2010: Space Odyssey

So 2010 is nothing like the entertainment industry had led me to believe. No flying cars. No regular trips to outer space for business meetings. Most definitely no crazy Barbarella looking girls bearing tons of skin trying to save me from extraterrestrial world domination.

2010, however, appears to be a year of renewal, soul cleansing, and brain-reconstruction (in an effort to sway from the usual self-destruct mode).
A lot went on in 2009 that showed me who I was and where I am and what I want and most definitely what I don't. Things that inspired me to be better and reach new heights and things that inspired me to innovate and break patterns.

Towards the end of the year I met a few people with whom I've been able to share life stories of myself, the family's circus-like rollercoaster, and my culinary inclinations, explorations, and discoveries. A thing that has sparked interest within me to retake this blog back to its roots and continue on retracing my lineage. Genealogical, Academic, Professional, and in the way everything all ties together through the personal, inter-personal, emotional, spiritual, and over all mind-bending.

A lot of adventures have taken place that GUE has yet to recant and with thsi post I intend to sort of attempt at a domino effect of posts to relay the recent happenings.

Hope all of you get what you want in this coming year, I know I'm working my ass off to get what I want and I intend on getting it.

Happy New Year from GUE!

Trial and Error

Well, needless to say the 66 Day Challenge didn't quite make it past the 5 day mark. A lot of stuff has been going on in my life that has more than prevented me from maintaining any kind of discipline. Time constraints, money constraints, life constraints. In any event. A lot of things have been going right! Although the tempest was making the skies of opportunity dim, a lot of things went on that have opened up doors and new sets of inspiration. So I'll put up my best efforts to keep this updated. also, trying to bring back the biographical timeline since Hopefully I figured out a way to get my scanner running again. Anyways. I'll be back! Life is getting hiot and exciting again!

the bi-monthly post

If not tri-monthly. It seems as of late that the blogosphere has not drawn me in as much as I wish it would. There are a million things that I constantly want to blog about and I just never get around to it for one reason or another.

In any event, I'm here now and I'm on a bit of a baking kick.

Yesterday I spent most of the hours past midnight formulating a red velvet cake, which to my surprise was incredibly delicious. Everything from scratch. Cake, red velvet, and frosting.



Waking up in a blaze of glory from the red velvet success, I decided to finally use that matcha powder I had sitting around and made some green tea mini muffins for the girlfriend's mom (and for us), which just as the previous, came out spectacularly.



I would get more in depth and write down recipes, but my current state of laziness prevents me from doing so. Instead, should you need the recipes, I'd be happy to send to you.

NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM

To continue my lack of updating and the string of video cop outs to make up for any real posting, here's a sweet video on the joys of eating, furry cute animals, and the at some point interweb adapted international word for eating and enjoying fare.

'Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom,' by Parry Gripp

Absence Trends

So it would appear that my everlasting condition of chronic procrastination has caught up with me again and I've been missing. Well, that added to the hectic schedule I was undergoing with school and work and such has left me without a post, and you, my noble and trusty reader, without material to judge me based on my poor writing skills.

Alas, I'm back. At least for now, and I have a bit of things to blog about. Random life happenings, coupled with a number thingas the internet has brought to my attention that I wanted to share.

In any event here we go!

Missing All the Fun

So, I've been absent for a minute. Again with the time restrictions and the trying to balance everything in my life. I've got quite the number of things I have to blog about so check back tomorrow for some more fun. I haven't even updated gone through my RSS in at least a week. EEK!

In the meantime, check out my sweet pastry work here. Heh.

Busy Busy.

So I've been away again for a minute, but only due to a serious lack of time. Coupled with my CPS [Chronic Procrastination Syndrome], I'm barely getting things did. School is going strong and baking is proving to be more of a science than an actual skill. Been making everything from muffins to pizza to fancy brioche and creme brulee. Tons of fun. A ridiculous contrast can be seen or felt, at least by me, on how much more I enjoy these courses versus accounting and statistics.

Midterm is coming up next Monday so I'm going to have to take a leave of absence this weekend from all social activities, with exception on Friday night for work and Sunday night with The Blackjacks who will rock everyone's faces off. Nothing like good dirty-denim-sex-rock to get me prepared for a baking midterm. Heh.


In the meantime, trip out on this come-to-life South Park-type dillio:

The Monowheel:



Not sure how old the real deal is, but I just learned of it's existence and I can't stop laughing at the South Park reference.

From the office, with love...

Dearest Blogosphere,

I have not been neglecting you out of malicious intent. I have been quite busy taking care of life. Or not taking care of it, I suppose is also a safe assumption. Needless to say that the new school-after-work schedule is limiting my spare time.

It is, however, for the good of mankind.

I have been making simple breads during Week 2 of Intro to Baking. This week there will be more yeast breads. On that note, the progress gallery and current "beta-portfolio" can be seen at my flickr site.

Week 3 begins today, I really should be doing my homework.

Love,

Me.

Missing In Action. [Baby Steps]

Apologies for the lack of posts lately, but it has been definitely a full couple of weeks. Between the job, the school situation, and a few other personal issues, I have been lacking time, if not anything else.

I spent last week undegoing the admissions process at the Art Institute of Washington for the Culinary Arts Management program. amazingly I was accepted and I was able to finance my education, something I thought that never in a million years I would have been able to accomplish. I acquired some Sallie Mae loans, which are great and all, but all the media-infused paranoia sets in when I think about all the horror stories about them.

This week, I actually started classes. Due to my current 9-5 situation, they were awesome enough to accomodate me in an evening class schedule. This quarter I'm taking Intro to Baking, an 8 credit course, and tonight will be my third night at it. The class is beyond interesting. The people are great. My Head Chef is amazing. It's proving to be a great experience already.

I get to wear a sous chef uniform and my knife kit is rolls 51 pieces deep. The lectures and bookwork is awesome, very much unlike the accounting classes I took at NOVA.

Our blueberry muffin recipe was missing butter, which was removed in the mixing process because it coagulated too fast. The taste was definitely good, but the appearance and texture lacked.


Yesterday, although I came in a little late due to some expectedly unexpected situation, I gave an oral presentation on Eggs. That's right, eggs. Love them. Shortly thereafter, we began the lab production part of the class in which we got to bake some country muffins and blueberry cupcakes. Considering some of the atrocities I saw in the classroom, we didn't do so bad. although not perfect. Our biscuit recipe lacked a bit more butter and salt, but my eeg wash was purrrfect. And the appearance and texture were on point. They layered real pretty like.


Tonight, if I'm not mistaken, we make sour Cream muffins!

Currently Experiencing Technical Difficulties

I haven't left or forgotten about the blog. I've been recently dealing with illness and some personal stuff. I, in fact, have a lot to write about, so expect this to blow up in posts without warning and when you least expect it.

Signing off...

Now it's for reals this time.

Time to pack for the trip.

Adios!

Meanwhile: GRS teaches you how to eat for cheap!

One of the best ways to save money on food is to eat more meals at home. Better yet, eat more meals that you prepare instead of foraging from boxes and cans. With today’s busy lifestyles, this can be a difficult transition to make, especially if you’ve never been much of a cook. But quick, cheap, healthy food is possible. [GRS]

OMG. I love these guys, hands down. Reminiscent of an older post of mine, but with a thrifty twist!

Temporarily Out of Service

I will be heading to the West Coast for some grubbin' and some groovin' and to celebrate my birthday (plase send cash and gifts) until mid-next week.

[!!!@not wearing sweaters]

Soooooo...

Although there probably won't be any posting until then, rest assured that I will come back with an arsenal of photos and stories that will make you hungry and angry you weren't there. (<3)

See ya next week!