Sunday, December 24, 2006

End of the year review meme

I've seen this around and thought I could do it. The idea is you copy the first sentence you posted each month in the previous year.

January
Guardian (SJ): You are sensible, down to earth, and goal oriented.

February:
Hello! So, I've ceased blogging as things have been hectic. A brief summary: I got 7 interviews, but am only going to 6 (the other one never really got back to me about rescheduling) out of the 8 schools I applied.

March:
Hi! I have decided to accept Yale's offer....

No posts from April or May...

June:
So, today I had my bridal shower... it was so awesome, and fun, and just plain awesome.

July:
So today was a pretty good day. It turns out, I can sew.

August:
Ah, the new zip code, with a zero in front!!

September:
We have a dining set in our dining/living room!!

October:
We just came back from a Halloween costume party at GPSCY (pronounced gypsy), the Graduate and Professional School Club at Yale.

November:
So, I took part in a Pharmaceutical Case Competition this week.

December:
So today I'm participating in something really cool: Basically, there's this amazing writer/blogger, Amy -->
and she has just written a book, Three Fallen Women, that sounds so great (and I have yet to buy, but am very curius about... I'm thinking, maybe after today's final is over I can actually read it!!)

Some comments:

It turns out I start a lot of posts with "So, today", which is quite funny... A lot has been going on this year... Graduated from college, got married, moved to Connecticut, start Grad school at Yale... and now back to Cali for the holidays. Overall, a very good year, I must say... though a little stressful. But some stress is good, I guess!


Merry Xmas, happy belated hannukah... happy new year...

G in CA

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Night number 6: Hannukah!

Hi!

So today I'm participating in something really cool:

Basically, there's this amazing writer/blogger, Amy -->
and she has just written a book, Three Fallen Women, that sounds so great (and I have yet to buy, but am very curius about... I'm thinking, maybe after today's final is over I can actually read it!!)

Anyway, so I have been tagged for the sixth night of Hannukah, tonight. So there are five other bloggers tonight that are also responding to these questions. It should be interesting!! (You can check previous nights or Amy's blog at: http://bigmouthindeedstrikesagain.blogspot.com/)

1. Quick! You must turn a plate of latkes into an upscale gourmet delight
(as if they aren't already?). What would you add to them to dress them up,
flavor and/or garnish them?

I would place them in a nice plate (like my cool black and white square ones, yey) and add one latke, one spoonful of sour cream with a little parsley on top, and a trace of apple sauce... Some pepper on top of the latke... and well, if it looks pretty and there's barely enough food, it must be gourmet, right?

I don't really do anything extra special with latkes. I've had to make A TON of them once for a Hannukah party at my old Hillel, and we didn't do too much to them. Although, I think we did spice things up a bit, because we had a student chef help us out... but of course I have no idea what we did differently... there was just a lot of potato shredding involved.
This year-- I bought a box, and have yet to open it and make some (I've basically been living in the library for the past four days... fun fun).

2. What is the dumbest thing you've ever heard anyone say about Chanukah?

Um, well, specifically about hannukah, I don't know. But, one of my classmates just recently found out that Jews don't believe in Jesus... a big!! shock to the poor southern boy. And at out Thanksgiving feast, he did the prayer, and now aware that people believe in different things, asked, does everyone here believe in God? The nice thing was he did the prayer just saying a generic, God thank you for.... Because I always feel awkward when they say something about Jesus in the prayer... silly me, I guess :)

3. What's the best possible use for olive oil?

Olive oil is the most awesome thing ever... The last thing I used it for was a mozzarella, basil and tomato sandwich... squirted some olive oil on the bread and it was great!! However, olive oil, garlic and toasted bread makes yuummmy garlic bread.... that may be my favorite use!

4. Settle it once and for all. Latkes or hammentaschen? Which to you
prefer? What about pitting the winner of that contest against sufganiyot?

Hammentaschen! Maybe because they bring back memories of grade school in Paraguay, and my mom learning the recipe, and we trying it at home... My mom was way more involved in judaism back then, some PTA-esque thing I think, but it was tres cool (my mom's not Jewish... but was very much involved in my jewish grade school... and likes hammentaschen very much herself).

Plus, I don't think I've ever had sufganiyot... though even I find that hard to believe. I must have at some point...

5. What's the best way to mix up a game of dreidel?

Good friends, good chocolate, good wine... a round table... and there goes 2 hours of spinning... I guess that's not mixing it up...

It's funny to play with people that don't know hebrew... though they learn faster than I did the first time (what each letter means, I mean).

6. My novel, Three Fallen Women, shockingly enough, is about the lives of
three women. Which three women would you like to have over this year for
latkes and why?

I would like to have my old mora, Sara... which I totally have lost track of, but gave me my hebrew name Ada (I totally thought of her now that I think about hammentaschen!). I think I wrote her a mini-letter in hebrew once--- when I actually knew enough hebrew to do so. In any case, it would just be cool to do so.

My friend Caroli, which I haven't seen since 2001, when I left Argentina... I've known her since we were 3... she now lives in Israel... I miss her!

My friend Laila from Argentina. We've lost touch in all these years (again 2001 was the last time I saw her). It would be great to see what she's up to... she's probably a Dr. by now!

These are women that I haven't seen in a while... but there are quite a few that I'll see in a few days... so maybe I can really have latkes with them!!


7. Other than Three Fallen Women (har har), what book do you think would
make a great Chanukah gift this year? What book would you like to receive
as a gift this year?

Actually, I really want The Devil Makes Prada... I don't know, it just sounds like a great holiday break kind of book... very superficial, I know... If not, cookbooks would be great! I'm very into cooking lately...

A book I'd recommend: 100 years of solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
I read it in Spanish, but I'm sure it's just as good in English :)


8. What bloggers didn't participate in Chanukah Blog Tour 5767 and you
think should have?
(link to them)

Um, I'm thinking maybe Marie although I did send her an email about it (so maybe she signed up). And I only know of another jewish blogger, that I read, Sara, but I don't know if she actually reads my blog.

Anyway, that was fun! Thanks Amy for putting this together!! When I find out who the other candles for tonight are, I'll include them here. (this probably won't happen until after my final, that ends at 5pm EST).

Ok, here are the other five "candles": Everyone needs therapy, minor fast day, Anthropologist for Corporate America, Jewbiquitous
, and Nani
Happy Hannukah!

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Hannukah is almost here...



Here's something to cheer us jewish kids :)

Can you believe I get to spend Hannukah all alone this year? And I have yet to find a menorah...

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Pizza time


Guess what, I actually made this pizza... from scratch! With Jessie's help. It turned out so great and yummy! Sorry, I was trying to cut and take a picture at the same time.
We made three pizzas total... which turned out really yummy! Yey for us!
My classmates came over last night and we had lots of fun and food and stuff. It was a nice break from working on my presentation. Which I spent ALL day on it today!! I'm so sick of studying...

Anyway... I miss Ryan, of course.... and trying to relax a little.

I'm off now...

Friday, December 08, 2006

It's snowing!!

I looked outside this morning and there was snow everywhere!! I think they call them snow fluries... But everything is covered in white! And its 19 degrees, with a sensation of 5 degrees.

So, after I finish breakfast, make lunch, and get dressed... I'm off to be silly in the snow!!!

YEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cross your fingers that I don't get sick.

Also, I went to a broomball game yesterday, it was so much fun!!


On a sadder note... Ryan left for CA yesterday... I won't see him until Dec 21, when I fly over there!

:)

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Fiaca

Hey!!
So we have WEDDING PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!! YEy!! (the professional ones). Gary did a great job! Yey!!!!!!

Anyway... here's a different note...

Things I've Done
(Obviously those that are in bold are the ones that I have done.)

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse of the moon.
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain

65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites

70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party

75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life