So many books, so little time

I haven't been doing as much reading lately as I like. Errands and crafty-ness seem to eat up all of my time outside of work, so I'm left with reading on the metro and before bed. I finished the latest Jane Green book recently (after waiting for it on hold since July...) and so I went back to the library yesterday on my day off and ended up with this pile of books. I've already finished Twenties Girl, the newest book by Sophie Kinsella. I actually ended up with it in Large Print, because I put both copies in the library system on hold and that's the one that came in first. I guess it's the same story, just a little disconcerting. I did enjoy it, though possibly not as much as the Shopaholic series.

The rest of the books I picked up were all on the new books shelf. At least 2 of them appear to be part of a series. One of them clearly was, so I put it back and went up to the mystery section where luckily they had the first one of the series. I started it today and I think it's delightful. Of course, I've only really gotten into the intro material, where the characters are all being set up, but I'm very hopeful - especially because there are 14 books in the series, so it should last me a while.

Now I just need another beach vacation so I can catch up on all this reading!

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe

This video is ridiculously addictive...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc

Oh the drama

So, after much trauma, including 2 hours in the car, a police officer, and many tears, I have finally taken the GRE and don't have to think about it any more. Apparently it's good for you to be near hysterics right before you take the exam, as my math score improved over 100 points from any of my practice exams. My verbal wasn't quite as high as I would like, but it's on par with the practice scores I've been getting. Now on to the application!

Because of my morning trauma, I treated myself to a Panera lunch (why don't they have Paneras in the city!?) and a trip to Target for ... bathroom cleaning supplies. It's odd, but it does feel like a treat to be off work and finally able to clean my bathroom and my room and everything that I haven't been able to get to the past 8 days. Just another example of how my work schedule messes with my mind I guess.

GRE

I'm taking the GRE on thursday and for some reason I am extremely nervous. That is all.

Trader Joe's to the Rescue!

I had a bad day at work today. Everything just seemed to go wrong and I had to have a couple difficult meetings. So, I decided to take the bus home from the metro. There's one bus that I can take that drops me off right next to the Trader Joe's down the street. So I decided that I would also stop at Trader Joe's to get something quick for dinner. They also have these awesome ice cream sandwiches. They're the kind with chocolate chip cookies and a lot of ice cream that are rolled in mini chocolate chips - they're amazing. So I thought that I deserved an ice cream sandwich after my bad day.

Cut to 2 hours later, after dinner, which is prime ice cream sandwich time. I opened the package from my freezer... and it's disgusting! I don't know what happened, but it looked like one of the cookies had melted and mixed with the cookie, but it was brown soupy mass that was clearly not my beautiful treat.

So I decided to take Trader Joe's up on their "if you don't like it, bring it back and get a refund" guarantee. I walked my box of ice cream sandwiches back down the street and they got me a new box. And now I'm enjoying a wonderful blend of cookie, chocolate, and ice cream.


I heart Trader Joe's.

Plugging Away

I'm starting to accumulate a pile of books that I want to read again, but I'm forced to put them to the side to prepare for that great 20s coming of age tradition, the GRE...

I'll be taking the GRE soon, which I just realized the other day was in just 8 days, so I've been trying to focus more on studying. I've been slowly plugging away at it for about a month, but now I'm trying to be more focused. It's pretty much just like the SAT, and I've been pretty consistently doing well on the verbal. I just haven't taken a formal math class since high school (eek!) so I'm having to relearn how to do simple things, like geometry, or how to add and multiply fractions. I think I'll do fine if I can learn to manage my time well. You get 45 minutes to answer 28 questions and I spend too much time on the early questions, which leaves me with not enough time to answer the last 10 or so. I suppose I just have to learn when to cut and run on some of the tougher ones.

Of course, I'm also not positive I need to take the GRE for my program, but I've already registered and paid so I'm doing it. Maybe I'm just an overachiever...      

Weekends

Since I get so few weekends off, I always feel pressure to do something special. This weekend Jon and I explored DC a bit and I got to do some crafting stuff, which always makes me feel productive and happy. 

I haven't been to the Eastern Market in a while, so I drove down there on Saturday morning and Jon met me there (he can walk from his apartment!) I love all the colors...

 

 

And then we had crepes! 

Then we decided to go to Georgetown. We got cupcakes and I took pictures of flowers and stones...

 

and Jon

Then we went to the National Cathedral, because why not? There was a wedding just finishing up and Jon actually ran into his old project manager. It did make us wonder who you have to know to get married at the National Cathedral...

On Sunday my friend Sarah invited me over to do some crafting (we're both doing Elise's class). I was able to finish up a card project I've been working on and start a new book. I was inspired by green and sort of went from there...

 
I like crafting with other people, so hopefully there will be more in our future. In the mean time, I still have 2 days off from work!

Inspiration

I've begun taking an online workshop taught by the very creative Elise Blaha. I don't usually do those types of things. My style is more of a thinking and never doing which can be very frustrating and adds a lot of stress. So in the past month I've started doing. I used to knit in college and I've done some cross-stitch/embroidery projects. 

I like making things for other people, since I'm usually not always sure what to do with things once I'm done making them. The workshop (and Elise's blog) have inspired me to try scrapbooking and what she calls art journaling. I've never done much scrapbooking, since they're so large and seem like they have to be perfect, and if you chronicle one thing, you have to do everything. Elise's approach is much more casual and spur of the moment, and the books that she produces are much smaller and really seem like something I could do easily while not worrying about perfection. 

So I've started working on a few projects and I have some ideas for gifts for Christmas and such. I'm trying to not do too much at once as that can be overwhelming, but just make a few changes here and there. I've felt much less stressed about work and everything since I've started doing some of these projects, so I think it's a good thing.

My current one small change is to try to take more pictures. As Jon has started law school recently, I thought it would be perfect to document. Jon didn't seem to agree and wasn't thrilled with the idea of pictures at his orientation. But, the other day we were at the Law Center and there was no one around, so I insisted...

Law School!!

Serious face

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I finished my book yesterday, so now I feel a little lost. I just can't get over how good it was! I was confining myself to reading on the metro, so that I wouldn't finish it too fast, but then yesterday I was waiting for Jon, and I really wanted to know what happened next, so I went ahead and finished. Do you ever get the feeling like you are so excited to pick a book back up and read straight through to the end, but at the same time you want it to last forever and ever?

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies!

At my job we work long stretches between days off. I'm currently working day 8 of 8 in a row. We also have night meetings once a month for the whole team. That happens to be tonight. So to make up for the fact that I have to stay at work for almost 3 extra hours on my 8th day in a row (!) I made brownies! Peanut butter truffle brownies to be exact.

I found the recipe a few weeks ago and have been meaning to try it and I figured today was the perfect time. I made the brownies before small group last night and then made the peanut butter topping and chocolate last night. They set in the fridge overnight, and then I cut them this morning and brought them in. I had to use my gladware because I was not going to carry a brownie pan on the metro. They were tightly packed, but it seemed to work. I hope everyone enjoys them tonight!

Out of focus cell phone pictures!