Nostalgic For The Future

That moment, in life, when you are learning, or when you're working, and you realize you've found that thing which meshes into your being. That trade, or craft, or calling that perfectly ties in to what you are. I feel like this year has been one of those moments, in slow motion, over the past 9 months.

After meeting with my adviser and ironing out some of the kinks in my degree plan, I've ended up in a place I never could have imagined, but one that feels like home.

Majoring in Comparative Studies with a concentration in Folklore(possibly a second concentration in Religious Studies), with a minor in Interior Design. My "focus area" if you will, in Folklore has increasingly become more Material Culture focused. Housing, everyday objects, possessions, the things people surround themselves with that speak volumes about their world view.

I'm fascinated by architecture and design, by people and culture, by traditional "hand crafts". I'm excited about my life and the direction it is going.

I still need to meet with a few more advisers, and get the Design minor "approved" by someone in the College of Arts, and get my language requirements and a few GEC's knocked out of the way, but I feel really, really good about the way this degree is shaping up.

and by the way, the house we're moving into is an American Foursquare, with Arts & Crafts influence. It's mostly likely a Sears or Montgomery Ward kit home built between 1895 and 1930. I might be in love, and we haven't even moved in yet.

Today, since I was stuck inside with the worst migraine I have had in months, I took it upon myself to pay all the bills and change all the services over to the new house. Which took forever.

Things I did today:
Transfered electric over to new house
Ordered cable internet install since att u-verse isn't available at the new address(which is only 1.5 miles away from the old. WTF!?)
Forwarded my mail starting next Monday

and now I need to:
Change of address with banks, credit cards, magazines, irs,
Register to vote at the new address

and I'm sure a billion other things I am forgetting.

Tomorrow after work is a packing day.

Time to go read some more for my American Religious History class so I can get caught up and start writing the paper that is due, oh yes, the day before we move. The next two weeks are going to be awesome. $#@$^ I can't wait.

It's official. We're moving again sometime within the first 3 weeks of May. As much as I loathe moving, I'm rather excited as I feel that this will (hopefully) be the last move for a while. The neighborhood is one of my favorites in Columbus, and our house will be farther away from the noise and traffic we experience now being so close to the university. This new neighborhood seems to have a better blend of owned homes and small families, and our landlord seems to think we will love our neighbors.

Now packing, that's an issue in itself. With midterms coming up, and papers and projects due here in the near future, I feel like my plate is a bit too full. I have faith this will all work out okay and that we will really benefit in our quality of life.

Just thinking about packing makes me tired.

I got my tax return today. I immediately paid off my credit card with the highest APR, and I'll be paying off my bicycle purchase I made back in December as soon as CitiFinancial will answer the phone. High call volume, I guess?

I struggled with the debt I had amassed last year, and I turned around and got myself in the same spot again. After spending a lot of time soul searching and confronting myself with truths about my own coping mechanisms and how unhealthy they are and how they are damaging my life, I've made some changes. Changes not only in habit but also in attitude.

I really want to focus on living below my means for the rest of the year, really make the effort to save money and spend less.

I live in such a central location to things that the only time I really drive is when I go to work or have to make the trek to Target(to buy shit I don't need, funny how that works) or a larger grocer. I have a co-op within walking distance to my house, and I'm going to buy a membership, and possibly volunteer one day a week, if I can spare the time between work and school/studying. I'd like to start biking to get my groceries instead of driving. I cringe every time I have to buy gas, so the less I use the less I have to go to the pump.

I'm interested in trying to live more simply for a number of reasons, so hopefully I can work hard at changing my attitude about the way I participate in a consumer culture. Work at being more conscious of my actions and their impact on not only the environment, but also my own well being.

I bought a beautiful organic spaghetti squash at Whole Foods a few days ago, and had been dragging my feat on cooking it because I didn't want to do the same old squash and marinara combination.

I came across this recipe perusing online after cooking the squash, so I know it would taste way better if it was baked with the seasoning. It's good! It's really good! I love spaghetti squash! I love ginger!

You'll need 1 halved and deseeded spaghetti squash, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger(I only had dried ginger powder, so I used a whole tablespoon), kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash on baking dish and add the butter, honey, ginger and seasoning. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until squash is "al dente".(Mine needed the full 60 minutes) Do not overcook the squash. Spoon out squash and check for seasoning. Keep warm for serving. This recipe yields 4 servings.
Recipe Source: EAST MEETS WEST with Ming Tsai From the TV FOOD NETWORK - (Show # MT-1A30)

All the seasonings I used were organic too. Yummy!

Now that I've got your attention, please read this. "Pretty Babies"

Having worked in the salon industry in the Midwest, I am happy to say I never experienced this phenomena. Reading about it makes me sick. I do agree with the author that there is a fine line, and that we're steadily loosing where that is. Frankly, I think that having girls in modern American culture(being the only one I know) comes with a giant set of problems that are unspoken. Eating disorders, self esteem issues, communications skills, etc... Girls are encouraged to develop all these bad habits and thought patterns so early it's almost hard to see where they start. Oh wait, they start at home. With their Mothers.

This just makes me love my mother all the more.

Capresso H2O Plus

I went to Crate & Barrel today to pick up some of my favorite Oxo storage containers for my monster of a tea collection. While sorely disappointed at their tiny selection, I did stumble across something I've been wanting to buy for months.

This kettle normally runs anywhere from $70-$100, and they had it for substantially less than that. I can pass on my trusty rusty metal kettle to my Mom, and bask in the beauty of form and function. Did I mention it's fast? Way faster than the whole whopping five to seven minutes it takes on the stove. Momma always said I was a microwave baby.

Unfortunately, I'll have to order the containers I actually wanted online. Shipping is horrendous with the increase in gas prices. They're pretty helpful if you're trying to cram lots of food into a tiny kitchen. Our cabinets leave much to be desired.

Oxo Pop Containers

It's been raining all day. Drip Drip Drip. So someone please explain to me why Ohio felt the need to turn that rain into snow?

I just finished mixing and pouring my first batch of scar/tattoo balm. What did I learn?

Sea Buckthorn oil looks like blood, and even when diluted 2oz to a 4oz base, it still is blood red. Next batch I'll have to use less of the Sea Buckthorn and add in more base, maybe some Jojoba oil in addition to the Evening Primrose.

Unrefined Cocoa Butter is rock hard until it is warmed up to body temperature. Next time I'll need to take it out of the plastic packaging it comes in, and melt it down into another jar before attempting to make the balm.

Red Mandarin oil smells divine. Especially with Cocoa Butter.

I will always love the way beeswax smells. I love bees. They are my friends.

and a word of advice:
Don't injure your back. Just don't do it. Being incapacitated sucks. Whatever deep muscle it is that I have managed to piss off, it really just doesn't want to heal. Even after going to the massage therapist, I'm still in a world of pain. I got someone to cover my shift at work today, so I could take it easy and stop using this muscle that activates every time I twist or bend. This sucks.

Most of you folks in my neighborhood know by now that I'm interested in herbal medicine. The teaching website I've been using for the past several months is now going public on March 21, and frankly, if you have an interest in learning to take charge of your own health, and health care, I highly suggest you take a look at their website.

The Gallagher family has truly been a blessing in my life. The information they share and their passion for learning and teaching is unparalleled. Being able to learn at my own pace, and having so many different avenues to do so is fantastic. Having a community of people to share and grow with is something I never thought I would get to experience.

The fee per month is ridiculously low, and the amount of information you'll have access to is unparalleled.