Donuts and Hope Sandoval

Last night I had the pleasure of learning how to make home-made doughnuts…or donuts. The recipe calls them spudnuts, but that’s dumb. One of my church leader’s husband worked in a bakery when he was a teenager, so we had a real pro for a teacher. The donuts turned out to be very delicious. Store bought donuts just aren’t the same. They were nice and warm too, which is always a bonus. Try it out!

 

• 2 cups warm milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 TB salt
• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 8-9 cups flour
• 2 TB yeast

Glaze:

 

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 4-6 TB hot water

 

Make sure the milk is warm. Not hot, but warm enough. The amount of flower depends on how packed it is. The mashed potatoes can be the instant flake kind or real, it doesn’t matter. However, I’m sure all you cooking experts know all that already.

Add oil, sugar, salt and mashed potatoes to milk. Beat in eggs, hot water, lemon extract and 3 cups of flour.

Add yeast and enough flour to make a very soft dough.

Let rise twice, roll out and cut.

 

Deep fat fry at 400 degrees till golden.

 

Glaze and enjoy!

 

Now, I must share my true excitement. It has snowed here in Idaho, and so far the snow is actually sticking. It’s pretty cold outside. For the past two years of my life, that weather calls for something special. Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions as well as Mazzy Star. Hope Sandoval is the lovely genius behind both of these groups. I go by a strict rule that I only listen to her albums when there’s snow on the ground, even though I love it all to death. The reason is this: some of my most fun, joyful, intense, sad, and greatest memories spawned from when I first started listening to her, which happened to be when there was snow on the ground. When I hear her songs, I see myself walking to school in the snow, all bundled up. I’m sure everybody knows what I’m talking about. Certain songs or albums bring back memories of a certain time in our lives. That’s one of the reasons I love music so much. It’s more than just listening to a song you love. It’s remembering pastimes. Music is nostalgic, and I love nostalgia.

Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions – Feeling of Gaze

Mazzy Star – Roseblood

 

 

 

NaBloPoMo? Wassat?!

So I’m totally not kicking super butt at this post-every-day deal. I had an off week. School has been stressful along with responsibilities concerning student council and being senior class pres. It’s crazy, but I know it’ll only do me good. Along with high school crap, I’ve been trying to figure out what to do about ye olde college education. After much deliberation and a little bit of heartbreak, I applied to USU today. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that. I actually love Logan and it’ll be close to home. I’ll be able to drive 30 minutes to go to my mom’s crazy cool new mansion humble abode and do laundry. I just think I got my hopes up for moving far away, which seems really scary now. I’m super excited to go to college. It’s gonna be something totally new, and I love new stuff! I love the idea of living on my own and having roommates that I may or may not hate and having a job and attempting to be responsible and and and….college! Woo!!

Anyway, I was tagged for a meme by the lovely freeandflawed. I have to list seven random things about myself so…here it goes.

1. I LOVE Christmas music.

2. I play with the rings on my fingers more than is healthy.

3. I’m harboring a growing likeness for Paul Simon, thanks to my mother.

4. The fact that IN-N-OUT isn’t located anywhere near my house is a real downer to me.

5. I want to major in chemistry in college.

6. I was a platinum blondie for 9 months and a vegetarian for one year.

7. I sleep on top of my sheets and cheetah print comforter.

I don’t know seven people to tag, so enjoy!

Blaaaah, late Sunday night post.

Tonight my mom make chicken and dumpling soup for dinner. This is one of my favorite dishes of hers. The dumplings are the best part. Sometimes I’ll even eat them plain they’re so good! They’re like these thick balls of clouds made of the most luscious goodness in the world of food. Anyway, it got me thinking about how good my mother’s cooking really is. It’s terrific, really. I used to be an extremely picky eater. Now I’m just picky. However, I rarely hate the food she cooks up. I have a goal to cook like her one day, except for maybe more often. Speaking of food, last year we had our own Thanksgiving for the first time in a long time. It was probably one of the most memorable thanksgivings yet (considering one of our brothers had been kidnapped to South Korea). We made the usual: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing. We also made some family favorites like squash bisque. Yummy! So here, for your enjoyment, are some nostalgic pictures from Thanksgiving 2006. Btw, that’s me with the blond hair down there.

 

Matthew, with his good friend Martinelli’s.

 

 

The whole debacle.

 

 

 

There is a way to be good again

The second night of the play went well again. We took pictures after the performance of significant spots in the play. It was a riot, holding poses for a period of time. Kind of awkward too. Anyway, here’s a picture of me all gussied up with my mom.

 

The dress barely fits and the shoes are uncomfortable, but dressing up makes it more fun.

 

I’ve been hearing that one of my most favorite books, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, has been made into a movie. I think it opens in December. I’m definitely gonna go see it, but I’m afraid it won’t be as good as the book. I read the book over the summer and it made me bawl my eyes out. I remember sitting on the steps of Union Square in San Francisco on vacation crying hysterically, trying not to let people see. I had never wept like that over a book. I loved the whole story. It was so heartfelt and touching and felt so real. I even made my dad read it. It should be required reading in my opinion. The trailer spoils some parts, so I wouldn’t advise watching it if you haven’t read the book. And if you plan on seeing the movie, read the book first. You won’t regret it.

Adaptation

Tonight was opening night for the play. It went really well. Nobody made any major mistakes. I remembered all my lines and didn’t switch the order of my sentences. The whole cast was so pumped. Before we started, our teacher started our warm-ups with a calm-down exercise. We laid on the stage and he described this picture of being in an empty pool while it slowly fills with a calming, safe water. It was so soothing. Then we did our normal warm-ups and our huddle/cheer, which of course made me cry. We were all so excited for it to begin. Everybody was ready to go, wandering around reciting their hardest lines. Once it started and we all realized how good it was going, we just couldn’t keep the smiles off our faces. It was one of the most thrilling things I’ve ever been a part of. I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow!

Mother and son. This is our main character, Phil Benson. His real name is Tyler and when he’s not smiling all goofy like that, he’s a hottie. The stage is partly lit behind us.

 

Kai and I were upset over the program. My name was spelled wrong and Kai didn’t get full credit for all her parts.

My grandma, mom, dad, brother, sister, and friend Libbie all came to see it. We went to eat afterwards and Libbie gave me college advice, which I sorely needed. I think she talked me into majoring in chemistry, among other college strategies and such. Yay Libbie!

 

In other unrelated news, I got some of my senior stuff in the mail today. Granted, I probably won’t use any of it. The shirt is really soft though. It’s the kind of shirt that I want to cuddle with when I go to bed, because ya know, I do that. Cuddle with shirts…

 

 

So here’s proof that I can take a horrible picture with a naked face. And the shirt really isn’t cool. Just soft. And also, this angle makes my nose look like a camel’s hump. That’s so attractive.

Cheer Me Up. Thank You.

I spent the day home alone today. Aside from going to play rehearsal, I was secluded in my own home. I actually really enjoy being home alone. In fact, it’s one of my favorite things in the world. I can relax, not be disturbed, and I actually got some cleaning and laundry done! I think people should spend a day alone from time to time. It’s refreshing.

Anyway, I’m now caught up on Grey’s Anatomy! I freaking love that show. I also love that the music is so delightful. I immediately have to download the songs for every episode as soon as I begin it. I can’t even wait till it ends. I hear the first glorious song and I find myself pausing the show and tracking down the songs. Lovely.

Tomorrow, The Office!

BTW, my day lasts past midnight, so for me, it’s still Thursday. I’m totally gonna kick your butt NaBloPoMo!

Jim is a Dark Flower

My drama class is putting on a play this weekend. It’s called Adaptation by Elaine May. It’s a one act play about a man who takes part in a game that could be compared to the game of Life, but fo’ realz. It’s really quite hilarious, but I’m pretty sure most of the kids in my class don’t really understand the humor in it. Even worse, most of them constantly complain that we actually have to rehearse every day. OH NO. Is play practice distracting you from going home and giving yourself a manicure? Or are you just too lazy to actually stay after school for one hour and recite lines? Come on. I for one love the play. It’s funny and I play the mother. I’ve got some amazing lines and my outfit is priceless. I want to save all that for later because those things are a surprise for the people who are planning on seeing it this weekend. Oh joy!

Elaine May with her cool director camera that I know nothing about.

I think she’s quite charming looking.

 

Our drama teacher brought us into a huddle tonight after doing our warm-ups before practice and he told us that we have a great show. He was being really encouraging and I started tearing up. I noticed nobody else was doing the same, so either I care about this play more than any of the other students, or I’m just an emotional weirdo. Who knows. Wish me luck on Friday!

 

By the way, my dates have been kinda weird.  The posts that say Monday thru Wednesday (the Dexter post) were really Sunday thru Tuesday.  So just so you know NaBloPoMo, I really have been writing every day.  Take that!!

I Really Need….To Kill Someone

I am a lazy person. I like to sit at the computer. I enjoy video games. And like every other American, I watch too much TV. I like to think I’m a serious television viewer. I watch certain shows, and I watch every episode. I’m also a snob about the shows I watch. I like to think they are the best of the best and that no other group of shows could stand a chance in a duel. My favs are as follows: Grey’s Anatomy, Weeds, Dexter, The Office, Heroes, and last, but not least, LOST (which I miss tremendously and I hate that I have to wait till February to see it again). Unfortunately, I’ve somehow managed to lag so far behind on every show I watch regularly. Frankly, I’m a little bit ashamed. I’m something like six episodes behind on Weeds, more than that on The Office, even more than that on Heroes, and a few on Grey’s. Yesterday I successfully caught up on Dexter, which I recommend to anyone who can take rated R movies. It is by far one of my most favorite of the shows I watch. Plus, the show has one of the best opening sequences ever. And for those of you who recognize the title of this post, I applaud you.

Isn’t he a hottie?

I guess it’s not so bad that I’m terribly behind. That means I have shows to tide me over till this stupid writer’s strike is over. Hopefully the repercussions don’t reach too far. LOST is already gonna be cut short. Ugh! I could always start a new show. Sigh. I’m gonna miss TV.

I have books for friends

There is a certain bench at school that my group of friends prefer to flock to whenever possible. We like to think that it belongs to us, which is kind of snobby. But first come first serve, right? And we are always the first to come. We are often confused as to where to go when someone else is sitting on said bench. There’s not really any other place we’d rather congregate around. But I digress. Today the bench was occupied by a new friendly face, or rather some friendly objects.

The stack was mostly compiled of U.S. History books and a number of “Careers without College” guides.

Syd was more than happy to share the bench with these mystery textbooks.

I even spent some alone time with the books at lunch as I finished my math in a hurry. They taught me that History is important and you really can have a successful career in medicine, even if you’re too dumb to go to college.

I discovered my new favorite candy for the time being. It’s a good thing I was in a candy mood today, because a giant bag of dum dums was being passed around in last hour. Now, I actually hate dum dums. However, these were no ordinary dum dums. They were CHEWY POPS!!

 

Chewy filling! They were like tootsie pops, but not gross. They even came in awesome flavors like my all-time favorite, green apple, and a crazy vanilla flavor with chocolate insides. Some of them had fruity fillings, kind of like starburst, and some of them had gum middles kind of like blow pops. Needless to say, it was a magical 4th period.

Pictures and Surprises

I’m not a huge blog-reader, and I find that the blogs I do read all contain some amount of visual pleasure. I usually cannot read a blog if there are no pictures implemented in the post. I know not everyone is like this, but I’m a young’n! I need to be entertained. So my goal is not only to keep up on my writing, but to include a picture in each post. Seeing as my senior project is gonna be photography, this should be fun. I think my aunt is a great example. I’m going to try to make my daily picture/pictures as enjoyable as possible, but even if the best thing I can find is an unfocused, nonsensical, ugly image, I’m still gonna put it up. At least it’ll give someone something to gawk at.

Anyway, tonight my parents had a little sing along.

They sing well together. They say that they’re practicing a surprise song for when I graduate. They also say it’ll make me cry. Seeing as how I already know I’m gonna cry at graduation, that’s a no-brainer. I also cried at my 16th birthday party when two of my siblings played their rendition of Interpol’s “Evil” that starts out with my name. I’m a crybaby. Needless to say, I’m quite excited for this graduation surprise.

 

 

 

I Like A Little Dirty With My Clean

One of my least favorite things in the world is feeling like you are about to throw up. For some unknown reason, that is how i felt for the better part of today, though nothing horrible resulted. However, having the need to lay down on the floor every five minutes to calm my stomach is not very thrilling. Even after gulping down some liquid chalk, my trips to the kitchen carpet or bathroom linoleum were still necessary. To add to my discomfort, in the past 24 hours I have had the hiccups no less than 8 times. For all of you crazies, hiccups do hurt and are no fun at all. Having the hiccups reminds me of this girl in my grade who has chronic hiccups and takes medication for it. That would be my worst nightmare.

Despite my physical setbacks, I was able to accomplish something today. I cleaned the fridge! It really needed it too. I love a clean fridge and in my mind, a fridge should always be able to stay clean. It never happens though. So here’s to my good deed of the day!

It’s cluttered, but clean. We’re just well fed.

 

Favorite Things In The Fridge:

1. Eggnogg

2. Leftover CPK

3. Plate of Pasta Roni

 

Enjoy!

My friend Emily is beautiful.

 

 

I’m mostly just playing around with this new blog stuff. But she really is purdy.

 

blipblop

um…testing?