cupcakes

as mentioned in a previous blog, i had leftover icing from making this chocolate totoro cake. in order to not waste that awesome white chocolate buttercream, i decided to make cupcakes. 

since there was leftover batter, i used mini-muffin pans to make cupcakes with a "surprise" - a peanut butter cup or hershey kiss in the middle. 

i recommend taking them off the pan right after the oven and cooling them upside down. 

sidetracked

a lot of stuff happened within the past week (like me getting a job!), so needless to say i've been sidetracked with the first week's challenge. however, i did finish two of the three criteria, and i've been working on the second week's set. also, i've added bonus points for activities completed that are not part of the challenge. each activity is awarded a half point once completed.

summary (total: 4 points, 1.5 bonus point):

• Intellectual Pursuit: 2 points for finishing Ethan Frome (no bonus points for not finishing The Lamplighter. frankly, the book has not sparked my interest.)
• Food: no points yet, but i'm working on making cupcakes tomorrow.
• Design Knowledge: 2 points 

Bonus points for trying the Big Poppa at Ray's Hell Burger, making a cheese-stuffed burger topped with sweet bbq sauce and bacon, and watching an English independent film called Son of Rambow. 

Second week challenge, same difficulty level as last week's but spread out over more criteria:

• Intellectual Pursuit: read The Annotated Alice: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (2 points)
• Design Knowledge: read Indie Publishing to get tips for better book layouts (1 point)
• Music: listen to Army Navy's first album (1 point)
• Food: try my hand on baking focaccia bread (1 point)

icing anyone?

still haven't found a unique way of using leftover white chocolate buttercream icing with a blue tint. the only thing i can think of right now is mini-cupcakes or something like a whoopie pie. hmmm...

one book down...

i finished Ethan Frome about two days ago. totally overestimated the time it would take to read the whole book. it has a straightforward plot, and quite a tragic ending. i don't know much about Edith Wharton nor her writing style. because of that, i may not be aware of what is hidden between the lines if there ever were any.

i'm starting a new book - The Lamplighter by Anthony O'Neill. i got it at a library book sale a month ago. no prior research. i have never heard of the book or the author, but that just made the book buying experience exciting. ok....maaaaaaaybe i'm exaggerating, but all proceeds go to back to the library, which i am always glad to support.

first week's challenge

for week one, i will start off with the minimum: 3 categories, 5 points

• Intellectual Pursuit: read Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (2 points)
• Food: make use of all leftover icing (1 point)
• Design Knowledge: improve 3D modeling skills (2 points)

now wish me luck as i go and start thumbing through this week's chosen book.

the busy unemployed

to date i have been unemployed for five months and three days. that's a long time to go without a steady income. (by the way, i am not counting the two and a half months i spent working freelance.) it is not like i haven't been looking for jobs, sending resumes, revising resumes and portfolio, creating an online portfolio, and writing countless cover letters. i also started volunteering as a designer at a community design non-profit group, and taking on small graphic design projects for friends and family.

but it doesn't feel like enough.

so from now on, i will challenge myself to complete tasks in certain categories that can contribute to my well-being...not to mention tasks that will keep me from going insane waiting for a job offer. the categories are as follows:

• Food: cooking, going to a new restaurant
• Intellectual Pursuit: reading a work of fiction or non-fiction, learning a language, polishing up skills/facts learned before, writing
• Design Knowledge: improving design skills, creating a work of art, learning a craft
• Travel: visiting sites around the city, taking lots of pictures
• Music: listening to a new artist (full album or at least six songs), attending concerts
• Film: watching a movie (independent or otherwise)
• Physical Wellness: exercising, eating healthy

each week i'll pick three categories and achieve at least five points. points are designated according to the amount of time it will take to finish a task. new categories will be added and point requirements may change as time goes by.

ready.