Yes, I haven't talked about school lately, but everything is fine.

It was just a bit hectic these last two weeks, registering for my summer and fall semesters. I am going to attempt two classes this summer, one in the first half (5 wks) and another in the last half (5 wks) That will give me 6 credits right there.

Then in the fall I will go back to one night class. While I loved attending class in the daytime, I did not like the schedule with my job. (My idea, of course, no one else is to blame.)

I would go into work for an hour/hour and a half, go to class, come back to finish the work day + make up the time used for my travel to and from class. So after living this crazy schedule during the summer, I will take classes before and after work from now on.

Here are some pictures of my campus. VCU alum beware, I will be showing pictures of the dining hall that required the destruction of our dear, dear, Shafer Court.



For those of you that did not attend our li'l university, Shafer Court was the social hub of the school, it's heart. Situated in front of the cafeteria and next to the library, almost everyone would pass through this area...and stop.

It was also the site of our great free Friday concerts. They'd pull in the beer truck, rope the area off, and it would be great. If you didn't like the band that week you would still show up, if only to see and be seen, or to find out what parties were happening later that night. We had some great bands play there, from local favorites to national acts: House of Freaks, Fugazi, GWAR, and Red Hot Chili Peppers right when they hit it big. (Anthony K. went to high school with one of the girls on the committee, or something like that. I knew her roommate, I just don't remember the details.)

When I came back to school and saw that it was gone, I felt outraged. I had been receiving all this alumni mail, but not one mentioned it.

"Oh by the way, we are destroying the one place that holds the best memories of your time at our school, and we still need your donations to help pay for us to demolish even more memories."

Here is the new dorm that they put up next to the one where I lived freshman year. I have fond memories of that dorm. For one, I am still friends with my first ever roommate. She's a great gal, talented, with great taste in music, and an even cooler sense of style. Who knows who I would be if I did not meet her then. Thank you, Sandster! (an early shoutout for your upcoming B-day)

Priceless!

I thought all of us bloggers could relate to this.

Turn it Off!

Next week (April 24 - 30) is TV Turnoff Week

Americans watch television for more than four hours a day.

The goal of this movement is to cut down on our total television consumption, they are not not suggesting that you stop watching TV altogether. So, if you turn on the TV as soon as you walk in the door...stop. If the TV is on and you're not even watching it...turn it off. If you could be reading, writing, playing outside, talking with the other people in your home...well, come on, just turn it off.

I have already decided which shows I will watch next week.

Sunday: West Wing
Monday: Medium
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Alias, Lost, Invasion
Thursday: Will & Grace, CSI (only the original)
Friday:
Saturday: East Enders, Supernatural

Not bad if I say so myself.

You can check here for local TV listings in your neighborhood to figure out what you HAVE TO watch next week.

So, next week, why not listen to some music you haven't heard before, read some interesting books, or hang out with friends and family.

Don't worry, the TV will still be there.

I want this lamp!

This is the cleverest lamp for a home office.

7.5" x 7.5" x 15" tall

It might not be the lamp for my home office, but somebody out there has to buy this.
Then please let me know how you like it when you do. I'll try to live through you.
(I am not allowing myself any new stuff until my apartment is "cured" of the old stuff.)

The lamp is only $19.99 and is available here. You can use the cork base to post messages and the light is turned on by pressing down on the push pin top. It comes in red, blue, orange, and a perfect chartreuse green.

You're gonna eat what?!

You know these can’t be good for you. But they sound so good.

Bacon Crisp
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 sleeve buttery rectangular crackers (recommended: Waverly Wafers*)
1 pound sliced bacon, cut in 1/2

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Place 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each cracker and wrap tightly with a strip of bacon.
3. Place the wrapped crackers on a broiler rack on a baking sheet and put the baking sheets on the oven rack.
   
4. Bake for 2 hours, or until the bacon is done. Do not turn. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature.
5. Cook's note: You can also bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes if you're in a hurry!
   

* Or try Keebler's Club® Crackers


Grilled Cheese with Peanut Butter Sandwich

From The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, by Lee Zalben (Quirk Books).

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 slices white bread
2 tablespoons Smooth Operator™ or Crunch Time™ peanut butter*
3 slices American cheese, preferably orange or yellow

1. Preheat a grill pan or griddle over medium heat.
2. Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Spread the peanut butter on the other side of one of the slices. Lay the cheese on the peanut butter and top with the other slice of bread, butter side up.
3. Place the sandwich on the grill pan. Cook the sandwich for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
4. Remove to a cutting board, slice in half, and serve immediately.

* In Virginia, you can find their peanut butters at most Ukrops, Krogers, or Whole Foods.

Whip lash, it's whip lash, I tell ya...

My car was hit by an idiot who wasn'’t watching where they were going. I now have what I call a divot over my back left taillight. It is about 2 inches wide and maybe a half inch deep.

I feel so stupid because...the idiot was me.

 

I was backing up into a space in our parking deck at work. (I always back into spaces since I took a self-defense class years ago. It makes for a fast getaway if someone follows you to your car.) Well the designers of this particular parking deck don't know anything about female safety because they designed the deck specifically for pulling INto spaces. Every two spots or so they have columns. I hit one of these columns. These columns do not go all the way down but stop some 2 1/2 feet above the pavement and end just like that with sharp edges. After the fact, I see that if you did pull in the height is perfect for not contacting the nose of your car whether compact, SUV, or Big A-- Truck. However, if you back into them, they are perfect for not only denting your car; but if you hit it just so; one of it corners will try to play “puzzle pieces” with your car'’s back and lock in.

My car is only worth about $1,700 Blue Book. Is it really worth it to have the divot punched out and painted or just have it deducted in the future sale or trade-in? I don'’t know, I don'’t know. But to go more that 10 years with this car and to never have an accident with another vehicle, have a tree land on it, extreme hail damage, cracked windshield, or air bag deployment, I SO hate that this was entirely my fault.