snow, snow, snow

this past week i feel like i've suddenly been transported to Minnesota or the East Coast. there is currently about a foot of snow on the ground. it snowed for almost 24 hours straight, and has been below freezing every day!! I have never spent so much time in my apartment, or so much time in sweatpants and messy hair.



it's been a nice break from reality, but i'm getting a little stir crazy. today i finally made it back to work, driving for the first time since Saturday. i just can't believe the amount of snow still piled on the sides of the roads and in parking lots.



speaking of parking lots, i almost got stuck... well, i did get stuck... in the parking lot here at work!! the parking spots weren't cleared out and (smart one that i am) thought that i could just park anyway. yeah, Honda Civics weren't built for the snow. thankfully, there were two fellow employees out in the parking lot that could 1)help push the car and 2) help drive my car out of the snow.



now, the next challenge is getting to Portland in time for Christmas. It is supposed to snow again tonight, and through Christmas Day. But it's also is supposed to start warming up, so I'm not too worried. It's just going to be an interesting challenge. I'm buying my first set of chains today, as they are still required for Portland Metro driving.



I have taken some pictures of the piles of snow around my apartment complex as well as a few of myself... i'll post them at some point.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!!

art

so yesterday, due to the snow on the ground, the freezing temperatures, and my lack of a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, i spent almost the entire day indoors. (except for the slippery trip to the donut shop for coffee)



but i took advantage of the time to make a collage... which felt really good! it felt good to create some artwork again. it has been too long since i've set aside some time to just be creative and really focus on something that i do enjoy. no distractions, no rush, no time limits.



i also bought a camera, a Minolta XG-M. i have yet to actually take a picture with it, but i'm excited to learn how to use it! i am definitely a child of the digital age, and am looking forward to taking pictures the "old-fashioned" way. :)



here's what it looks like:

i'll let you know how it goes!

Top Chef!

so recently I've become kind of obsessed with Top Chef on Bravo. I love watching the process of the cooking... the selection of flavors, the use of unusual combinations, the execution of delicate plates, the presentation of exquisite flavors. I've eagerly watched as the countdown continues to the "top chef" selection!

If you know me, you know how much I love food. As many of my friends have said, "you're a fat kid in a skinny body!". I definitely am my grandmother's granddaughter... yet again, I live up to my middle name. Marjorie Hill loved food, but she knew how to eat in moderation. It's all about quality, not quantity. But i digress.

The whole point of this is my continued search for a career.... I still have NO IDEA what I want to do, but now I'm seriously considering being a chef. And not just because of Top Chef. For years I have loved good food... especially as I've gotten older and had the means to purchase good quality ingredients and eat at a variety of restaurants. I am thankful for the appreciation of food that was instilled in me growing up--the far-flung influences that could be found in the dishes on our dining room table. from Greek, to Indian, to vegetarian, to Southern. I feel like those forays gave me the adventurous culinary spirit that I now have. I'm up for trying anything... well, most anything...at least once. I am always trying to refine my palate and discover new flavors.

Working at a publishing company over the past year that published high-quality cookbooks also cultivated in me an appreciation not only for chefs and the work that goes into each recipe, but also the ingredients, terms, and utensils that are found within the realm of the gourmet.

I'm seriously considering it. Maybe within the next few years; I'm doing some research on the costs (phew!), the locations,etc. Who knows!?

The only drawback---couldn't wear high heels to work anymore. ;)

the uncertainty...cont'd.

remember how i wrote about the layoffs that were going to be happening?


well, they happened. and i didn't get laid off, but Megan did. how crappy is it that she helped me get this job, and now she doesn't even work here anymore.

it's hard. i'm grateful to have this job, even though it might be boring sometimes, and it might seem like i'm just stagnant, but i know this is the best place for me right now. the job market is horrible in most other places in the country, especially Seattle. I am thankful that I can pay my bills, put money into savings, and just keep plugging away.

3,400 employees were laid off last week by WaMu in the Seattle area ALONE.

yikes. this next year is going to be a very interesting one.