December 23, 2011 2:13 PM

A lot of my recent posts have been food-related (understandably, food is #1 on my list of priorities), so I thought I'd switch it up a little bit this week.

At work, I've been learning not only a lot about manufacturing, the food industry, and federal regulations, but also things like how to manage people and stay valuable in a company that may not decide you are worth the paycheck. I've started compiling a notebook of these things, in hopes I can share them with other people who may be hired on in a similar position.

Many of the notes I've taken apply to other industries, so I thought I'd share a few:

- If you are organized (not just your office, but also all of your documents/drives), your coworkers will rely on you more. And your IT person will be much more willing to upgrade your software... much more....

- Get some certifications from outside companies that relate to your business. Your resume always needs to look current and up-to-date, or else you run a higher risk of being let go.

- Look at what you are doing and think, "How do we know if this isn't working properly, and what would we do if it wasn't?" Easy way to improve current practices and make sure everything that heads out your door is thorough and something you stand behind.

- If your product is cans, make sure to have working can openers. Just sayin'.

- Have a notepad/whiteboard set up where people can write down what needs to be reordered - from lab equipment to coffee creamer - and the administrative assistant will love you.

- If the policy/etc pertains to more than one department, don't make the final call. Just because you are reliable and you know you are right does not mean you have the authority to make that sort of decision. You don't want to be the name that gets cut when things go wrong.

- You are going to go through stages when you want your name on every piece of paper to show you were a part of this meeting, this program, this development. But you will also have stages when you will regret your name on that paper, whether your site had a security breach or you simply misspelled your boss's name. Be prepared for this and examine each document for the little things that will make you look bad.

- If you send a ton of emails that are very similar, consider making a template that you can just stick in, with formal phrases like "Per your request", "Attached is the following", and "Best Regards". Customers aren't going to compare your emails to see how thoughtful you were - they just want your data.

- If you are doing something for another department, make them initial/sign off on it so they know what the changes are. And tell them that they owe you one - you aren't here to do their job for them.

- Sign/inital and date everything, just in case.

- Instead of printing out everything, keep the number of hard copies to a minimum. Not only does this save paper, but it also prevents out-of-date materials from circulating and ending up in the wrong places.

- Yes, there are federal guidelines on how to make a proper flowchart. Live with it.

- If you ever email a customer, always include the customer service rep that is in charge of that order.

- 10 people in a meeting that lasts a half an hour = 5 hours of paid work. Use meetings to exchange information, generate new ideas, make decisions, solve problems, and formulate plans. Otherwise, don't make it a meeting - make it a memo or a phone call.

- Take good notes and be willing to share - instant way to be valuable to others and get favors!

- Meetings fail without purpose, focus, preparation, too many/not the right people, poor/distracted leadership, or no follow-up.

- For each meeting, write an agenda distributed in advance, so everyone knows what the meeting is about and why/how they will contribute.

- Always start meetings on time. Don't waste other people's time just because someone got caught up on a phone call or woke up late.

- Start winding up 5 minutes early so you can end on time. People get antsy if meetings go over, and you want to be that person that consistently ends on time. You can always schedule a follow-up meeting or continue the conversation in an email.

- Don't work during your vacation. People will notice that and come to rely on you to answer them even if your out-of-office message states you won't respond until you return.


And a personal tip from me - Always have something that others can tease you about (like a mad addiction to coffee)! If they can make you blush or act flustered, even for a second, they are more likely to talk to you in person (about work, among other things) than avoid you and send emails when a discussion really should have taken place.

It's the holiday season, so watch out for all drivers - they don't know what they are doing. No one is focusing 100% on the road right now.

Don't drive and drive - and call me from jail!

Thursday December 8, 2011 8:48 PM

Guilty Confession of the Day: I have recently become addicted to the dairy-free bean tacos at Taco Bell (2 of them + one small drink + tax = $3.50). They are really good with the green sauce packets, and I only feel shame after I throw away the wrappers.

If they put more veggies in it, I would be obsessed. As it is, I'm wishing Taco Bell was further away and my job didn't have days where I eat while working at my desk or just skip lunch.

So, what do you do when faced with a fast-food/junk-food addiction? Especially when it is super cheap!

Please don't dye your hair half-red and half-green for the holiday season - that does not look good.....

Sunday, December 4, 2011 8:00 PM

Sorry - it's been over a month since my last post!

I've tried out three new fake meat products - a fake burger, fake bacon, and fake beef tips.


First up - Gardein Beefless Tips, made from wheat and other grains.

I browned them in a pan with olive oil, onions, and a sprinkle of lemon juice.

The packaging had a recipe for Asian style teriyaki beef.

When the beef seemed ready, I tossed in some pasta and plated it on a tomato sauce heavily flavored with extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Very simple preparation.

The finished product was good - the 'meat' had browned nicely and had a bit of a sponge-y consistency. The taste was similar to meatloaf, and it wasn't overly salty like other fake meats. Would I buy it again? Yes, but not on a regular basis (fake meat is more of a curiosity for me than a staple).

Next up - fake bacon, made from tempeh.

I decided to go with the traditional American breakfast - 'eggs and bacon'. I scrambled up crumbled tofu with tumeric, rubbed sage, cayenne, zucchini, and mushrooms. Then I browned the bacon in the same pan after plating the tofu. I also baked some tater tots (not pictured).


The tempeh had greasy sections in it like bacon, and the texture was like partially hydrated beans squished up against each other (a bit crunchy and mushy at once). The taste was very similar to bacon, though a bit salty (I'm not sure if all bacon is that salty - I might just be out of touch with the original). Would I buy it again? No, the texture was very unappealing, and I had trouble finishing the package (2 servings) in three meals (kept pushing it to the side of my plate).

Finally - the rice burger - I got the Jerkin' Spicy.

I browned the burgers like the instructions said. Then I took some old rice, turnip greens, wild rice, and mushrooms in a pan with the burgers and made something similar to dirty rice.



I am not a fan of fake burgers, but I had really been missing Jamaican jerk flavors. I had high hopes for this baby, and luckily it did not disappoint. My only complaint - too salty. But everything else fell in place. OK, so it didn't taste like meat, but it was satisfying and flavorful. Maybe if I had eaten it on bread like an actual burger, it might not have come across so salty. Would I buy it again? Yes, but again, fake meat isn't a staple in my apartment. So it would be more frequently in my place than other fake meats, and one of the few kinds that would be a repeat visitor. But I'd rather test out other kinds and see what crazy foods are emerging in the health-centered world of chemicals and natural flavorings!

September 21, 2011 9:24 PM

Here's a short follow-up to last week's post:

Mac & Bean

- I did not have enough kidney beans

- Nor enough tomatoes

- Nor the right kind of tomatoes

- I didn't add water

- Nor parsley

- Nor thyme

- Nor black pepper

- Too much pasta

- No garlic

- AKA everything was slightly incorrect (at the very least)

Optional Spices

- I had the basil!

- No oregano

- No red pepper

- No salt

And I put everything in the pot at once. Hmmm... No wonder this went wrong. Thanks to VegAnn for mailing me the real recipe (I'll test it out eventually, promise!) and some delicious cookies WITH PRETZELS IN THEM!!!

Nothing gives a soft cookie more attitude than pretzel bits! These are some fantastic cookies, and I wish I could share the recipe with you but I don't know it and that's what her blog is for (hint hint, you should post the recipe on your blog)

I really want to do another giveaway, but I need to acquire quirky, out-of-this-world stuff to offer! So I'll try to hit up some second-hand shops and find some ties made out of shoelaces or something. Or just buy a bunch of old shoelaces and try to figure that one out myself...

If you ever plan on filling a cup with espresso and drinking it straight (like I did), please make sure to take a long walk or something before getting into your car. Because 4 shots of espresso = amazing + the jitters. And add ice if its too hot outside because you are gonna sweat like a crying banshee.

Thursday September 15, 2011 7:23 PM

Congrats to VegAnn for winning/taking that free chocolate that was offered up with last week's blog! This post is dedicated to you, in a strange sort of way.

Before I go into this post, here's a little background: I really love my best friend VegAnn. She is sweet, kind, and always super chill with whatever weird things I say or do that catch the rest of humanity off-guard. VegAnn is awesome, and her theme song should be "Feeling Groovy" because she always rolls with everything I do and always has something nice to say.

Now that I am no longer living with VegAnn, I miss her a lot. But, like all things after time, my brain twisted my image of her, the one person on the planet that I would listen to if I broke down and started slaughtering the masses, into someone I should listen to - aka my conscious. So now, whenever I get that nagging notion, 'oh hey you probably should check your phone for messages before you go to lunch', it has VegAnn's face and voice.

And now that I am no longer living with her, I don't get to eat her delicious cooking either, which is where the real story begins.

VegAnn and her family have this thing, well I guess its a tradition, where they all eat the same meal on Wednesday nights. Because everyone in the family is so picky (like vegan vs non-vegan) and has different schedules, Wednesday is the one day where they sit down together (if they can) and eat "Macaroni and Bean". When I lived with them, I took part in this ritual, and I came to know Wednesdays as Mac and Bean nights.

However, I do not have the recipe, and now that I am living away from them, I wished to continue the tradition. And here is where my antagonistic and quite critical conscious, dressed as VegAnn, stepped in to argue with me over what goes into the pot.

Me: Uhhh, it's a Thursday, but.... it's not like I only have to make this on Wednesdays or something. Mac and Bean can be any night of the week.

Fake VegAnn: WRONG. OFF TO A BAD START ALREADY!

Me: I have this pot - it's the biggest I have. That should work fine.

Fake VegAnn: OH GOD NO WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT??!!!!

Me: I'm not quite sure what goes into Mac and Bean - I know it has kidney beans, tomatoes, and macaroni.

Fake VegAnn: YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THE PROPORTIONS ARE OF EACH!! AND VEGANN USES WHOLE WHEAT MACARONI AND CHUNKS OF TOMATOES, NOT CRUSHED!!!!

Me: Well, sometimes Mac and Bean is made with tomatoes that have been pulsed in the blender for a while. And I couldn't find vegan whole wheat macaroni!

Fake VegAnn: SHE ONLY PULSES HALF OF THE TOMATOES IN THE BLENDER, STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR YOUR FAILURE!!!!

Me: I know she puts herbs in it too, but I really only have dried basil. I'll put a lot of that in.

Fake VegAnn: I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT WENT INTO THE ORIGINAL MAC AND BEAN!!!

Me: You don't even know? I thought you were VegAnn?

Fake VegAnn: SHUT UP!

Me: Well, I don't want to eat just pasta, tomatoes, and beans, so I'll put in some vegetables. I think onion goes into the pot.

Fake VegAnn: BROCCOLI DEFINITELY DOES NOT GO IN THERE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!!!?!?!?!?!?!

Me: Chopping up the squash in the fridge - it can't hurt.

Fake VegAnn: YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN VEGANN COOK WITH BRUSSEL SPROUTS, WHY ARE THOSE GOING INTO THE POT?!??!?!?!?!?!?!!

Me: Oh, and I've got to take out the trash, so I'll just put that on simmer for a while.

Fake VegAnn: DON'T LEAVE THE APARTMENT WITH THE STOVE ON, YOU NIMWIT!!!

Me: Relax, I'm just going twenty feet to the trash can. I'll be right back.

Fake VegAnn: This is not going to end well..........

Me: Uh, I think I put the macaroni in too early, it's all mushy...

Fake VegAnn: You didn't even put the garlic in AND YOU EVEN HAD FRESH GARLIC LIKE SHE USES, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!?!??!!

Me: Whatever, it's probably still edible.

And yes, it was still edible. But it does not look like Mac and Bean, other than the fact that you can see the macaroni and at least one kidney bean. And the funny thing is, in reality, VegAnn would have corrected the order of putting things in the pot, been a little fussy about whole wheat pasta, and been thrilled to put in extra vegetables.

As it is, my conscious stopped pretending to be VegAnn, and I adopted her attitude for a quick "que sera, sera" before digging into my imperfect Mac and Bean.

Happy Wednesday, err, Thursday!

P.S. I think parsley goes into it too? I'm not sure, but I definitely didn't put that in there...

Thursday September 8, 2011 8:30 PM

Well, here's another post, once again centered around vegan foods. I bet you are soooooooo surprised :P

Yes, I am experimenting with strange foods. This was rather disappointing (as to be expected), and if you look on the right side of the packaging, the little thermometer even says this is 'mild', despite the large "Hot N' Spicy" claim on the front center. It was chewy like jerky should be, but it wasn't really jerky - more like jerky flavored taffy.

Oh hey, what's this? If you guessed "Gardein - Buffalo Wings", you'd be correct! I didn't make it correctly (when do I ever?), but it came out good! Mostly, I wanted the buffalo sauce, and that was done right in this lovely freezer package - the fake chicken was alright, but it didn't have the texture (or taste) of wings (more like white breast meat, if anything meat-related).

OK, so Mike, Matt, and I went to a restaurant called the Owl House, on Marshall St in Rochester. It does have vegan options, and I insisted on trying several of the appetizers - the Rosemary and Sea Salt Fries, the house special Corn Chowder, and the Vegan Loaded Nachos. We were all full after the appetizers, but for some reason, we got meals anyways.

I got a Buffalo Tempeh sandwich on a fresh baguette with pickled onions, fake cheese, avocado, and there was probably something else on it I've already forgotten. And it came with a small tossed field green salad. Mike (to the right) got a pulled pork BBQ sandwich with who-knows-what on it, and Matt (across the table from me) got something un-vegan and was the only one of us at the table to clear his plate. I ended up taking Mike's salad, my salad, the leftover fries, and half of my sandwich home with me - and you all know how I always finish my food. (I think it's because I devoured the appetizers.)

And this is not food - this is the pretty lake by where I live! Yup, this is Florida on a Friday afternoon! And I drive by this twice or more a day!

I wish I had more to share with you, but I haven't been doing much other than housekeeping and work!

Don't buy 88% cocoa Extreme Dark Chocolate from 'Endangered Species' - if you want to lick cocoa powder, you can do it for much cheaper by buying baking chocolate or doing like VegAnn did and taking a spoonful of it in your mouth. Oh, and if you do want it, let me know and I'll stick it in an envelope addressed to you.

I guess this is my first free thing blog giveaway? FREE CHOCOLATE if you like rinsing your mouth repeatedly and are willing to give me your address.

Oh, and brushing your teeth afterwards should not happen if you have minty toothpaste. It doesn't work as well as you think it will.

Wednesday August 17, 2011 8:00 PM

Food day! Well, this is two days actually, but it's one post. So it's not a regular update, but I don't really have regular updates, do I?

I made homemade bruschetta, bought some hummus and a crusty loaf and called it dinner! In the bruschetta, I put in diced tomatoes, chopped onions, finely chopped garlic, dried basil, and tons of olive oil. Taste and see if it needs more of anything, then add extra oil just to make sure.



And then I made a huge batch of Dubu Chigae - a Korean stew/soup with silken tofu, veggies, and meat or seafood! (I just used tofu and veggies.)


Unfortunately, I don't measure anything when I cook, and I didn't take pictures of the cooking process or anything because I was cutting out parts of the ingredients that looked inedible. And it was not attractive. On the bright side, making it into soup fixes everything!

I'm gonna go eat vegan ice cream and lie around like a fool. I suggest you do the same - it's been a tough week!

Sunday August 14, 2011 12:04 PM

OK, so remember how I gave those washer scent things an incomplete? Well, I saw them in Target on Friday for $5 a bottle.

So I decided to give them another shot - I had 4 loads of laundry to do anyways because I still hadn't washed the sheets, towel, and comforter my mom used when she was here.

And I noticed something: when it says to partially fill the cap, which cap is it talking about? There is a cap that flips open like a ketchup top (which I had used the first time) and then there's a cap on top of that.

So I decided maybe they meant the top cap.

4 loads later....

Still no change in scent. Sorry, guys, this product is not worth your time.

I will, however, keep using it until it's all used up because a) it's free and b) I feel super awesome standing in the laundromat pouring soap in and then this weird stuff like my clothes are more important than everyone else's. That's right, I have to use two detergent thingys because my clothes are more special than yours!

:D Oh, and don't forget to bring a towel!

Tuesday August 9, 2011 8:15 PM

Dear Myself,

When you go to the grocery store to buy fresh fruit, please don't spend fifteen dollars on sushi, chocolate, and dates. And don't leave the store without buying the fruit you came here for.

Also, find someone you can feed cake to because it's depressing to think about baking a cake and then wondering what I'm going to do with it. Cake doesn't ship very well, so you can't just mail it across the country.

And save that chocolate for a snack at work tomorrow. They're starting to wonder if you even eat things other than salad.

Molly V

Saturday August 6, 2011 1:30 PM

Good afternoon!

Remember how I said I had gotten a free sample of bath crystals or something to review on my blog? Well, actually it's an "In-Wash Scent Booster" for laundry. But yeah, I'm finally giving it a review!

Tada!

So, it's lying on my bed right now - which I just washed with this stuff and regular detergent.

It came with a pair of free socks for me to toss into the first load (which I didn't - why wash clean socks?).

Downy UNSTOPABLES In-Wash Scent Booster goes into the washer before you start the wash. So take anywhere from half a cap-full or a cap-full and dump it into the drum. Then you can add your regular detergent and clothes. If you're using a washer where the detergent goes into a separate compartment, don't put this in there. It goes with your clothes.

Let's see... (typing stuff from information packet) The scent infuses your clothes, sheets, and towels, and the freshness lasts for more than 30 days (theoretically). It's safe for all colors, fabrics, and loads. Also great for active wear (hence, the socks) and towels. Safe to use with or without fabric softener (which I didn't use).

"Now the closet can be the freshest place in the house."

Oh, and keep out of reach of children.

*** ACTUAL REVIEW ***

So I did two loads with this stuff - my work clothes (permanent press) and my sheets (regular wash). I'd show you pictures of both, but that doesn't mean anything since this is supposed to add scent, not pretty colors or cleaner clothes. So you can just imagine my clothes.

My clothes did not change colors, fade, have weird reactions, etc with this product. That is a great place to start. They did not wrinkle excessively either (and if they did, it's because I let it sit for a while before actually putting my clothes away).

The bottle smells like laundry detergent but without that acrid smell that makes me sneeze. The label uses the words "fresh", "clean", "airy", and "crisp". I guess I can agree with all of that for the way the bottle smells.

My clothes smell the same as the other clean clothes in my closet. In fact, when I closed my eyes, mixed up clean clothes that used the product and clean clothes that didn't use the product, I couldn't tell the difference.

But, to be honest, I didn't put a full cap of Downy UNSTOPABLES into the wash - I only put in half a cap.

So I'm going to have to try this again with another load and more product. But right now, I'd advise against running out to the store and buying some because it really didn't do anything (though the bottle smells great!).

Oh, and they also have another scent called "Lush" that is supposed to be "luxuries", "relaxing", and "romantic" - comes in a purple and black bottle.

Final rating: INCOMPLETE

Thursday August 4, 2011 8:06 PM

It's been too long!

I moved!

I got a used car!

I got a new phone!

And finally I am back online!

Slowly and surely, things in my new apartment are starting to look like someone lives here. Today I went out and got three plants, and thanks to the guys, they have names now!

This is Clarence. He is "Virtually Care-free".

The one on the left is Herb (thanks, Mike, for the name!), and the one on the right is Mark (thanks, Kyle!).

The picture in the corner is a painting of a lemon tree. I wanted to name it, but the painting is labeled "Lemon Tree". I guess it already has a name...

When I signed the lease for my new apartment, I didn't know that it is just blocks away from the only Korean supermarket for 30 miles. So I got super lucky and now I'm super happy! Maybe I should eat things other than rice and bok choy....

Work starts on Monday, which is something I'm nervous about and excited for. My boss says she'll work me hard, plus I'm taking additional classes, so I'm looking forward to being busy. On the other hand, I'm nervous because I don't know what they expect of me. I'm sure I'll be fine, but there's always that sinking feeling.... especially since moving across the country was super expensive...

On the bright side, I am within an hour of Legoland (opening in October), Dinosaur Land, Universal studios, Disney, Tampa, and Orlando - not to mention the Yuengling factory (that gives free tours) and a whole lot more! So if you come and visit, you can have tons of fun! (wink wink, nudge nudge)

I haven't met any of my upstairs neighbors yet, but I met one woman who's been living here for 25 years! As in, this apartment complex! She even used to be the manager! So I guess it's an OK place to live if she can stand it here for that long. Or else she's stuck in a contract or something...

I met a vegetarian last night - my waiter! He's not as fun as the Korean waiter, Jeff, but Seff (that really is his name btw) was very eager to keep an eye out for me and make sure all of my food was tasty and vegan even though we were eating at a bar that mainly served wings.

In my free time, I plan on doing some volunteer work. I'll be looking for places tomorrow, and maybe that will give me something to do on Saturday and Sunday so I don't tear my hair out or buy out the local health food store.

I'm seriously running out of things to say here! Why?!?!?!?!?!!!

I'm beginning to turn into a bit of a shopaholic - and not just food. I went shopping for three hours today and bought two shirts and 6 pairs of socks. And I also spent over an hour buying a smart phone!!!! I really need to curb my spending, especially since I spent all my money on my move!! Maybe I should hide my shopping list and try to decorate my apartment with things that don't cost money... like pictures!!!!

I printed out a bunch of great pictures from college, and I'm starting to find places to put them up around the apartment. Part of me says, "Oh no, I shouldn't hang that there because if my boss comes over, I don't look professional!", but the other part of me says, "This is my place, I can put pictures where I want!"

I think the pictures are going out, and if I have company over, they can appreciate my mohawk in all its glory.

Mmm... maybe I should bake for my neighbors. But I don't have any sugar, and if I go to the store, I won't leave until my cart is full and my card is maxed out.... Bad idea...

And I'm not hungry because I just had soup. And soup is good and fills me up. Because there was a ton of soup. Like, over a quart of soup for just me.

OK, I am leaving my wallet at home, grabbing my keys, and going for a walk around my new neighborhood!

Don't let strangers into your home, especially if you live alone!

Saturday July 23, 2011 11:28 PM

Now, you may be wondering what caused this post. Well, I visited my aunt and uncle, and they are most certainly not vegan. But I am. Kinda. So I gave in to their cuisine for a couple days, and I am quite happy to be leaving tomorrow and returning to my normal diet.

Let's just say that when pancakes are made with (these are the actual measurements, no joke):

1 lb of farmers cheese

2 eggs

4 tablespoons of white flour

and are covered in a sauce that uses:

8 strawberries

2 cups of sour cream

and is served with 8 mini sandwiches that have:

a slice of salami

a slice of tomato

parsley

and half a slice of rye bread

Well.... that feeds three people. As in me, my aunt, and my uncle. For breakfast. With coffee and fresh fruit afterwards.

To say that they can eat is an understatement.

But now after this sort of food since Wednesday night, I am ready to go back to a lifetime of salads, fresh fruit, veggies, and tofu! Give me something lean! No more sausage! No more cheese! No more eggs! I want my lettuce and almonds back!

And the sad thing is, I only ate un-vegan once a day except today, where I was un-vegan for three meals (because it was Saturday and they weren't at work).

This is tonight's dinner, and this is after discussing the health effects of a diet heavy in 'animal protein', which they took to mean 'red meat'.

OK, so this doesn't look so bad! We have a lot of grated, cooked beets, two small cucumbers diced, scallions diced, and some finely chopped dill. This is the healthiest part of the unhealthiest dish at tonight's dinner.

This is a badly taken picture (sorry) of some pickled herring. Surprisingly, this is all we had for 4 people, which makes it pretty healthy too. It was garnished with vinegar, red onion slices, and parsley.

Boiled potatoes! Without a doubt, the healthiest part of this meal! They were garnished with finely chopped dill, and were the only vegan thing served!

You can clearly see the garnished herring - but what is this pink stuff? Well, remember all those chopped veggies in a bowl? Well, we diced two boiled eggs and added that to the mix. And then my aunt poured in a liter of kefir (kinda like a heavy cream-yogurt thing). After tasting it, she decided it still wasn't soup. So she added in half a liter of buttermilk and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Then she decided that it was ready to eat.

So, there was herring, cold beet soup, and boiled potatoes. But wait! That's not all! We had (not pictured) some sugary carbonated fruit drink too! And of course, what is dinner without dessert?! So then we each had a bowl of ice cream and a slice of apple strudel (technically vegan, but only because the margarine used was entirely veggie-based with no added milk products).

So how did I survive the Lithuanian concept of stuffing your guest silly? Well, I took a small bowl of soup, two pieces of herring, a ton of herring garnish, a small cup of fruit soda, and as many boiled potatoes as I could fit on my plate. I ocassionally had bites of everything else, but mostly I ate potatoes. So whenever my host or hostess looked over, I still had soup! and herring! and drink! (I couldn't get out of the ice cream though because I made the mistake of mentioning that July is National Ice Cream Month.)

It also helps to eat really slow.

Now, before you think I was forced to eat all of this, listen up: I told them that I was 'loosely vegan' and was willing to eat what they served me. They merely served me what they would have normally made for themselves. I was the one who willingly ate it, and I must admit that the food was good and brought back a bunch of childhood memories, like my first calzone, my favorite Italian restaurant, summer sausages, pickled herring in Lithuania, cold saltibarsciai on a hot day (that's the beet soup), and boiled potatoes for every Christmas Eve celebration I've ever had. So it was a trip down memory lane, and I'm happy to have tried it all again.

But maybe I should have just tried it, instead of eating a whole calzone, or three sausages with peppers and onions, or summer sausages for breakfast, and even the small bowl of beet soup.

Lesson learned - just tell people I'm allergic to dairy, meat, eggs, and fish, and only take small bites when they aren't looking if I want to taste it. And make my own food.

My aunt did ask to borrow the book I was reading - The China Study - because one of her favorite authors loved that book. I don't think she knows that it's about how eating 'animal protein' like dairy, eggs, fish, and meat causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other common diseases - and has the scientific research to back up each and every claim, from multiple sources.

I highly doubt it will change anything if she reads it, but I'll lend it to her. I've learned my lesson, and maybe she'll learn a thing or two too.

(P.S. I love my aunt and uncle! They are funny, smart, accomplished, and well-rounded individuals! The only thing I worry about is their dietary habits - otherwise they are people I admire and respect in many ways!)

(P.P.S. If this looks delicious to you, I can totally send you recipes! And if you eat like this everyday, don't take this as an insult - I'm not saying that your food sucks! It's tasty and full of flavor! But vegan food can be tasty, full of flavor, and healthy too.)

July 19, 2011 12:53 PM

OK, my library computer session is about to end, so I will cut this short.

Laptop cord supposed to arrive tomorrow or today.

Cannot wait to use my own computer.

Will be moving out tomorrow night.

Miss VegAnn a lot.

Got the job!

Gonna get a car too (at least, that's the plan)

Got a bunch of laundry detergent in the mail (or was it bath crystals?) that I'm supposed to write a review for on this blog, but haven't used them yet or had the time.

Went to Rochester and had a blast!

July 3, 2011 11:16 PM

Yes, it's night-time. Yes, my laptop is about to die. But will I still post?

Of course!

So, VegAnn helped me figure out the trafficking or whatever for this blog. Most of my viewers come from facebook (no surprise - I have it linked there), but there were two people that used google to find my site.

One of them googled "student car insurance" and for some reason my blog came up on the list.

The other one googled "about a shot of rum ago" - and I am the first result.

I don't know whether to be happy that complete strangers saw my blog, be ashamed that complete strangers saw my blog, or confused - Google.... what???!?!?!??!?!!!

I wanted to make paella for dinner tonight, but with all the substitutions I had... it wasn't exactly paella. I cooked garlic with basil and smoked paprika until the kitchen smelled fantastic. Then I added mushrooms and carrots. After a bit I added celery and kale. And then I added scallions and quinoa.

So, maybe it was a stir-fry instead? It was really good, though maybe I should have added cayenne.

Hmm.... gonna cut it short since the whole "laptop's gonna die" thing. I miss all of my ROC friends and my family down in Texas too!

Have a safe (but AWESOME) holiday!

June 30, 2011 5:15 PM

First 6 months of 2011 – CRAZY YEAR OF CHANGE!!!!

So I got this idea this afternoon – I have done a lot of things this year that are monumental in some way, shape, or form: why not write out a list of it all? Some of this stuff is the first time I have done this, some of it is stuff I’ve done before but still a big event, and some of this is just plain bizarre. They aren’t in any particular order, so just cruise on through the list and be amused. Enjoy! (Oh, and you’ll probably recognize some of these… and maybe be a little ashamed of some of these...)

Got a private tour of the Cleveland Clinic (#1 in Heart Surgery and treatment of heart disease) from one of RIT’s alumni who works there

Sold my car for scrap

Got an award for holding 2 part time jobs, maintaining full time status as a college student, holding more than 2 leadership positions in on-campus groups, and having a high GPA

Went ‘macrobiotic’ for two meals and gave up

Planned an academic trip for 22 students and faculty to Cleveland Ohio

My roommates tried to kill each other (according to the police)

I started and ended a relationship

I went on multiple dates with different people that amounted to nothing

Graduated college

After skipping church for a while, started going again, but didn’t go these past two weeks

Bought a car and paid it off completely

Got a NJ drivers license

Got NY and then NJ plates for my car

Wrecked my car after owning it for just over a month

Went to Wisconsin for an interview, all expenses paid

Went to Rutgers for a career fair having never gone to Rutgers for school (never applied there either)

Fought with one of my best friends for many months, cried a lot, and was finally muscled in to talking to him again (thanks Ann for being brutal with me)

Saw my parents and my brother only twice

Dealt with my coffee addiction (kinda)

Made myself a budget and stuck to it

Moved to New Jersey

Impromptu snow picnic turned into a hike and got people angry with me

Hung out with my favorite waiter outside of his job on multiple occasions

Went to the beach and didn’t swim

Lived on a couch for three days straight two times at two different places

Lived for over a month with a family that wasn’t mine

Hiked a mountain by myself (1500 ft)

Bought car insurance

Fell asleep in someone else’s closet (lol Mike)

Gave in and learned to love onions

Paid off college!

Went to two family reunions that weren’t mine

Weighed myself only once

Got sick from eating too much halvah at once

Didn’t watch the Labyrinth by Jim Henson for 6 months (NO WAY?!?!?!?!?!)

Ran events on campus while I was in class (texting = bad)

Got confronted by a professor for sleeping in class

Had a party that resulted in people throwing beach balls and wads of colored paper around the room

Considered flirting with a cop after a car crash

Planted tomatoes and cucumbers with Ann’s mom

Gave away the bacon couches for free

Boiled potatoes and ate smoked mackerel on one of my best friend’s balcony with our bare hands on the first warm Saturday of the year

Ate two dinners and a brunch at Ann’s cooking school, and they recognized me

Went to a psychic and had my palm read – going to marry a dark haired man with fair skin at light eyes at the age of 25 btw

Finally bid farewell to my stalker as of two years

Drove a friend to the hospital in light snow, having never driven in snow before (technically last year, but still a major event)

Didn’t speak with my sister at all – she occasionally cc-ed me on emails to Mom, and she never responded to my emails, calls, or texts

Went to Cleveland, all expenses paid, for a weekend with my idol – Catherine

Trained three successors – Tony for COSSAB, Stephanie for Honors, Sarah for Comp Learning

Planned a grad party for myself

Planned a party for Catherine that was a HUGE success!

My ex went to the hospital, came home with a new girlfriends, and still remained on of my best friends

After spending an hour on my hair and make-up, I went to an interview that turned out to be a scam

Had two deer walk right up to me (within hand distance with no fences or food)

Was frightened off a trail by a momma and two or three baby bears while I was on a solo hike (couldn’t tell, just ran like hell)

Got over my allergy to cats

Slept on a couch in a house with 12 birds, 1 cat, 1 fish, and 1 mentally handicapped squirrel

Left two jobs for unemployment

Got demoted from supervisor to mere minion

Did free-lance library work

Worked three days straight with only a few breaks no longer than 5 hours each

Kissed a cat

“Kissed the cook”

Kissed a guy in a relationship with someone else (and he was not at all interested in me)

Jumped up and down on the couch squealing like a little girl (all over a boy)

Ate vegan lasagna for a week straight

Ate 8 veggie burgers in two hours with chips, juice, and ketchup

Sat in a restaurant and never saw the menu (literally, they never gave us a menu)

Spent 22 hours where the only thing I ate was watermelon (no drinks either)

Baked on Easter Sunday for the first time ever

Cut my hair only once (and it was a buzz cut that was given by a friend who was doing everyone’s head in one go)

Went to bars three times and didn’t drink alcohol at any of them

Cried at a chick flick (Bridesmaids)

Had 3 cancelled flights, 2 delayed ones, and 2 that were on-time, no problems

Started a knitting project, unraveled it, and started doing the same thing again all in the same day

Was in a group where they didn’t think I was pulling my weight and then I did over half the project

Went to an art show put on by one of my friends and then made fun of all of her work (oops)

Was offered illegal drugs by someone I trusted and walked away

Made a paper airplane out of an important document and then realized that I still needed that

Ate my roommate’s last banana and then lied about it (oops- but I was hungry!)

Opened the door of my apartment twice to find cops there (not for me though!)

If you can think of any more additions, shoot me a comment, email, etc and I'll add it to the list!

June 27, 2011 5:50 PM

So, it has been a wild and crazy week that had a happy ending: I made it home safe and sound!

As my previous post stated, I climbed a mountain and had a car crash on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I sold the car for scrap and found out my Wisconsin interview would be on Friday. On Thursday, three of my flights to Wisconsin were cancelled, and I was sitting in the airport for about 8 hours, and the flight I finally got on arrived in Wisconsin at 12am local time (1am eastern). So I got to my hotel at 1:30am on Friday morning, hung up all of my clothes, set alarms, etc until I finally got into bed around 2:15am. I woke up at 7am and got ready, ate breakfast, and caught a car out to my 9:30am interview. I was bombarded with interviewing people (each lasting from 15 to 30 minutes), until I had lunch with the recruiter (approx. 4 hours). Then I went out to the airport and my flight was delayed, making me switch gates three times. Finally, I made it into New Jersey at 11pm on Friday night. On Saturday, I caught two trains out to visit my godmother's family on Long Island, and we went to Fire Island and explored for several hours. On Sunday, I went back into the city and to a date that Jersey (and an alien creature claiming to be Mike) had set up. I finally got back at 8pm last night, and I have been half dead ever since. Oh, and bruises keep appearing all over my arms, shoulders, and legs (delayed from the accident I guess).

Things could have been much worse, though. No one was really hurt in the accident, I did an impressive hike on Tuesday, my Wisconsin interview went pretty well I think, I used the airport delays as an opportunity to write out thank-you letters to all of my interviewers, I really enjoyed visiting my family over the weekend (and the food was fantastic!), the date wasn't terrible (and we got to see a lot of happy gay paraders!), and I got plenty of sleep last night. And most of the bruises only hurt if I poke them or the cat decides to sit on me. And the man who drove me to and from the airport was the company's private limo and knew the president personally (they chatted on the phone during the car ride and were going to each other's kids graduation parties next weekend). And my hotel got upgraded from a Holiday Inn Express to the Beloit Inn, which is the nicest hotel in town - and the room I got was a two room suite.

So here are some pictures from my hike (Mount Tammany in Worthing State Forest):

June 22, 2011 10:28 AM

Good morning.

So, yesterday morning I set out to hike a mountain - and I did! I went up 1500 ft!! It was exhausting and thrilling!!

But I got into a car accident on the way home - mechanical failure caused me to crash into a tree and spin out off the road. I'm unharmed, but my new friend Mr Grover is not.

Mr Grover had a long life, but I only knew him for just over a month. He was a great little car, and he took me from Rochester to New Jersey to Long Island to all sorts of places in New Jersey, including his final destination of Mount Tammany in Worthington State Forest. May he rest in pieces at the scrap yard.

Total amount I've spent on him:

Buying him off that college grad = $2,300

Car Insurance for six months = $581.90

In-Transit Plates = $12.50

Title, Registration, and NJ Sales tax = $277.50

NJ Drivers License = $24

Jumper Cables = $26.36

Towing = $85

Storage = $60

Cleanup, Labor, Yard, & Admin Fee (+tax) = $74.35

Taxi to Pay off the Towing Company = $20

Plus filling up his tank in PA on the way to NJ ($29.22), filling up in NY on the way back from Long Island ($42.08), and filling up in NJ before going to the mountains (??? I think around 33).

I'll get some money back from the scrapyard, but probably only $150 or so.

But Mr Grover was worth every cent (~$3565.91)! He was such a great car!!! I went to job interviews, visited friends, and had a whole lot of fun in that car!!! Besides, that's only $66 dollars over the asking price for it on Kelly Blue Book when I bought it!!! So talking down the original price of the car helped me out BIG TIME!!!

I love you Mr Grover, and I will miss you dearly in the coming days/weeks until I get a 'new' car or just decide to buy a bicycle instead (depends on where I get a job). And no bicycle will blast my old 'NOW' cds quite as loud as you did at that stoplight in Pennsylvania where that little old man gave me a funny look during that Aaron Carter song.

As for all of my human/people friends, I hope that you don't crash into a tree anytime soon, or suffer any kind of failure, be it mechanical, physical, mental, or just a really bad grade.

Tony, you'd better be taking good care of Super Grandma Princess Betsy!!! She needs to go on a bike ride at least once a week, and her chains will get rusty if you leave her outside during the rain!!!

June 10, 2011 1:10 PM

http://ozymandias3.blogspot.com/2011/06/who-cares-about-mens-rights.html

Usually, it's Joanna's blog that rants and raves about things, so here's a different perspective. Of course, there is some work that needs to be done on this idea, but at least it'll give you something to think about.

In the meantime, I am going to freak out and prepare for my interview in Wisconsin next week. You know, maybe memorize all of the stock market's movements in the past two weeks and the periodic table and everything I can find out about the company too.

Or just mail some thank-you letters.

June 7, 2011 2:45 PM

Ola!

So, I went to the DMV today, and I officially have Jersey plates, a Jersey license, and a Jersey title for my car! Now I just need to get it inspected in the next two weeks…

Better schedule that before I forget…

I finished “The Art of Eating In” and loved it. Like I said before, you should totally read it. But enough about that book – I think it’s time to talk about another subject.

*****WARNING - This is a whiny, complain-y post *******

Living in someone else’s house = weird. Bizarre, even. I ate what I was served and nothing else the first week unless I was specifically told it was OK, like the previous night’s leftovers. There’s no on-going
shopping list like at my parents’ house (where you write down things that you finished/are low on), so I don’t finish things. I accidentally ate VegAnn’s sister’s favorite breakfast cereal for two days. Last night I was making a sandwich, and VegAnn’s mother started questioning me about where I had gotten
the bread from. They had to train me to drink filtered water instead of straight from the tap, though honestly it all tastes the same to me.

Plus being unemployed is the worst thing ever for me. I’m such a total work-a-holic that I’m going crazy. I just keep applying to every job I find, and I’m getting so desperate that I’m considering taking the night
shift at a supermarket just so I feel productive. And it’s only been two weeks! Though honestly, I should have a job by now – isn’t that what I got my degree for??

Back to living in someone else’s house, I really have nothing to do during the day because I don’t watch TV and I don’t know what else they have to do around here. I’ve gone to the library so often that they
know me already, and the woman who runs the periodicals groans when she sees me with another fax to send. Everyone (including the people I’m living with) think it’s so strange that I’ll walk 15 minutes to the library instead of driving, and they were confused when I walked to church and back (took an hour plus
another hour for the service I went to).

And when I do find something to do (generally reading or fooling around on the internet) and someone walks by, I feel like I am the most unproductive mooch ever – despite the fact that I’ve spent the day filling out job apps anyways! And when VegAnn comes home from cooking school and asks me
what I did today, it sounds so pathetic. “No, I didn’t hear anything back except a couple of denials. I filled out more applications, went to the library, and read some more.” Every day!!!!

I just want a job and a place where I can open the fridge and help myself, where I can read my email and look at the news without feeling guilty, where I can finally empty my stuff out of the car instead of having to go pop the trunk open every time I need a stamp or my iPod charger.

I’ll stop now before you hear more of my whining. Hope you are all in good health and enjoying the summer!

June 1, 2011 2:45 PM

OK, so I ate some lunch and did a little yard work before coming back to this (yes, guys, I am very very bored of job-hunting).

Lunch: Two plates of salad: mixed greens, walnuts, celery, apples, and cooked beets. The first plate had a vegan horseradish dressing VegAnn brought home from cooking school, and the second plate was dressed simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (which I have rediscovered my love for after Mike's mother made a vegan pasta salad that was amazing on Sunday).

Yard Work: Basically nothing. Less than 30 minutes outside.

Book: Yes, I am reading "The Art of Eating In" again, and if you haven't read my previous post, skip down to that before coming up here again.

In Chapter One, she outlines what made her choose this experiment and the rules of the game. First of all, she couldn't eat anything 'out' (as previously defined) in the 5 boroughs of NYC. But, if she had a business trip out of state, etc, then she could eat out in other places. Secondly, she would 'respect' mandatory meals at the office, if her employer decided to host a holiday party or the like. If a group was headed to celebrate a birthday and one of her bosses was involved, she went. Next, if she was absolutely starving, like being stuck in a bus terminal for hours, then she would eat out (fortunately this was never the case).

Next, she wouldn't cure her own salami or do absolutely everything from scratch - it's kinda hard to make your own goat cheese, and she wasn't about to boil bagels every morning. But she wouldn't buy pre-prepared supermarket food or get bagels with cream cheese and lox. Finally, she would still let her friends eat out. If they wanted to go eat, she could come along and order drinks (drinking out is totally OK), or just not go. But she wouldn't order solid food.

I am really curious as to how the rest of this book is going to turn out, so that's all for now (unless I get the sudden urge to post about it again).

Oh yeah, and I think I'm going to get Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED certified sometime soon.

June 1, 2011 12:45 PM

Good afternoon!

I began reading "The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove" by Cathy Erway today. She spent two years in New York City only eating her home-cooked food. No restaurants, no microwave meals, no take-out. She declined all dinner invitations, didn't go out to bars, and lived in her small apartment.

I haven't gotten that far into it (heck, I've just read the prologue and the introduction), but I am already intrigued. How do you meet people or date if you don't eat out? How do you hang out with friends? How do you get something to eat when you are running out of food, out of time, and have places to be? I know as a vegan (for the most part), I do a lot of cooking at home since there aren't that many vegan options out and about for everyday eating - but in NYC there is. And Cathy wasn't vegan - she ate pretty much anything.

This is probably an experiment I should take up, since I always spend so much on food when I am eating out. It'll probably be easier for me here than in Rochester or Houston - because there are so many memories I have associated with different restaurants. Heck, one of my good friends is a waiter I met by being a regular at his parents' place! And I every time I've tried to make an Indonesian peanut sauce (either from scratch or from a jar), it's never worked out quite like the thick, creamy sauce I can find at so many different places.

For now, I will keep reading her book (maybe updating you guys with some of her tactics along the way), and then I'll check out her blog - Not Eating Out in NY.

And, you know, steal a recipe or two along the way.

(In case you haven't guessed yet, I have a library card now!)

Miss you all during the day, and wish I was chilling in ROC not worrying about my job search!

XOXOXO Molly V

May 30, 2011 11:10 AM

Good morning! You'd think I'd be updating every day now that I am unemployed - but sadly this is not the case. I'm doing much more productive things like applying for jobs now.

I don't have much to share except I've moved away from Rochester, NY. I am currently in New Jersey looking for a job. I went to hang out in NYC on Friday and Long Island yesterday, but that's about it. Mostly job searching these days.

I miss all of you ROC folks, and I hope you are having a wonderful summer! The weather is pretty nice where I am, but all the Jersey people think it's too hot. The high is 92 today, and they've had the AC running for days now.

I have some pictures on my camera, and if I can dig out my cord sometime soon, I'll post them up.

:D Drink lots of water and stay fully hydrated!!!

P.S. The first time I posted this, I had the wrong date down. Sorry guys!

Friday May 13, 2011 7:52 PM

OK, so I totally forgot: I DID A FOOD REVIEW!!!!

This is the EVOL Veggie Curry wrap - and it cost me like $4. It was small, decent, but not worth the money. Also, the wrap was kinda falling apart and mushy - I cooked it in the microwave according to the instructions just after buying it from Wegmans.

I won't be buying this again unless it comes in a 12-pack for $4. Then it would be worth it and probably be an appetizer for 10 people at a party. Maybe.

Too small. Too expensive. Not enough delicious to make it worthwhile.

Friday May 13, 2011 7:38 PM

Good evening!

I took a test-drive of a car today - overall I liked the car very much, though the person who owned it was a bit... let's just say she didn't know much about the car, nor did she care to find out for me.

I also got rid of the couches - finally! Kudos to Mike for helping me move them and making sure the car owner treated me fairly and didn't try to pull anything funny (though she wasn't exactly accurate when she was telling me about the last oil change or how old the brakes were...

I decided to take some pictures today of plants and other RIT nonsense that I don't pay much attention to but will probably miss. So, here they are!

Vegan Chocolate Chip and Marshmallow Cookies - by Margie