On why people wear lab coats...

...aka a glimpse at life in the lab


from phdcomics

Loving this Song...

Lost in My Mind- The Head and The Heart





Coming up...orange-mint couscous recipe. Its delicious and tastes like summer

Do you celebrate May Day?

Disclaimer: I know...I know its Cinco de Mayo (Don't worry I ate Tacos and drank beer. It was delicious. Sadly I did NOT have a churro) . I'm behind on life right now (see more below), so please bear with me.

There's also music below, if that's more you're thing


I'm not sure what May Day is all about, or if it is even an actual event/holiday. But I hear there is this little ritual where on the first of May you leave a little basket with flowers/candy/goodies on the door of people you like and try to sneak away without getting caught. (If you get caught, you better pucker up because you're supposed to kiss). I guess it's to celebrate spring (or whatnot) but I'm just so smitten with the idea of sending happy "just because" presents I've decided to make it my "mission" to send out "May Day" baskets this June. ("June Day" baskets? It just doesn't sound the same.)

I started off with making playlists/mixed "tapes"for people. Probably because I LOVE getting them; a personalized CD makes me feel super special. But I ran into a bit of a pickle. Lately it seems like all the good music I come across is a bit "dark"/sad and some of my nearest and dearest are a bit glum. And I start thinking "Are a bunch of downer (albeit dang good) songs REALLY the best way to say "HAPPY spring" Is it okay to include 3 separate songs with the word "Blood" in the title or should I be saving that for Halloween/something else all together?

Maybe I'm just over thinking this one too much.

Besides last weekend I picked up this from Williams-Sonoma. I've got to start thinking of sassy sayings (that are under 20 characters) to put on a cookie (suggestions welcome...I will NOT be making any that say "sweet heart")




Here's the Music update for the week:
Band: Born Ruffians


I Need a Life (probably their best known song, this was the first one I heard)



Barnacle Goose (my current favorite)



Little Garcon (I like this one a lot too)






The 3 "Blood songs" I was referring to above:

The Middle East- Blood



Bon Iver- Blood Bank


Foals- Blue Blood (already featured, but here it is again)

Did you watch the Royal Wedding?

I gotta admit, even though I thought the hype for the royal wedding was overkill, I was super curious about the dress Kate was going to wear. Also gotta admit I was not impressed when I saw it. They do look happy though! Did you get caught up with the hoop-la? Or are you more like the little girl in the photo?






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It's time to DANCE DANCE DANCE

I was going to post about my Easter shenanigans...but that was too long ago for anyone to care about now.

I could tell you about how I've been working late to grow a massive amount of E.Coli in the hopes of purifying b3 N-acetylglucosaminlytransferase...but I don't think anyone would care about that either and besides, I don't want to gross anyone out talking about bacteria.

I could tell you about the guy on the bus this morning...the one who had put REAL chicken bones into his piercings...now THAT was interesting. But like I said, I don't want to gross anyone out too much/more than I already have.

Instead I will tell you about what I'm looking forward to for the weekend:

1) TWO work sponsored happy hours: Beer & tacos vs. Beer & pizza...tough call.

2) Dancing

(2 of my favorite Michael Jackson remixes, because for me, nothing says "DANCE" quiet like he does)


(please ignore the first 15 seconds or so)




3) Stocking up on sunscreen and finding a new bathing suit for the summer (okay that 2nd part isn't really all that fun...but I'm still hopeful delusional )
PS DAMN you Anthrpologie/Zimmermann and your $150.00 + bathing suits... ffsshhhh...you are awfully pretty though

4) Vacation planning: Vegas/NYC/Boston/DC/Chicago/Palm Springs are in the works. Somewhere, ANY where abroad would be nice too; it's been far too long since I've left the country. Also, a "beach"vacation would be nice, but I don't want to get too greedy. San Diego has beaches aplenty.

"Tuesday" Tunes on Thursday

"Tuesday" Tunes (on Thursday again, but I'm sticking with the old name because everything sounds better when it alliterates)

If you haven't heard of Maxence Cyrin, let me introduce you. He is sort of like the Vitamin String Quartet, but with a bit of a hipster edge, does covers of current songs on the piano- classical style. It's the kind of music I like to think to. Here are two my favorites:

No Cars Go (Arcade Fire cover)


Where is My Mind (Pixies cover)

So true

100 Miles of Nowhere

I read a lot of blogs.

One of my favorites is the Fat Cyclist

I do not know why.*

I am not a cyclist. I don't even know anything about cycling except that I find the cyclists who frequently ride past my bus stop amusing (its the spandex...and their calves...whoa).

However, last year I read about his 100 miles of Nowhere and saw all the "race reports", and got all sorts of emotional, and told myself "next year I'm doing THAT". I mean how can you not want to sign up for a race where "the very best thing about the 100 Miles of Nowhere is that you are going to win your division" (Actually the very best thing about the 100 miles of no where is profits "go to LiveStrong, to help them as they help people, worldwide, in their battles against cancer." Which sadly seems to be something that has personally affected just about everyone I know)


So this year I signed up. I have absolutely no intention of riding 100 miles. See, I do have a bike. It looks just like the one above. (I LOVE it. It's yellow and was called Jenny at the store- I.had.to.have.it) I've only ridden it once (sad face I know). I don't think it I can make it 100 miles. So I'm going to recruit my friends/any one who wants to do it with me (the rules say its okay) to do a collective 100 miles.

And if biking (I mean cycling) isn't your thing, you can do it on a skateboard, roller blades, roller skates, or your feet (ie run). That's okay too (its even in the "rules")

And if 100 miles is too many its okay to do 50 or 25.

And even though the official race day is June 4th, Fatty says we can do it whenever we want (clearly Fatty isn't very good at making rules)

And did I mention that there's matching shirts!

So it's set. I'm all signed up and can't wait. Now off to go find some recruits.



*Actually I do know why...its all the food/fatty talk...that I DEFINITELY relate to

Lately...

...this is how I've been feeling. Not physically sick so much, but definitely in a bit of a mental funk.



...this (Carrot-Orange-sometimes with Apple Juice...freshly squeezed/juiced) is what I've been drinking lots of. I usually go to Juicers in Solana Beach. Lately its my favorite go to "study" spot- they have free free wifi, share space with a coffee shop- its like beverage food court which is AWESOME for the indecisive, and its practically ON the beach. Awesome huh?




...this (as seen above with juice, OPI: lost without my GPS) is the nail color I've been diggin in anticipation of spring

On the horizon: lots of summer vacation planning...I think the planning/daydreaming is practically just as much fun as the trip taking

Tuesday Tunes (on a Thursday)

Got behind with school-work and work-work so a little late, but nevertheless here's some new-ish music that I've been enjoying.


Foals-Spanish Sahara



Foals- Blue Blood



Now back to work...

Hope you're having a lovely week

ADVICE FROM A RAPPER

While I often listen to rap/hip-hop music, I wouldn't often consider it a source of wisdom/inspiration/whatever-you-want-to-call-it. However, today this line stood out amongst the typical "back that ass up"/"grind it up on me" lyrics I'm used to hearing.



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PS My other favorite, albeit slightly "saltier" quote:

"Opinions are like assholes, every body's got one"- Salt N' Pepper

Sausage, Chard, and Lemon Lasagna

I made this lasagna (from Martha Stewart) for a potluck. It turned out not to be your typical lasagna...it is much more mature...what I would call "grown-up" lasagna. There are no tomatoes. No garlic either. But boy do the other ingredients make up for it. The sausage packs a lot of flavor. The Swiss Chard gives it an earthy taste. The lemon keeps it feeling light and fresh. Its a perfect way to kick off the beginning of spring.

Here's the "how to" (straight from Martha):

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 cups whole milk
* 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 5 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (about 1 bunch)
* 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 lemon, very thinly sliced
* 6 no-boil lasagna noodles, preferably Barilla

Directions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in flour; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in 3/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in chard.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage in a skillet over high heat, breaking up pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Cover lemon slices with cold water by 3 inches in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.

4.Spread 1/4 cup sauce in an 8-inch square nonreactive baking dish. Top with 2 noodles, half the sausage, and 1 cup sauce. Repeat. Top with a layer of lemons, 2 noodles, then remaining sauce and lemons. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, for 27 minutes.

5. Remove from oven. Heat broiler. Uncover lasagna; top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Broil until bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.


It was simple enough to make (although it took me a little over an hour) and came out looking as almost as good as the picture from Martha. That almost never happens!


(completed!)

Music for your Monday: Local Natives

I fell in love with these guys last year...played them to death...and had to put them into hiding...just to fall in love with them all over again. SO.GOOD.


World News


Sun Hands


Airplanes

Home Cooking

To be perfectly honest this night was a disaster. But I really like this Polaroid, and this tomato cornbread salad was delicious.

First Post

Got a little ahead of myself and tried to make this fancy/pretty like all of the blogs I love to read...before even writing a post.

So here it is...post numero uno.

Still working on the html

:)