 hours South and North, are getting 6-12 inches, and New York, Boston, and Connecticut are getting 1-2 feet! I'm glad we didn't get that much snow. I am still recovering from last year's two huge snow storms. Also, it is too difficult to get to work when it snows and it just makes things dangerous. I love the cold weather, but hate the snow! lol.
Anyway, back to Christmas. I love all the gifts that I received, from both family and friends. Julie, Annie, Andrea, and I went to Clyde's in D.C. for our Christmas dinner and gift exchange. We all got dressed up super cute and took the metro into D.C. Annie gave me a drink mixer, lotion, body spray, lip gloss, a cute ornament, and a Penn State shot glass; and Andrea and Julie gave me a purse from Guess. It was so fun! From my family I got a lot of books: The Help, The Glass Castle, Half-Broke Horses, Aunt Julie and the Scriptwriter, Traveling with Pomegranates, and the complete works of Shakespeare, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells. Also, I got two desk calendars, one for work and one for home, an Irish Dancer figurine by Demdaco, a jewelry hanging organizer, a glass picture frame, a very cute pair of pink pumps, and some cute ornaments to add to the tree. I didn't ask for much since my mom bought a lot of my new work clothes only a month ago.
Well, I cannot believe 2010 is almost over! I will be heading up to Connecticut on Friday to celebrate the New Year with Josh and his family at his mom's house. I'm excited for this trip and it will be a nice break away from work, even if I will only be up there for 3 days. I wish you all a Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
"Dance till the stars come down from the rafters, Dance, Dance, Dance till you drop" -- W. H. Auden
A few weeks ago, a dance critique posted a review of "George Balanchine's Nutcracker." Here is the link to the review: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/arts/dance/29nutcracker.html
His final statements in this review are what stirred controversy in the dance world. He says, "This didn’t feel, however, like an opening night. Jenifer Ringer, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, looked as if she’d eaten one sugar plum too many." Even though this is a critique and he is allowed to state his opinions, I think he was pushing his freedom too far with this comment. The dancer was well spoken in her reply to this comment on the Today Show. She explains how she overcame a long battle with a couple eating disorders, problems that arose because of the need to have a "perfect ballerina's body," and her inability to cope with the adult professional world. She concludes her conversation by saying that dancing should be about celebrating who your are, no matter what body type. All woman who take part in any dance genre are gorgeous and represent the art and beauty of dance through their many forms.
"Dance Me to the End of Love" Copyright © Jack Vettriano
His final statements in this review are what stirred controversy in the dance world. He says, "This didn’t feel, however, like an opening night. Jenifer Ringer, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, looked as if she’d eaten one sugar plum too many." Even though this is a critique and he is allowed to state his opinions, I think he was pushing his freedom too far with this comment. The dancer was well spoken in her reply to this comment on the Today Show. She explains how she overcame a long battle with a couple eating disorders, problems that arose because of the need to have a "perfect ballerina's body," and her inability to cope with the adult professional world. She concludes her conversation by saying that dancing should be about celebrating who your are, no matter what body type. All woman who take part in any dance genre are gorgeous and represent the art and beauty of dance through their many forms.
I have posted some beautiful pictures that I found:
Jenifer Ringer in "George Balanchine's Nutcracker"
Two Modern Dancers
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Black Swan
On Tuesday, Andrea and I saw Black Swan. I enjoyed this movie a great deal, and I even enjoyed the suspenseful and scary parts, which I usually don't enjoy because I don't like scary movies. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good dance movie, a semi-scary movie, or a psychological thriller. It wasn't really scary as much as it was jumpy and had people popping up and out of nowhere. I loved the dancing and I was glad that most of the scenes included dancing and a lot of the movements in slow motion or up close so you could really see the technique.
The movie is about a ballerina, Nina, who is a perfectionist and somewhat scandalously lands the role of Swan Queen in the Swan Lake Ballet. She dances for the NYC Ballet and appears to be one of the director's favorites. As the movie gets underway the audience realizes her mother is the typical stage mom who is living her long lost ballet career through her daughter. She treats her daughter like a little girl, tucking her into bed at night, helping her undress and put her clothes and jewelry away, and preparing her food. Nina seems to like this treatment at first, but becomes annoyed by it as the movie goes on. It is clear that her entire life has been about Ballet and all of her hard work finally leads her to her goal as the lead role in the Ballet.
However, this is not just a movie about a prima ballerina and her role in Swan Lake; it is about the competitive nature of the dance world and the psychological and physical effects it has on a dancer. Nina finds her competition in Lily, a new dancer to the company who is beautiful, in a dark--temptress sort of way, and who is a carefree and sensual dancer. Nina appears jealous by Lily's ability to let go, and dance in the moment, the exact character that she needs to become for the role of the Black Swan. She has the character of the White Swan perfect, but in order to be the best and most captivating Swan Queen, she needs to portray the passionate and luscious nature of the Black Swan. Nina works her hardest to capture this personality in her dancing, but fails to impress the director. I believe it is at this point that she starts to become psychologically affected by her competition, and she begins to worry that other people are trying to hurt her to obtain her role. She starts scratching herself, a nervous habit that she had as a child. Her mom sees her problems coming back and tries to put a stop to it by watching over every move of her daughter. As the movie becomes more intertwined with the gruesome physical effects that are a result of psychological illnesses, we see Nina become captivated by Lily, perhaps indicating that she is succoming to Lily's "spell." As the two girls go out for a night at the club to release stress, Lily and Nina's relationship escalates into a passion for love. She tempts Nina in the same way the Black Swan is a seducer to the White Swan's Prince, and convinces her to take drugs and disobey her mother.
However, Nina realizes Lily's behavior was intrusive to her perfectionist ways, for she arrives late to the dress rehearsal and Lily eventually becomes Nina's back up. This drives Nina mad and she begins to think that Lily is out to get her. She oversleeps on the day of the show and her mom tells the director that she cannot dance because she is sick. Nina has really been scratching herself and has fallen psychological ill with competitiveness and paranoia. When she wakes up, she pushing past her mom, hurting her in the process, and runs to the theater. She arrives just in time to see Lily dressed up to dance the part of the Swan Queen. Nina convinces the director that she is fine to dance the part, and she gets dressed for the show. As she goes on stage, she dances the White Swan beautifully. All seems to be going perfectly until she returns to her dressing room to changes to the Black Swan. Lily is sitting there, dressed as the black swan. She tells her that she doesn't believe Nina will make it through the rest of the performance, that she will not be able to handle it. Nina is infuriated and starts to fight with her. As they struggle, they fall into a mirror against the wall, which shatters around them. Nina picks up a piece of the mirror and stabs Lily in the stomach. As she falls dead, Nina drags her body into the bathroom to hide the body. After killing Lily, she is overcome by an evil and dark spell that allows her to dance the Black Swan part with more emotion and passion than she could have ever done before. She appears to have taken on Lily's character, but darker.
After that part of the play ends, she returns to her dressing room to change back to her White Swan costume, but sees the blood draining out from under the bathroom door. She throws a towel down to cover up the blood and then continues to get ready. She is clearly shaken by what she has done, but her thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. When she opens it, Lily is standing there. Nina is shocked, didn't she just kill her? Lily tells her what a wonderful job she did and how she amazed the audience and the director. She congratulates her for a great show and then leaves to get ready for the last scene. Nina shuts the door and turns to the bathroom. She picks up the towel and there is no blood, no body in the bathroom, and the mirror is shattered. She is confused for a moment, but then realizes what really happened. As she reaches to her stomach, blood begins to seep through her costume and she pulls out a shard of glass. Nina stabbed herself, and has only moments to live before the end of her career, and thus her life. She takes the stage, bleeding, but no one seems to notice. She dances the last scene--the one where the White Swan leaps off the cliff to kill herself after losing her prince to the Black Swan. The ballet ends and the dancers come to congratulate her. They see that she is bleeding and run to get help, but Nina is totally content. She achieved her life goal, danced the dance of her life, and ended it in the same passionate, and "beautiful" way that is described in Swan Lake.
You can interpret the meanings in this movie multiple ways. As I see it, Nina embodied Swan Lake. She became the Swan Queen physically and mentally. The movie basically told the story of Swan Lake, but in a raw, brutal way that was mixed with the beauty of the ballet. We saw Nina go through the glory of being idealized by the director, just as the White Swan is idealized by her prince. Then we see her become jealous and fall to the psychological effects of jealousy as Lily, the Black Swan, tempts both her and the director. We see the director fall for Lily, just as the prince falls for the Black Swan instead of the White Swan. And as Nina falls into sadness and illness, she ends up killing herself over the loss of her love, just as the White Swan kills herself at the end of Swan Lake.
Interestingly, you could interpret Lily to be a figment of Nina's imagination. Meaning that Nina was both herself and Lily. Just as the Swan Queen portrays the White Swan and Black Swan. This becomes evident when she thinks she stabs Lily, but really stabs herself. Also, she thought that Lily slept over her house after their night out, but Lily told her that she never spent the night.
Lastly, you could interpret Ballet to not just be Nina's career, but also her life. She watches the fall of a dancer, the former ballerina who had the lead role in the other ballets, because she was getting too old. Nina fears the fact that at some point, a younger dancer will replace her. Also, after that former ballerina tries to kill herself by jumping in front of a car, Nina visits her at the hospital and sees her injuries that she will have to live with. Perhaps Nina knew that by stabbing herself and letting herself bleed to death, she would not have to live without dance. Dance is her life and because she feels that she wouldn't be able to live with out dance, she realizes that she can escape being replaced by ending her career herself. She does not wait for someone to do it for her, instead she embodies every movement of the ballet to be forever remembered, ending the ballet, her career, and her life as the Swan Queen.
The movie is about a ballerina, Nina, who is a perfectionist and somewhat scandalously lands the role of Swan Queen in the Swan Lake Ballet. She dances for the NYC Ballet and appears to be one of the director's favorites. As the movie gets underway the audience realizes her mother is the typical stage mom who is living her long lost ballet career through her daughter. She treats her daughter like a little girl, tucking her into bed at night, helping her undress and put her clothes and jewelry away, and preparing her food. Nina seems to like this treatment at first, but becomes annoyed by it as the movie goes on. It is clear that her entire life has been about Ballet and all of her hard work finally leads her to her goal as the lead role in the Ballet.
However, this is not just a movie about a prima ballerina and her role in Swan Lake; it is about the competitive nature of the dance world and the psychological and physical effects it has on a dancer. Nina finds her competition in Lily, a new dancer to the company who is beautiful, in a dark--temptress sort of way, and who is a carefree and sensual dancer. Nina appears jealous by Lily's ability to let go, and dance in the moment, the exact character that she needs to become for the role of the Black Swan. She has the character of the White Swan perfect, but in order to be the best and most captivating Swan Queen, she needs to portray the passionate and luscious nature of the Black Swan. Nina works her hardest to capture this personality in her dancing, but fails to impress the director. I believe it is at this point that she starts to become psychologically affected by her competition, and she begins to worry that other people are trying to hurt her to obtain her role. She starts scratching herself, a nervous habit that she had as a child. Her mom sees her problems coming back and tries to put a stop to it by watching over every move of her daughter. As the movie becomes more intertwined with the gruesome physical effects that are a result of psychological illnesses, we see Nina become captivated by Lily, perhaps indicating that she is succoming to Lily's "spell." As the two girls go out for a night at the club to release stress, Lily and Nina's relationship escalates into a passion for love. She tempts Nina in the same way the Black Swan is a seducer to the White Swan's Prince, and convinces her to take drugs and disobey her mother.
However, Nina realizes Lily's behavior was intrusive to her perfectionist ways, for she arrives late to the dress rehearsal and Lily eventually becomes Nina's back up. This drives Nina mad and she begins to think that Lily is out to get her. She oversleeps on the day of the show and her mom tells the director that she cannot dance because she is sick. Nina has really been scratching herself and has fallen psychological ill with competitiveness and paranoia. When she wakes up, she pushing past her mom, hurting her in the process, and runs to the theater. She arrives just in time to see Lily dressed up to dance the part of the Swan Queen. Nina convinces the director that she is fine to dance the part, and she gets dressed for the show. As she goes on stage, she dances the White Swan beautifully. All seems to be going perfectly until she returns to her dressing room to changes to the Black Swan. Lily is sitting there, dressed as the black swan. She tells her that she doesn't believe Nina will make it through the rest of the performance, that she will not be able to handle it. Nina is infuriated and starts to fight with her. As they struggle, they fall into a mirror against the wall, which shatters around them. Nina picks up a piece of the mirror and stabs Lily in the stomach. As she falls dead, Nina drags her body into the bathroom to hide the body. After killing Lily, she is overcome by an evil and dark spell that allows her to dance the Black Swan part with more emotion and passion than she could have ever done before. She appears to have taken on Lily's character, but darker.
After that part of the play ends, she returns to her dressing room to change back to her White Swan costume, but sees the blood draining out from under the bathroom door. She throws a towel down to cover up the blood and then continues to get ready. She is clearly shaken by what she has done, but her thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. When she opens it, Lily is standing there. Nina is shocked, didn't she just kill her? Lily tells her what a wonderful job she did and how she amazed the audience and the director. She congratulates her for a great show and then leaves to get ready for the last scene. Nina shuts the door and turns to the bathroom. She picks up the towel and there is no blood, no body in the bathroom, and the mirror is shattered. She is confused for a moment, but then realizes what really happened. As she reaches to her stomach, blood begins to seep through her costume and she pulls out a shard of glass. Nina stabbed herself, and has only moments to live before the end of her career, and thus her life. She takes the stage, bleeding, but no one seems to notice. She dances the last scene--the one where the White Swan leaps off the cliff to kill herself after losing her prince to the Black Swan. The ballet ends and the dancers come to congratulate her. They see that she is bleeding and run to get help, but Nina is totally content. She achieved her life goal, danced the dance of her life, and ended it in the same passionate, and "beautiful" way that is described in Swan Lake.
You can interpret the meanings in this movie multiple ways. As I see it, Nina embodied Swan Lake. She became the Swan Queen physically and mentally. The movie basically told the story of Swan Lake, but in a raw, brutal way that was mixed with the beauty of the ballet. We saw Nina go through the glory of being idealized by the director, just as the White Swan is idealized by her prince. Then we see her become jealous and fall to the psychological effects of jealousy as Lily, the Black Swan, tempts both her and the director. We see the director fall for Lily, just as the prince falls for the Black Swan instead of the White Swan. And as Nina falls into sadness and illness, she ends up killing herself over the loss of her love, just as the White Swan kills herself at the end of Swan Lake.
Interestingly, you could interpret Lily to be a figment of Nina's imagination. Meaning that Nina was both herself and Lily. Just as the Swan Queen portrays the White Swan and Black Swan. This becomes evident when she thinks she stabs Lily, but really stabs herself. Also, she thought that Lily slept over her house after their night out, but Lily told her that she never spent the night.
Lastly, you could interpret Ballet to not just be Nina's career, but also her life. She watches the fall of a dancer, the former ballerina who had the lead role in the other ballets, because she was getting too old. Nina fears the fact that at some point, a younger dancer will replace her. Also, after that former ballerina tries to kill herself by jumping in front of a car, Nina visits her at the hospital and sees her injuries that she will have to live with. Perhaps Nina knew that by stabbing herself and letting herself bleed to death, she would not have to live without dance. Dance is her life and because she feels that she wouldn't be able to live with out dance, she realizes that she can escape being replaced by ending her career herself. She does not wait for someone to do it for her, instead she embodies every movement of the ballet to be forever remembered, ending the ballet, her career, and her life as the Swan Queen.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
If the Shoe Fits...
There are two things you can never have too many of: good friends and GOOD SHOES! lol. I love shoes and shopping for shoes. I definitely believe that a good pair of shoes can really pull an outfit together and make people notice your outfit. I take care of my shoes better than I take care of my clothes or my jewelry (except for my diamonds...those I prize above all). But back to my story: I had a coupon to use at DSW Shoe Warehouse. I went to find a pair of brown pumps that I can wear to work with my brown slacks and skirts. I have a bunch of black shoes--and you cannot wear those with brown dress clothes. Since I only have one pair of brown shoes, I decided I needed to get another pair. After searching the store for about 30 minutes I gave up my search because there were no cute brown pumps. That is why I purchased these cuties:
This pair of shoes is so fun and I can wear it with my brown slacks and skirts, and any black business clothes! Also, I can wear it out to parties or to formal occasions. The best part, besides the frill on the front, is the color! It is a soft, subtle pink that matches and accents a lot of my clothes. These are definitely a great pair of heels and I cannot wait to wear them to work tomorrow!
This pair of shoes is so fun and I can wear it with my brown slacks and skirts, and any black business clothes! Also, I can wear it out to parties or to formal occasions. The best part, besides the frill on the front, is the color! It is a soft, subtle pink that matches and accents a lot of my clothes. These are definitely a great pair of heels and I cannot wait to wear them to work tomorrow!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Today I saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. This movie was pretty good, not as good as the first two, but still very entertaining and captivating. I was a little lost as to all the details of the plot of the movie, since I didn't read the book, but I understood the basic plot so it was easy to follow. Also, I didn't really understand how it connected with the first two...or if it was supposed to connect. Even with that little bit of confusion I enjoyed the action scenes and special effects, and the childish feeling that it conveys--like that nostalgic feeling for the carefree life that children have, often felt when you watch Peter Pan. Interestingly, both of those movies illustrate an imaginary world that only children can enter because they still have their imaginations, and thus the capability to see that world. It's fun to feel like that kind of place could exist, or at least remember the feeling of being a child and being able to believe in those things and their existence.
I enjoyed the characters in this movie, for they were the same characters that were in the first two movies, and now there is a new character to continue the story for the next movie. I'm not sure how well that will work out, since the four main characters that have been in the first two movies will not be in the next movie. I think people have grown fond of these characters, and may not be interested in seeing the 4th movie with all new characters. Or maybe it will be just as great as these three movies. All in all, I definitely recommend this movie, even if you have not read the books or seen the other two movies in this series. It is a great action movie with good acting and it is fun to watch.
I enjoyed the characters in this movie, for they were the same characters that were in the first two movies, and now there is a new character to continue the story for the next movie. I'm not sure how well that will work out, since the four main characters that have been in the first two movies will not be in the next movie. I think people have grown fond of these characters, and may not be interested in seeing the 4th movie with all new characters. Or maybe it will be just as great as these three movies. All in all, I definitely recommend this movie, even if you have not read the books or seen the other two movies in this series. It is a great action movie with good acting and it is fun to watch.
Monday, December 6, 2010
"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"
Have you ever worked really hard for something, devoted all of your free time and physical being to becoming better at something, and then not receive what you believe is a just reward. I always feel that I go the extra mile to be good at everything I do, and yet, I do not feel that I receive a just reward. I suppose this happens to everyone at some point, but some people just seem lucky and ALWAYS get what they want--without even working for it. I'm probably just being bitter and ranting, but I have to get it out of my system. In the end, I know that I should be grateful for what I have and what I have accomplished, even if it isn't what I originally set as my goal. If I don't achieve my goal the first time, I need to try harder for next time, and hopefully I will achieve it. I am truly grateful and thankful for my achievements, and happy with what I have accomplished, but is it wrong to feel robbed or cheated from your goal if you have worked so hard, put in the hours, and honestly believe you deserve it? I think it is reasonable, but maybe I need to count my blessing and be humble--which I hope to be able to do after getting these thoughts out of my mind. I think that as I get older and experience more struggles, I become more cynical about the way some people never work for anything and always come away with more than those who work so hard to get half of what the under achievers receive. Now I know that is a harsh comment, but I've seen it happen far too often and it makes me frustrated. The only way to get over these frustrations is to work harder and accomplish my goals, and hope that I can prove that you need to work hard to accomplish your goals. Perhaps I just wasn't meant to accomplish my goals yet, perhaps I need more time to work harder and prove my capabilities.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Morning Glory
Today Andrea and I saw Morning Glory. I was unimpressed and a little let down. For some reason, I expected this movie to be better than what I saw. I thought it would be funnier and a little less awkward. I love Rachel McAdams, and I love how she has played a variety of roles for all the movies that she has starred in, but I was disappointed in her character. I though she acted the part well, though. She plays this awkward, frantic, and work-absorbed morning news producer for a failing morning news show. Practically every scene has her doing something embarrassing or running in a frenzy to get somewhere. And I mean, COME ON PEOPLE, no woman could run that long in heels without having to wear sneakers or flip flops the next day. SERIOUSLY. I found that type of character cute at first, but it became increasingly annoying as the movie dragged on. And of course, a charming, semi-good looking guy falls in love with her quirky and eccentric mannerisms. After some predictable plot twists and resolutions, the movie begins to come to a close, but takes a little longer than it should have, and ends happily for all parties involved. Morning Glory is a "nice date / I don't want to think too deeply" kind of movie with lovably characters and a story of success that all young journalists aspire to.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
When life is busy, the blog is neglected
Unfortunately, I have been very busy the past couple of weeks and I have not been able to update this blog. However, I was busy because I got a job! My first professional job! I am a junior proposal writer for a government contracting company. I've only been there for about two weeks, but I've been learning a lot and I will be working on some proposals this week! It is exciting work and very fast paced. So far I am enjoying the job, but I have been having trouble getting accustomed to the long hours. I work from 9am to 6pm, which is a huge increase from the number of hours that I worked at Hallmark. But it will pay off in the end--I hope! I am officially starting my career, and I'm glad I found a job in less than a year from when I graduated college.
Technically, I didn't find this job...they found me! During September I started searching hard core for jobs. I posted my resume on monster.com and careerbuilder.com, and I applied for over 50 jobs in two weeks. As the weeks went on, I didn't hear back from anyone and I began to give up. But then, on a Friday in October, I got a call from the company I now work with. They asked me to participate in a phone interview and after I finished answering their questions, they invited me in for a face-to-face interview! I was very excited and couldn't believe I got a call from a job I didn't even apply to! After the interview, with four people, and two weeks of waiting, I got an offer for a position as a Junior Proposal Writer.
Other than working about 50-55 hours per week, I'm trying to keep up with dance practice and applying for graduate school. It is tough to keep everything organized when a new life path starts. Luckily, I was able to get a day (Thanksgiving) off during my first month so I could have a break from all the chaos. Speaking of Thanksgiving...I love turkey and I ate so much turkey. Also, I made homemade baked mac and cheese. It turned out well and everyone really liked it! While making it, I learned how to temper an egg, which I had to research because I had never heard of it before. Here is the recipe for baked mac and cheese:
Ingredients:
Technically, I didn't find this job...they found me! During September I started searching hard core for jobs. I posted my resume on monster.com and careerbuilder.com, and I applied for over 50 jobs in two weeks. As the weeks went on, I didn't hear back from anyone and I began to give up. But then, on a Friday in October, I got a call from the company I now work with. They asked me to participate in a phone interview and after I finished answering their questions, they invited me in for a face-to-face interview! I was very excited and couldn't believe I got a call from a job I didn't even apply to! After the interview, with four people, and two weeks of waiting, I got an offer for a position as a Junior Proposal Writer.
Other than working about 50-55 hours per week, I'm trying to keep up with dance practice and applying for graduate school. It is tough to keep everything organized when a new life path starts. Luckily, I was able to get a day (Thanksgiving) off during my first month so I could have a break from all the chaos. Speaking of Thanksgiving...I love turkey and I ate so much turkey. Also, I made homemade baked mac and cheese. It turned out well and everyone really liked it! While making it, I learned how to temper an egg, which I had to research because I had never heard of it before. Here is the recipe for baked mac and cheese:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 large egg
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper
Topping:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, and paprika.
- Simmer for ten minutes
- Temper in the egg
- Stir in 3/4 of the cheese
- Season with salt and pepper
- Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish
- Top with remaining cheese
- Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat
- Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs
- Bake for 30 minutes
- Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving
The only other dish I made for dinner was dessert and I made brownies. I helped my mom make all the other dishes, which were delicious! Interestingly, I had the most trouble assembling the crescent rolls! They were the ones that come in the tin that you pop open and then peel apart and lay on the baking sheet. I hate popping that stupid tin open! It scares me every time, and I nearly throw the thing when it pops! I didn't realize that I had to unroll the whole roll of dough and then form them into crescents. I started peeling it apart while it was rolled up and I couldn't figure out why they didn't look like crescents. Then, my mom and Josh were like "oh no, Shannon! You did it wrong!!!!" And then they showed me how to do it...lol.
Thanksgiving was so fun and relaxing, which made it hard to go back to work the next day. I did get in some Black Friday shopping before going to work on Friday. My mom and I went to Tyson's Corner Mall at midnight for the grand opening. It was absolutely crazy! We only went to one store, New York & Company because of the 50% off sale, and the line went all the way around the store! We had to be home by 2:00 am because I needed to sleep before work, so we didn't get to visit any other stores. However, we went back to the mall on Saturday. I was able to get a lot of business clothes for work, and the best part was that the clothes were all 50% off or more! I just love getting a great sale!
Thus, my Thanksgiving break was amazing, because food and shopping makes me happy, especially when combined into a span of three days! Also, I was able to see Julie and Drea, which made the Thanksgiving break even better. We saw the first part of the final Harry Potter movie, which was INCREDIBLE!!! I loved the movie. And I want to see it again sometime soon...probably when it gets to the cheaper theater though. I need to see the movie again before writing a blog post about it because it has now been about a week since I saw the movie and don't remember all the minor details I would like to discuss. I recommend you see the movie if you love Harry Potter like I do--it won't disappoint! Unfortunately, I didn't get to see my Annie Banannie!!! However, she now has a blog so we can all follow her life and stalk her meticulously. I hope this blog was a sufficient update. If I think of more, I will try to add it in before another two months go by!
Love,
Shannon
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Mao's Last Dancer
Andrea and I saw Mao's Last Dancer on Friday. It was an excellent movie! It is based on the life of Li Cunxin, a Ballet dancer from the Beijing Dance Academy. He was born into poverty in the Shandong province of the People's Republic of China, but was taken to the Beijing Dance Academy at the age of eleven. He develops into a wonderful dancer and Ben Stevenson's Houston Ballet Company selects him to come study with them for a couple of months. While in America, he faces inner conflict between his allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party and his new found feelings of freedom. However, after falling for a girl, who he meets at the Ballet studio, he decides to stay in America by marrying her. It is hard to say whether or not he truly loved her, because he decides to stay in America only after he hears that he can through marriage. I think that he thought he loved her, and thus wanted to marry her. They were still in the "honeymoon phase" of their relationship and never had a fight, so he probably thought it would work out and he would get the added bonus of staying in America and being able to dance for the Houston Ballet. Their marriage sets the stage for conflict and struggle and then the later freedom and happiness of Li Cunxin.
Aside from the story, I also enjoyed the dancing immensely. Unlike most movies that involve dancing, this one slowed down the movements so you could see what the dancer was actually doing. It was amazing to see the strength and technique of the dancers, especially the movements of Chi Cho, the dancer portraying Li Cunxin. I definitely give this move two thumbs up and recommend anyone interested in dancing, especially ballet, to go and see this one!
And......
CHEER CHEER FOR OLD NOTRE DAME,
wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky.
What though the odds be great or small
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons are marching
Onward to victory.
Notre Dame finally won a game after losing three in a row!!! They are now 2-3. Hopefully they can have a repeat next week against Pittsburgh. Also, the Redskins won today!! Woot woot! But they got lucky, they could have lost in those last few seconds if the other team had not dropped the ball. I guess a win's a win.
Aside from the story, I also enjoyed the dancing immensely. Unlike most movies that involve dancing, this one slowed down the movements so you could see what the dancer was actually doing. It was amazing to see the strength and technique of the dancers, especially the movements of Chi Cho, the dancer portraying Li Cunxin. I definitely give this move two thumbs up and recommend anyone interested in dancing, especially ballet, to go and see this one!
And......
CHEER CHEER FOR OLD NOTRE DAME,
wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky.
What though the odds be great or small
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons are marching
Onward to victory.
Notre Dame finally won a game after losing three in a row!!! They are now 2-3. Hopefully they can have a repeat next week against Pittsburgh. Also, the Redskins won today!! Woot woot! But they got lucky, they could have lost in those last few seconds if the other team had not dropped the ball. I guess a win's a win.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Happy October 1st!!!
The leaves are finally changing colors and the weather is beginning to cool down! I am so happy! This summer has been extremely hot and it is time for some cold weather. This week was pretty normal...I went to work, dance class, and started reading a new book. I am reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I am only twenty pages in and it is interesting, but there is a lot of information to absorb all at once. I will keep updates about it as I progress into the story.
Also, Dancing with the Stars was exciting this week. Many of the dancers improved greatly. However, Michael Bolton's Jive was not so great and he got a lashing by Bruno Tonioli, one of the judges. Tonioli said that it was the worst Jive he had seen in all eleven seasons. This comment was pretty harsh and Len Goodman, head judge, told Tonioli that he should keep those comments to himself. The results show revealed that America agreed with Tonioli and Bolton was voted off.
Some more controversy arose when the audience started booing after the results for Jennifer Grey and Derek. I didn't even realize that there was a controversy, but apparently it somehow appeared as if the audience was booing Sarah Palin, but they were booing the three eights that the judges gave to Jennifer and Derek. This controversy had to be cleared up during the results show with an unedited version of the clip.
Also, Dancing with the Stars was exciting this week. Many of the dancers improved greatly. However, Michael Bolton's Jive was not so great and he got a lashing by Bruno Tonioli, one of the judges. Tonioli said that it was the worst Jive he had seen in all eleven seasons. This comment was pretty harsh and Len Goodman, head judge, told Tonioli that he should keep those comments to himself. The results show revealed that America agreed with Tonioli and Bolton was voted off.
Some more controversy arose when the audience started booing after the results for Jennifer Grey and Derek. I didn't even realize that there was a controversy, but apparently it somehow appeared as if the audience was booing Sarah Palin, but they were booing the three eights that the judges gave to Jennifer and Derek. This controversy had to be cleared up during the results show with an unedited version of the clip.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Philly Trip
Last week, Josh, Steve (Josh's roommate), and I went on a day trip to Philly. It took us a little over three hours to get there because of traffic. We began our trip with lunch at DiNic's in Reading Terminal. I had the best roast beef sandwich! We decided to go to DiNic's when Josh saw it on the Food Network show Man vs. Food.
After lunch we began our tour of Philly. First we walked to the house of Edgar A. Poe. It was a long walk from Reading Terminal, but definitely worth it! Poe lived in this house for about a year and wrote a couple of his most famous works here: "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" were among those works. Also, while living here, his wife fell ill with tuberculosis, from which she later died. She was his inspiration for the poem "Annabel Lee." The house is still in great condition and definitely worth a quick visit if you get the chance. You might just here the beating of the old man's heart!
After our walk around the waterfront, we headed to the Franklin Fountain, an ice cream parlour. We decided to have dessert first since it was close to the waterfront, and we had a long walk back to the car before going to dinner. The Franklin Fountain was opened a few years ago in 2004, and the shop used to be a candy store that sold "eroticakes"-- "evocative lollipops and biologically inspired baked goods" (http://www.franklinfountain.com/index.php). Hahahahaha.
After having an ice cream sundae, we walked back to our car and then drove over to Pat's for Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. Pat's sits directly across from Geno's, its Philly cheesesteak competitor. The rivalry has been going on for many years and was featured on Food Feuds, a Food Network series. However, Pat's claims to have invented the Philly steak sandwich in 1933 and Geno's did not open until the 1966. Geno's capture a lot of attention with it's flashy colors and casino lighting, but do its cheesesteak's compare to the Pat's? I don't know. I only ate a sandwich from Pat's because Josh and Steve said it is better than Geno's. Josh tested this a few months ago when he had a sandwich from Geno's and then had a sandwich from Pat's. The next time I go to Philly I will have to have a sandwich from Geno's so I can make my own verdict. My cheesesteak from Pat's was delicious and we did not have to wait in a long line, which was amazing!
After dinner, we headed home to Virginia. Philly is a fun city to visit and there are many free attractions and things to do. I definitely recommend tasting all the food it has to offer, especially the Philly cheesesteak!
The picture above is of a painting of Poe on a building just a block down from Poe's house. There were other wall paintings like this throughout the city. Pretty cool!!!!
Next we went to the Liberty Bell and then we went to Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and signed. After that, we went to the First Bank of the United States. We didn't get to go in because it was closed, but being there and seeing it was just as impressive!
If you look closely at the picture above, you can see Josh and Steve sitting on the steps! After a quick rest at the bank, we headed to the harbor to see the USS Olympia. We did not get to go on the ship because it was closed, so the next time we go back that it the first thing we are going to do. Some facts about the USS Olympia: it served the United States Navy from 1895 to 1922. It was the flagship of Commodore George Dewey at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. The ship served until WWI as a training ship for naval cadets. Also, it carried the remains of the First World War's Unknown Soldier from France to Washington, DC.
After having an ice cream sundae, we walked back to our car and then drove over to Pat's for Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. Pat's sits directly across from Geno's, its Philly cheesesteak competitor. The rivalry has been going on for many years and was featured on Food Feuds, a Food Network series. However, Pat's claims to have invented the Philly steak sandwich in 1933 and Geno's did not open until the 1966. Geno's capture a lot of attention with it's flashy colors and casino lighting, but do its cheesesteak's compare to the Pat's? I don't know. I only ate a sandwich from Pat's because Josh and Steve said it is better than Geno's. Josh tested this a few months ago when he had a sandwich from Geno's and then had a sandwich from Pat's. The next time I go to Philly I will have to have a sandwich from Geno's so I can make my own verdict. My cheesesteak from Pat's was delicious and we did not have to wait in a long line, which was amazing!
After dinner, we headed home to Virginia. Philly is a fun city to visit and there are many free attractions and things to do. I definitely recommend tasting all the food it has to offer, especially the Philly cheesesteak!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Worst Bug Ever!
Well, maybe. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug has come to Virginia! It is comparable to the cicadas that sprung up a few years ago, but they are not as big. They are just as gross and worthless though. They get into houses through air leaks and cracks and like to sit on the ceilings and crawl along anything they land on. When they fly around, they are loud and you can hear them running into things or falling to the floor after they hit something. Seriously, the bug is dumb. It will fly itself into a wall and die. Also, one hit with a fly swatter will kill the creepy invader. Furthermore, this stink bug has no stink! I've killed a few and I've never smelled anything afterward. Also, it doesn't sting or bite. So, it's basically just creepy and ugly, but I'm still terrified of it.
I noticed these bugs sometime around March and they kept invading my house until a few weeks ago. I thought they were gone for good, but then the weather started to get warm again and the bugs came back. As I climbed into my car after work, I noticed two sitting on the door. When I got home, the screen door was covered with them! I had to go in through the garage and there were some sitting on that door.
To find out more about them and to see a picture, here is a link to wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug
I noticed these bugs sometime around March and they kept invading my house until a few weeks ago. I thought they were gone for good, but then the weather started to get warm again and the bugs came back. As I climbed into my car after work, I noticed two sitting on the door. When I got home, the screen door was covered with them! I had to go in through the garage and there were some sitting on that door.
To find out more about them and to see a picture, here is a link to wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Awkward Situations
Many people know that I am a strong advocate for awkward situations. I think they are hysterical and you always have an interesting story to tell your friends later. However, when the awkward situation turns from funny to creepy, then I draw the line.
I finish shopping for my groceries and as the cashier is ringing up my food he asks, "How's school goin?" I tell him that I graduated and he's all, "Oh my! That is wonderful! What was your major?" I tell him that I majored in English and then he proceeds to ask me if I've found a job and all that. I tell him that I have not and he says, "You should write a book! That's what I'm doing!" I told him that I don't want to write a book, but I could edit one if I found a job in editing. He then says, "You should edit my book! Seriously! Write your name and address on this piece of paper!" LOL LOL LOL HELLZ NO! Maybe he was just being friendly and really wanted some help editing, but how do I know that for sure. You can never be too safe. I told him that I don't have enough editing experience and luckily the lady behind me interrupted him by explaining an issue she was having with the price of milk. I grabbed my bags and ran out of there so fast.
After that lovely encounter, I watched Dancing With the Stars. I was actually impressed with the cast and dancing! A couple of months ago I was unsure of the cast that was selected. It didn't seem like it would be very entertaining, but it actually was! Kyle Massey from the Disney Channel was surprisingly good and I was shocked at his ability to pick up the dance steps. He really woke up the crowd and stunned the audience. And I loved Jennifer Grey's waltz with Derek Hough. It was elegant and a great way to start the first show. For this week, David Hasselhoff received the least amount of votes and had to leave the show. I was not surprised by this outcome, for he was one of the few that I pegged as the first to go. I was actually hoping he would stay another week or two because he is pretty entertaining! I cannot wait for next week to see how the stars improve!
I finish shopping for my groceries and as the cashier is ringing up my food he asks, "How's school goin?" I tell him that I graduated and he's all, "Oh my! That is wonderful! What was your major?" I tell him that I majored in English and then he proceeds to ask me if I've found a job and all that. I tell him that I have not and he says, "You should write a book! That's what I'm doing!" I told him that I don't want to write a book, but I could edit one if I found a job in editing. He then says, "You should edit my book! Seriously! Write your name and address on this piece of paper!" LOL LOL LOL HELLZ NO! Maybe he was just being friendly and really wanted some help editing, but how do I know that for sure. You can never be too safe. I told him that I don't have enough editing experience and luckily the lady behind me interrupted him by explaining an issue she was having with the price of milk. I grabbed my bags and ran out of there so fast.
After that lovely encounter, I watched Dancing With the Stars. I was actually impressed with the cast and dancing! A couple of months ago I was unsure of the cast that was selected. It didn't seem like it would be very entertaining, but it actually was! Kyle Massey from the Disney Channel was surprisingly good and I was shocked at his ability to pick up the dance steps. He really woke up the crowd and stunned the audience. And I loved Jennifer Grey's waltz with Derek Hough. It was elegant and a great way to start the first show. For this week, David Hasselhoff received the least amount of votes and had to leave the show. I was not surprised by this outcome, for he was one of the few that I pegged as the first to go. I was actually hoping he would stay another week or two because he is pretty entertaining! I cannot wait for next week to see how the stars improve!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Reviewing My Weekend
I am reviewing my weekend today because it's pretty much over and I know what I am going to do tomorrow. I worked this weekend--just as I do every weekend. On Friday night, Drea and I went to the movies. We saw Easy A. It is a romantic comedy, and for the most part, it was pretty funny. A lot of the really funny parts are in the previews, but there are a couple of incredibly funny scenes that the previews did not give away. I enjoyed the whole movie, but I don't think I would watch it again. It would not be as funny the second time because the jokes are not that great.
Other than seeing the movie and hanging out with friends, work basically consumed my weekend. I don't mind working on the weekends, but sometimes I can feel a little short tempered. This is due to all the work that has to be done while making each customer feel like he or she is the only customer in the store and you have the whole day to help them. It can take a lot out of you. I leave work mentally and physically drained. At least Sunday won't be as long or tiring because I only have to work a few hours. And then the week starts again! Yay for Mondays...they always come so soon.
Other than seeing the movie and hanging out with friends, work basically consumed my weekend. I don't mind working on the weekends, but sometimes I can feel a little short tempered. This is due to all the work that has to be done while making each customer feel like he or she is the only customer in the store and you have the whole day to help them. It can take a lot out of you. I leave work mentally and physically drained. At least Sunday won't be as long or tiring because I only have to work a few hours. And then the week starts again! Yay for Mondays...they always come so soon.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
It's time to be PRODUCTIVE!
This blog has been on my "things to do list" for quite some time. And I finally made it! The next thing on my list is my grad school application. I need to start getting that organized.
Other than working on my application, I'm trying to spend less time on facebook, and more time reading books. I started re-reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. It is an amazing novel that you will not want to put down. I recommend it to anyone looking for a story that is enjoyable, romantic, and heart touching. I decided to read it again because a movie about it will be coming out next year! Here is more information about the movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067583/
Early in the Summer I read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It is a memoir that chronicles the childhood of writer Jeannette Walls. She tells of her dysfunctional family and her survival through the hardships she faced during her youth. This is another book that you will not be able to put down!
- I need to get recommendations from professors
- start working on an essay explaining my goals
- put together a portfolio of work I did during my undergraduate years
Other than working on my application, I'm trying to spend less time on facebook, and more time reading books. I started re-reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. It is an amazing novel that you will not want to put down. I recommend it to anyone looking for a story that is enjoyable, romantic, and heart touching. I decided to read it again because a movie about it will be coming out next year! Here is more information about the movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067583/
Early in the Summer I read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It is a memoir that chronicles the childhood of writer Jeannette Walls. She tells of her dysfunctional family and her survival through the hardships she faced during her youth. This is another book that you will not be able to put down!
I'm a Newbie!
This is my first time ever making a blog! It does not look great, but it will look better after I figure it all out. If you have suggestions, let me know! I'm going to keep working on it to try and get the color scheme right, but I've been trying to decide on colors for about an hour and my head is starting to hurt.
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