The End of Summer

Summer ends. That is a fact no matter how much we wish it wasn't. That is message Gravity Falls is trying to instill in us. I know most people here have't watched this weird show about the supernatural and children, but its more than a kids show. The last episode is going to air soon after 2 seasons of adventure and fun. The show is ending because life continues and like I said summer ends. Everything ends even if we don't want it to. This show takes you on a journey through the strange town of Gravity Falls, Oregon with the twins Dipper and Mabel Pines. Its about their adventures through time, space and the unknown, but most importantly its about the relationships they have with each other and the odd townsfolk. It may be an animated kids show, but its a damn good one. Its funny and exciting for anyone who enjoys T.V. I urge you to check it out. You might just learn something. You can choose your family, everything is not what it seems and everything ends. So before this good thing comes to an end you should check it out. 

image: http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2015/08/27/gravity-falls-is-the-best-show-on-television/

College stress

This is a pretty stressful time. Early Decision acceptances or rejections come out in just over a week. For many of us, these are our first choice schools and if there are people like me, then there really isn't a plan B.

As the date approaches I think more about actually going to college. Do I actually want to go? Is the school I applied to really good for me? I have no idea and no way to answer any of these questions. I begin to second guess myself, I think possibly to make the blow less powerful if I don't get in. To be honest I feel like I am okay in this in-between  stage, where I have applied so its not up to me anymore, and I don't have to deal with the fact that I am in or not.

The main topic of conversation around anyone my age is college. You can't talk to a senior without finding out their biggest college fears or where they are applying, where they aren't. It is a common topic that has bonded us all together for this one moment in time. We are all waiting.

I know that the date when I find out will eventually come and I dread the moment when I physically have to open the email. I don't know if I will be able to do it. Also, am I going to open it alone? With my parents? With my friends? But I know that the letter will come and whatever happens happens and life will go on, but right now and I think all my peers would agree with me, that this feels like the most important decision of our lives.

View image | gettyimages.com

My Favorite Ice Cream

When my family goes out to dinner, we are very critical of the food we eat. If our meal is not up to par, we go out for ice cream to make up from it. We have a few favorites around the Boston and its suburbs, and most of them. J.P. Licks is always a good option, and Bedford Farms is amazing if you're willing to really pig out on ice cream, but my absolute favorite ice cream place is Christina's.

This Saturday, my parents and I went out to dinner at a Chinese food place that my mom was recommended. To say the least, it was pretty awful. So, as we payed the check, we made plans to go out for ice cream. Being in Cambridge, Christina's is usually not an option. However, my mom felt really bad having chosen a bad restaurant for dinner, so she offered to drive and I once again got to have my favorite ice cream.

Christina's is a little ice cream place in Inman Square in Cambridge. On the right side of the two shop windows is Christina's Homemade Ice Cream, but on the left is Christina's Spice & Specialty Food. Christina's makes some it's ice cream flavors using spices and ingredients from its partner store one shop down. This results in the most amazing cinnamon ice cream I have ever tasted. The cinnamon tastes amazing, and the ice cream doesn't taste super fatty. I've never even tasted another flavor on the menu because I can't risk giving up my cinnamon ice cream for a lesser flavor (although my mom raves about the coffee flavors).

Anyway, I highly recommend Christina's to anyone looking for some really great ice cream.

photo from onegoodscoop.com

Darkness

Darkness.

My mind, heart, and soul whirl in the cascading torrent. I think but no one responds.

Luckily darkness is a slower killer than water. The rush slows down. Someone lets out their soul as a lifeline. It’s unfamiliar. I hold on.

Our combined light keeps the darkness away for the most part, but once in a while a shard of glass hits us, almost as sharp as a fragment of a dream. The current gets faster.

Arms of shadow reach out towards us, trying to pull us down, but they shrivel up in the light.

The current slows down long enough for me to look up out of the water.

On the edge of the sky, in the vast emptiness of the universe, I see a light.

You Are Not Special

"Everyone's special, Dash."
"Which is another way of saying no one is."

-The Incredibles

I remember the first time I saw The Incredibles, and I remember this quote more than any other part of the movie. As children, the love and attention we receive from our friends and family is unconditional, but what children are not taught is that they are not the most important person in the world. We live within the realm of our own lives, the confines of our own heads- and that's not selfish, it's just narrow. When I saw this movie, it was the first time I realized that I am not special, though my mother could drive you a hard argument as to why I'm wrong. It is, at once, something I fear and take comfort in. Not everyone can be extraordinary- not all of us can run a country. Not all of us can paint. Not all of us can write a book, and at that, write it well. There is the assumption that many of us will go on to write papers and teach classes and inspire masses, because we have special privileges- we are young, we are wealthy, we are bright. But you are not special.

You will not be the first person to have their heart bleed out in front of them; take comfort in this.
You will not be the first person to watch your parents creep surely towards death; take comfort in this.
You will not be the first person to get insulted, get caught, or get ridiculed; take comfort in this.

If we can take comfort in the fact that our experiences are not unique, that our lives are a repeat of lifetimes before us, that there is nothing we feel that hasn't been felt before, we can find comfort in each other. We can still wish to be special, but to be special is to be uncommon, singular. To be special is to stand alone, and who would wish for loneliness?

"But who prays for Satan? Who, in eighteen centuries has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most?" 

-Mark Twain

View image | gettyimages.com

I think this quote has changed the way that I look at so much. Personally I am not very religious but I understand the idea that people pray for others who need help and guidance. Clearly Satan needs a good deal of help and no one is praying for him to get the guidance that he needs. Reading this made me look at other people differently, people who have done something wrong, either to me or to others, because I realize that I have no idea what is going on for those people, and how they choose to protect themselves from harm does not make them a bad person. They probably shouldn't deal with their problems by lashing out at someone else, but it is not up to me to judge them for it, all I can do is hope/ pray for them to find help for their problems or learn how to deal with them in a less destructive way. I think the simple point that Twain is making in this quote makes it almost scary to believe that no one had thought about Satan in this way, that he needs you thoughts and prayers as well, and it points out a major problem in the way people think about each other, whether you are religious or not. 

Malke's Secret Latke Recipe

My dad is the one who makes latke's every year during Hannukah, and his favorite recipe comes from a very peculiar place. There is a children's book in our home, Malke's Secret Recipe, that tells the story of the best latke's in a town. These latke's that Malke makes have a secret recipe that Berel the shoemaker attempts to steal for his family. He writes down how he sees Malke making her latke's, and runs back to his wife to report the recipe. However, because the recipe seems to be so different from their own, they alter it all the way back to their original in the disbelief that it will be any good. My dad, however, is not as ignorant as Berel and his family. He has also decided to steal Malke's recipe, and uses it every year to make incredibly good latke's. Here is the recipe, as told by the story:

5 potatoes, you can leave peels on
6 scallions
3 tbsp. flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt, more to taste
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. parsley flakes
Vegetable oil for frying

Scrub potatoes and grate or shred in food processor. Add rest of ingredients and process until just mixed. Heat oil in large skillet. Carefully drop the latkes by large spoonfuls into hot oil and brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with applesauce or sour cream.

The Distressed Soldier

"Oh how I love this Christmas-y time of year!" -Burl Ives

Christmas is hands down my absolute favorite holiday. Every year when December rolls around I break out the Advent calendars, set up decorations on every surface I can around the house, and crank the Christmas music to full blast. 

There are many Christmas songs/carols that I know by heart and that I love to listen to, nevertheless sometimes I burn out; Christmas music 24/7 is a lot. However there is one song in particular that I don't think I will get sick of, The Distressed Soldier/Angels We Have Heard on High sung by Cherish The Ladies. 

Cherish The Ladies is an Irish-American group that started in 1985. The five women sing Celtic, Folk, and Roots music, they dance, play several instruments, and have the best voices I have ever heard. 

Since I was very young I have been listening to their Christmas music every holiday season. The bouncy flute, drums, and fiddle give an air of happiness and love to the wonderful music. 

If you are interested in listening to their Christmas album On Christmas Night here is a link to the the full album on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLnSNxok2Il7-_dCyYrEOM_2fvkRzkCylT&v=6ciCsPFMSIU

If you'd like to learn more about these phenomenal women you can visit their website here: http://www.cherishtheladies.com/index.htm

A photo of the group taken from their website (link above).

A Healthy Sweet

I went to my nutritionist, to talk about healthy meals. Going in I thought it was going to be all about portion sizing, healthy foods, and all that boring stuff. Once I got there we began talking about our favorite desserts like brownies, cookies, donuts, cake, and so many more. I told the doctor my favorite two was red velvet anything and brownies. Then she chirped in, thinking she would tell me not to eat that. She told me, that she once had a purple velvet cupcake, and it was good.

http://www.theskinnyfork.com/blog/skinny-purple-velvet-cupcakes

My mouth drooled at the sight of hearing this. It was unbelievable. Later on in the session, I asked her for her favorite "healthy" dessert. She said that she had no favorite but this is the healthiest one that actually tastes good, and they are pumpkin spice cupcakes. 

They are the easiest thing to make. They taste so good, I have brought them to school and work many times and everyone loves it. Without knowing that they are healthy.

Here is the recipe I use from Pampered Chief:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (16.5 oz or 432 g) spiced cake mix
• 1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
•  Optional toppings: cream cheese frosting, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon or caramel sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Spray Brownie Pan with nonstick cooking spray.  
2. Combine cake mix and pumpkin in Classic Batter Bowl (mixture will be thick). Using Large Scoop, divide batter evenly into wells of pan. Bake 20-22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  
3. Remove pan from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pan and serve. If using, allow cakes to cool before topping.  
   
   

   

   https://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe/Desserts/2-ingredient+Pumpkin+Cakes/1003979

   
   
   Well, I left her office with some healthy dessert ideas. 

Sleeping on the clouds

Nothing is better than my bed. It is the one item I miss no matter how cool the vacation or no matter how fun the sleepover is. I think everyone can relate when I say that my bed is always comfiest at 6:55am Monday through Friday. I wake up feeling like I am lying on the clouds. The sheets protect me from the cold that’ll bite my bare arms and legs while keeping the heat in. And I can’t forget my pillows; not too soft or too hard, creating the most perfect place for my head to rest.

The colder this weather is getting, the harder it is getting to wake up every morning and the comfier my bed is getting. I cannot think of anything worse than hearing the screaming alarm clock beeping right in my face. The five minutes it is on snooze for feels more like 5 seconds.

Whenever my mom comes in while I am watching Netflix she asks why I don’t go downstairs. The answer’s obvious and she has asked so many times that she doesn’t bother anymore because she knows why. Its simple; the couch is not nearly as comfortable as my bed is. It can be pretty dangerous though. If I decide to do my homework in bed, it never gets finished. I’ve actually learned that lesson that I just wait to get into my bed until after all my work is complete. Even just writing about it makes want to get in. Next year at college my bed will definitely be missed.

A little bite of heaven...

This is one of the balls filled with milky way that
we made on thanksgiving... I took this picture.

           

I also took this picture. This is Elli's ball
filled with a Rolo I believe. 

            Everyone has that one food where just the thought of it hypnotizes you into a deep craving where your mouth builds up saliva into a pool of desire. That food can be from your favorite restaurant, your Grandmother’s recipe book, a box at a grocery store or even specifically made on your favorite holiday. I want you now to imagine your favorite food.

Think about the smell... the way your tastebuds dance as you place it into your mouth...

Is it crunchy or soft?

Creamy or gewey?

Hot or cold?

Savory or sweet?

When you bite into it, what flavors jump out at you?

Is your mouth watering yet?

            Well, for me, my favorite food does not have a name but an experience. As teeth dig into the radiating heat of the cloud like Pillsbury dough, chocolate and caramel burst through the cracks making an explosion of deep fried calories in my mouth. The combinations of creamy, smooth and chewy make for a heavenly ball of joy. This recipe is not considered a mistake but a jackpot.

            Due to the fact we deep-fry our turkey on Thanksgiving, prior to placing that plucked animal into a four hundred degree pot of boiling peanut oil, we take advantage of our scorching resources and make these wonderful balls of goodness. Incase you care to make these delectable chocolate covered balls, here are the steps to reach the gates of chocolate caramel heaven:

• Take pieces of Pillsbury dough and put any chocolate candy in the center, (recommendations are: Milky Ways, Rolo’s, Hershey Kisses) then fold it up into a ball.
• ·      Then, drop them into the fryer until they turn a light golden brown on the outside.
• ·      Take them out of the fryer, let them cool just a little (if you have enough will power to do so).
• ·      Indulge into that little bite of heaven then thank me later.  

This, too, shall pass

"This, too, shall pass."

I think this adage is a really important one to live by every day. Although it's only four words, it has helped me see the bright side of so many situations. For everyone, there are times when everything seems hopeless. There are times when the negativity or bad situations in life seem like they'll never end. I think it's really important to remember that whatever you are going through, it's only temporary, and happiness will come again. These four words are solely about the temporary nature of existence. It is so incredibly simple, yet so incredibly important. It really makes me want to hold onto the future, even when it terrifies me. Personally, I've gone through a lot this year alone. What gets me through all of it is knowing that it is only temporary, and that it, too, shall pass. There is a line in the bible that is a version of this adage:

2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.  Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever.  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.  For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

View image | gettyimages.com

Deck The Halls

Thanksgiving marked the first day of Christmas movies. Actually, it basically marked the first day of Christmas for my family. Black Friday wasn’t spent shopping, unless shopping for Christmas trees counts. Seeing as we spent Thanksgiving in Connecticut, we would venture out to the greatest Christmas tree farm and haul our oversized tree all the way home to Weston. We did not joke around when it came to 25 Days of Christmas. Grades plunged from A’s to B’s as there was just not time for schoolwork because Christmas movies always came first. Christmas Eve marked the best day ever. The morning was spent at Nonnas, cooking the seven course meal that shortly awaited us. Christmas Eve still marks the best day ever however, Christmas does not mean the same. As we got older, our priorities changed. Christmas came in a blink of an eye, and ended even faster. The sound of our favorite movies lingered between the wall, because we could no longer allow our grades to plunge. As I got older, our favorite things and traditions seemed less important. However, seeing as it is senior year, I make it a priority not to miss Christmas movies!

http://www.magic925.com/jaggerandkristi/25-days-of-christmas-abc-familys-movie-marathon-is-here/

Feeling super Super SUPER!

Teen Idle by Marina and the Diamonds

      Some people talk about their teenage mistakes. That thing they maybe shouldn't have done while drunk, or whatever else. I often feel like my life up until this point was a mistake. I'm just making one continuous mistake, doing nothing right.

     I stay away from drugs and alcohol because that's the "right" thing to do. But the reason to stay away from them is that you can have fun without damaging and altering your body. But I don't have fun. I don't take care of my body (I don't exercise and I eat shit). I want to try so many things that I haven't because it was the simple and safe thing to do. I always talk about dyeing my hair but never do. I always feel guilty spending money because you're "supposed" to skimp and save. I don't even talk to many people because I worry what they'll think, and it's easy enough being some quiet girl.

     I want to redo my teenage years, "the wasted youth," to not give a damn about the fear or the crap expectations and just meet great people and make mistakes.

     Maybe I'll hate the feeling of being drunk, maybe I'll be outgoing and people will hate my personality, but at least I won't regret the "could've been's."

"Make peace with your past so it won't disturb your present."

I have lived by the motto of this quote every since I was in middle school. I wrote it up on my wall in 8th grade right next to my pillow. Now, it's covered with a calendar and blankets that are piled on the side of my bed, but the message still remains clear. In my life, I have made many mistakes, everyone has and everyone will continue doing so. But it's not about the mistakes you've made or fixing them. As this quote suggests, it's about making peace with them. You shouldn't be scared to live your life because of something you did. Suppose you told a lie to your best friend, and the lie was so out of hand that you and that person aren't friends anymore. Just when you thought everything had passed and it's been two years in the making, and someone else, suppose a new friend, heard what you said about the old one, they wouldn't want to be your friend. The past can destroy you. I have learned that the only way to really "fix" your mistakes is to say sorry. To put whatever you had, whatever drama that was in your old life, and apologize for it if, but only if you were wrong. I don't want any fights from years ago, something someone can't drop. No one would want to be hated, theres so much effort to hate someone so why would you do it?