December Currents

Every now and then, I will remember to do a blog post that pertains to the currents in my life. Ideally, this would be done once a month, but with all the stuff I have been doing for knitting and RGG, I have let a lot slide. Bad blogger! So behold, I will give you my currents for the fabulous month of December.

Current music a la video:
Metric - "Blindness"



Current home-made drink of goodness:

Adult root beer floats:

Scoop vanilla bean ice cream into your favorite mug. Drizzle vanilla-flavored vodka on top. Finish off with A&W root beer. Perfection.

Current wish:
 If I tell you, then it won't come true!

Current knitting project:
Can you believe that I finished all of my WIPs?! I think I deserve a medal for this! Up next will be toe-up songs for my knit groups January KAL, followed by Celestarium and then a dress for my girlfriend :)

Current goal:
Finishing my grad school application, but more importantly, my personal statement. Why are these so damn hard to write?!

Current pat-on-the-back moment:
My work/involvement with the Retro Gamer Girls. So much fun!

Current scent:
Nag Champa. I love smelling like a hippie.

Current struggle:
Making it through the holidays.

Current mood:
Tori Amos - "Flavor"

Daybreak

What I have been working on lately:

My daybreak shawl is really coming along. I am still knitting the stripes, but super excited to see it as it grows. Stay tuned as I will be posting pics when I finish as well! :)

Greetings! I realize it's been a while since I have posted an entry with a proper update.

It felt like this was the never-ending summer. With temperatures hitting triple digits in April and now high 80's in October, I have been patiently waiting for hoodie season to arrive. I still have trouble believing that I now reside in the desert, but it's not as strange of a concept as it once was. I have come to realize that I have made significant progress in many areas of my life. I am now another year older, and hopefully wiser, with a different outlook on the world. I have come to value different things while remembering that the past is just that; the past.

I have been working on learning how to be alone; a concept that this social butterfly has often struggled with. I am 32 years old and have never been to the movies by myself. I think that it's time to change this. I have also begun to make plans and goals in accordance to what I want. Not such a revolutionary idea, but for me it's taken a long time to get here. I have made mistakes, taken people for granted, and have also hurt myself in ways I never thought possible.

Last night I had an extremely vivid dream that brought out some pretty deep emotions. In regards to my family and the changes that I have gone through over the last couple of years, I realized that this dream was a milestone. It was the last straw in my dwellings; the moment of moments to help me realize that I am a different person. A stronger person. Just as the seasons change along with faces and places, we evolve. Even when we don't plan on it.

A wise person once told me that 'being alone is good for the soul' - and I see what she meant. So in honor of her and her astute advice, I look forward to my trip to the movies alone. And I will appreciate the joy in ordering Mike and Ikes and eating the whole box on my own.

Recipes that rock: Kale chips!

About a month or so back, my friend Diana told me about kale chips. Excited by her recent love for these crispy greens, she passed on a recipe. I finally got a chance to make them and decided that it would be fun to share my process with you!

So you wanna make kale chips? Kale is a type of cabbage that is loaded with vitamins and minerals like beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C and calcium. Kale is also know for being a super food in that it has cancer killing ninja abilities. It's just all around awesome.

So go grab yourself a bunch at your local market. I got mine at Fresh n' Easy and it was not only organic, but affordable too. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Start out by thoroughly rinsing your kale. Make sure the water hits between the leaves, kale can sometimes stick together!

Next thoroughly shake all the water from your bunch and lay flat to dry. To speed the process, sandwich your kale in between two organic cotton towels.

Next, lightly oil a cookie sheet with extra virgin olive oil. Be slightly generous as the excess oil with be used to coat the kale. Chop your kale into bite size "chip" pieces. I used a pair of kitchen scissors and the kale cut nicely!

It is strongly suggested that you season your kale. I used sea salt and fresh ground peppercorn on batch number one. If you are on a restricted sodium diet, you can use Ms. Dash seasoning.

Batch 2 was modified and included: sea salt, ground pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for some kick!

Bake your kale chips for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Oven temperatures and kale texture may vary so be sure to watch carefully. There was some extra oil on my chips so they were in for about 5 minutes longer.

Voila! And congratulations! If you made it this far that means you didn't set your kitchen on fire! Your lovely kale chips will be airy and crispy and slightly brown. Keep in mind that you can always adjust your oven time if you prefer them to be well done and extra crispy!

Kale is a hearty green with high nutritional value. The taste is slightly bitter with an earthy undertone. When seasoned, it tastes reminiscent of a well done potato chip. Tastes may vary but I enjoyed these little crispy gems and encourage you to try them! :)

Ode to Retro Gaming: T-shirts for the geek in you

This past weekend I had a most lovely time at the Classic Gaming Expo here in Fabulous Las Vegas. As lovers, collectors, and fans gathered, there was a substantial amount of retro love shown through the simple, understated art of the t-shirt.

I don't know about you, but I am a card carrying t-shirt lover. My wardrobe consists of 95% t-shirts, most with awesomely crafted designs. I have recently started to acquire both geeky and crafty-esque designs. Indeed this is a creative and practical way to illustrate your love for all things nerdy as well as support the independent artisan movement!

So this month I have selected a list of shirts that not only make my list of grandeur, but they flat out tickle my fancy. And they might tickle yours, too.

The Love Tee from Studio Eighty, $8

Blow me t-shirt from Rude Threads, $15

 

 

 

Star Powered t-shirt from Woot! $15

The Good Ole Days t-shirt from Six Dollar Shirts, $6

Vintage Atari Logo t-shirt from Retro Pop Tshirts, $9.95

Rainbow Mario Tee from 8 Bit Apparel, $24

Russian Cargo t-shirt from Threadless, $9.99*

*currently on sale

All images featured are courtesy of their respective websites. Please visit the sites for more info.

Wordless Wednesday

An Extra Life

It had been 12 years since I had been tattooed. For years I had wanted to exercise my individuality and expression but was prohibited to. I had struggled with the notion that I had changed for someone who wouldn't change for me, and inside it was eating me alive. However, now I am in a much better place filled with learning, growth, and self-acceptance. What better way to celebrate then to revisit my old love? So this past weekend I got a tattoo. Behold, my 8-bit 1-up mushroom of joy:

Some of you may recognize this as the 'extra life' mushroom from Super Mario Bros, my favorite game(s) played on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Although the style has changed a bit since it first made it's appearance in 1985, it's still used in modern Mario games. These mushrooms are usually found in hidden blocks or in risky places for the player, and always yield a positive effect when acquired. It made sense to me that this would be the perfect icon for my 'new' ink.  Symbolizing more than just freedom, it's life. Not to mention I feel pretty bad ass. Who doesn't like retro gamer girls with awesome 8-bit tattoos? :)