Long Time, No See.

Wow.  It's been a while since I've written last.  Since then I have:
-found myself a job at a biochemistry lab at the UW
-graduated (!!)
-seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 (midnight showing, simply amazing!)
-got my hair cut short (though I think I'll grow it out again)
-got my nose pierced
-and have in every way possible tried to make my mother kick me out.  (I haven't been doing this intentionally.)

Ok.  that's it. Not much to do at work today.  Ha.
Friday!

Graduation!

In exactly one week from today, I will graduate from high school.  Isn't that insane?  It was just yesterday that I had years left...I have no motivation to finish my last days of high school.  It's not like I have any exams to take, all I have to do is pretend to pay attention.
Anyways.
Happy Summer!

Organization is LIFE.

Maybe it's taken me a while to figure this out, but one characteristic of a successful population is organization.  Organization of people, houses, jobs, books in libraries, even shoes at your local DSW store.  But I think chaos is a little healthy every once in a while.  Chaos isn't productive, unfortunately, so most people won't agree with me.
Psychology is a subject that desperately wants to be organized, but in no way shape or form can one organize all the psychological disorders out there.  It just won't happen.  I took the AP Psychology exam today and I never want to think about it ever again.
Ok.  Not true.  I just don't want my teacher to teach it ever again.
One down.  Four to go.

College. *GASP*

I have finally decided.  I'm going to UW-La Crosse, majoring in Pre-Professional Engineering and minoring in German.  Yay!  That decision is no longer hanging over my head. 
Now to think about AP tests.
AH!

-_-

Using the words of a good friend of mine: "Today is an angry day."  Scholarship applications are due Friday and of course I procrastinated.  That's what seniors do best.  Calculus is frustrating, but I think it's making a little more sense now.  And I'm just plain tired. 

I can't wait for spring break.

Happy Birthday, Dad.

A year ago today, I was in Germany.  A year ago today, it was my dad's birthday.  Now it's just another day, albeit one with awful weather, with just a hint of sadness behind the date on the calendar.  My dad's favorite cake was carrot and he was always elusive when it came to gift ideas.  I think Christmas of '09 he told me of a few books he wanted, but that was probably the most I got out of him.  He would turn 48 today.  Friday night I heard the most wonderful piece of music called "Blessings."  It was in four movements and had a poem for each one.  A poem of mother to son on the day of his birth, a poem of father to daughter when she's a day old, father to son as a young child, and mother to daughter on the day when all parents need to let go.  It was played by a band with solo cello and oboe and it definitely made me tear up.  I felt sick all day today--not sure if I'm coming down with something or if I didn't have the energy to be productive on this emotional day.  I feel for all children who lose their parents both young and old.  Someone so strong and with such an impact on your life suddenly gone is the worst feeling. 
I think the weather agrees with me today.
Happy Birthday, Dad.

What do you do with an abundance of eggs?

Very simple, I think.  Make lots and LOTS of breakfast food.  Friend's of our's dropped off two dozen eggs just after we bought a dozen.  We made french toast and omelets for dinner, and I think good ol' scrambled eggs are in store tomorrow morning.  Or perhaps soft-boiled eggs.  Boy does that remind me of Germany.

These eggs were also a wonderful shade of yellow.  Just wonderful.

Things You Find Out in a Library.

So today, a woman came into the library: I have seen her before but I don't know her name.  She's one of those people that just has an aura of cigarette smoke around them.  She always comes in to use the copier--who knows why.  Anyways, she's chatting away with Carolyn, the head librarian, and non-chalantly says, "Oh, yeah, I have to go get a lump checked out on my vocal chords.  They think it may be cancer."  I hope to God that it isn't cancer.  I'm so mad at the word "cancer" because of what it entails.  Shouldn't a word like that be ten times longer?  I do not wish that on anyone.  Studies have shown that if the modern human's lifestyle continues, there will be even a greater risk of getting cancer in the future.  It almost makes me what to become a geneticist to figure out what's causing cancer, but unfortunately, I do not like pipetting that much.  And then, to top it all off, the woman says, "Well, I've been a smoker so I've been expecting it." 
???!!!!!??????!??!?!??!?!?!?!??!
If she was expecting it, why take the risk??  AH!  It frustrates me how people are so narcisisstic, thinking, "Oh that'll never happen to me."  Welcome to the real world.  It does. 
I've thought about things like that lately.  Like, if I died today, would I be satisfied with the work I've done?  Having something like cancer hit so close to home really changes your perspective. 
Just a penny for your thoughts. 
Happy Monday, world.     

WHOOPIE! pies.

I love cooking.  It's relaxing and it (almost) always tastes delicious.  So yesterday, before went to go babysit, I made whoopie pies.  Yummy!  They're devil's food cake cookies sandwiched together with a marshmallow fluff/buttercream frosting mixture.  They're so good!  The recipe says it makes 24 cookies, but I made some bigger than others, so I only ended up with 20.  Probably a good thing because otherwise I would be eating a LOT more than I need to.  I tried them out on the twin girls I was babysitting and they said they were "amazing." 
from the book, "The Great Bake Sale Cookbook" by Good Housekeeping.

Whoopie Pies

for the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
6 tbs. melted butter (make sure to MELT!)
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease two large cookie sheets (or don't if you have non-stick sheets).
2. To prepare cookies: In large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, and baking soda.  Stir in melted butter, milk, egg, vanilla, and salt until smooth. 
3. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 2 inches apart, on prepared cookie sheets.  Bake until puffy and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking.  With wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. 

for the Filling:
6 tbs. butter, slightly softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 jar (7 to 7 1/2 oz.) marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter until smooth.  Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the powdered sugar.  Beat in marshmallow creme and vanilla until smooth.

Spread in between two cookies and smoosh together.  Eat, enjoy!
Yum.

Happy New Year!

The new year.  A time for resolutions, parties, sparkly things, and a whole lot of promises.  I don't know how I feel about this 'new year'.  Everyone hopes that the next year will be better than the last, but many people get disappointed.  It's like I'm not quite ready for 2010 to be finished, but 1. I can't exactly control that and 2. Any normal person in my situation would think differently.  I guess I should just embrace 2011 like that awkward person who thinks they're your best friend.  Ha.  I guess I'm just thinking of everything I have to do in 2011: keep my grades up, take 5 AP exams, graduate, work work work, START COLLEGE.  It'll be a pretty daunting year.  But I think I can handle it.  Let's leave our behinds in our past (or leave our past behind us) and move on.  It's not even 24 hours into 2011 and I'm already bored.  Haha. 
Hope you all had a good New Year's.
Ciao.