Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Anything Can Happen on Halloween

I love this movie.  I love Tim Curry.  My annual Halloween tradition. 

Updates and Random Thoughts

I have been a terrible blogger this October.  I usually am so much better about posting as many days as I can for 31-for-21.  Life seemed to get in the way at every turn though.  What have I been up to?  Well...for one thing, I'm an Auntie!

My sister gave birth to my sweet angel of a niece last Thursday after a difficult 24+ hour labor.  Mom and baby are good, it was just a hard delivery.  Baby Rayla is the sweetest thing ever.  I know Marilla Cuthbert would say "every baby is the sweetest and the best", but in Rayla's case, she really is the sweetest.

Work has also been crazy insane.  Lot's going on, down a person, trying to get a handle on a new computer system, and trying to do things my own way has been a little trying.  In a good way though.  I am so so happy with my new place of employment.  The students are great, my staff is good, I have excellent colleagues and I have a fun commute.

I'm taking three classes this semester.  My last three classes.  Two classes and an independent study to be exact.  A lot of reading and a lot of writing.  Nothing terribly difficult, but it's a commitment, especially after living away for so long and wanting to do things with my family and friends on the weekends when I'm not working.  I've only got seven weeks left though, so I'm determined to tough it out.  After that I'll take my qualifying exams in the spring and I can start my dissertation after that.  I am so looking forward to being done.

And we're in the middle of a hurricane.  No power loss here yet.  We've had some pretty powerful wind gusts though.  No work for me today and I'm waiting to hear about tomorrow.  I would love another day off to spend home with Miss Rayla, but I also have a ton of things to do in the office, so I also kinda want to go to work tomorrow.  We'll see what happens.

Tuesday Day Book

I am thinking … that I cannot wait for my niece to arrive.  Any day now...

I am thankful for ... the chance to go back to school and get my doctorate.  I felt like I would never finish, but I am almost done.

I am reading … Something about faculty teaching for my Professoriate course.  It's not exactly riveting.
 
I am hoping …that the rest of this week goes better than Monday and Tuesday have.  Nothing terrible, just crazy and insane stuff at work.

On my mind ...thinking about travel for next year.  A vacation for sure, but also maybe a weekend at Inn BoonsBoro, a trip to North Carolina, and seeing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

I'm learning ...to relax.  It's hard.  I'm constantly doing something and I need to learn to unwind mentally.

Noticing that ... it's time to break down and go to the DMV and register my car.

From the kitchen …amazingly tasty calzones from Pastryland.  Mine was eggplant - so so yummy.

Around the house ... I finally found a water dish Kate won't tip over.  No more floods in the basement.

One of my favorite things …unreal candy.  No HFCS, no preservatives, no GMOs, no artificial ingredients, no hydrogenated oils.  They are better than m&ms.  Better ingredients, richer chocolate taste, fewer pieces consumed to fill the chocolate craving.  And they're cute.  No red dye number 3.  They're colored with blue agave and beet juice instead.

Scandal

I love this show.  Another one out of the Shonda Rhimes universe, Scandal is about Olivia Pope, a Washington DC fixer.  It's almost like a cross between Grey's Anatomy and The West Wing.  The show has great casting, good writing, and the chemistry between Olivia (Kerry Washington) and Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) is off the charts.  I also totally envy Olivia Pope's wardrobe.  Unfortunately, I can't afford Armani and Escada...

 

Scandal airs on ABC, Thursday nights at 10pm (after Grey's!)

Thursday Recipe

I repost this recipe every fall - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. So so yummy and I get requests for them this time of year, so I thought now would be a good time to share again.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
 

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

3. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and beat just until blended.

4. Mix in the dry ingredients.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips or chunks and nuts, if using.

6. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.

7. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Rotate the sheets halfway through baking to ensure even baking. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from "Too Busy to Cook?" Volume Two

© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.

** notes ** I find this recipe easier to make in the stand mixer than by hand or with the a hand mixer, with the exception of adding the chocolate chips in the end. I also omit the nuts. While I generally love all variety of nuts, I don't care for them in my cookies.

Monday Day Book

I am thinking … that I can't believe the semester is just about halfway through.

I am thankful for ... the opportunities I have had this year.  Some pretty remarkable stuff.

I am reading … A Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling.  Let's see how she does post HP.

I am hoping …to sleep better tonight than I did last night.

On my mind ...more work stuff.  There's still a lot of it that is so new.  I am so OCD about things it is killing me that I there's still things I don't know.

I'm learning ...that I am okay stepping away from the computer for awhile.

Noticing that ... my hair is long enough to pull back in a ponytail.  Finally.

From the kitchen …take out - we had an A&W Groupon we needed to use.  The root beer float was mighty tasty.

Around the house …not much.  It's pretty quiet.

One of my favorite things … attending mass at the church I grew up in.

On the Agenda

We're getting into the part of the year when the movie studios release the movies they think will contend for an Oscar.  Since I LOVE movies, I am already compiling a list of the movies I need to see this Fall.  Up first?  Argo.  I already made plans to see this Tuesday night with my friend Amy.  I am so excited.  It's gotten great reviews so far.

 

Not on the Oscar race list, but looks like a ton of fun anyway is Wreck-It Ralph.  If you played video games in the 80s, this should be right up your alley.




Abraham Lincoln + Stephen Spielberg + Doris Kearns Goodwin = a beautiful movie


A movie based on a Russian classic?  Of course I'm going to go see it.

 

I will see anything with Marion Cotillard in it, so Rust and Bone is on the list.
 


While everyone is talking about The Hobbit for December, I will be getting in line to see Les Miserables.


So that's my movie list - what are you gearing up to see this Fall?

Friday Fun

Wednesday Day Book

Outside my window ...dark and chilly, 57 degrees.

I am thinking … that I am so thrilled to be back in Rhode Island.

I am thankful for ... my years at BayView.  I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

I am reading … A Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling.  Let's see how she does post HP.

I am hoping …to meet my niece soon!

On my mind ...things I need to take care of at work tomorrow.  I am loving my new job, and I love working in Boston.  I just have a long to do list.

I'm learning ... to be more assertive in my personal life.  I have it down pat in my professional life.

Noticing that ... the leaves are changing color!

From the kitchen …peanut butter and jelly bars later this week, by request.

Around the house … time to vacuum and dust.

One of my favorite things … October!  It is my favorite month - the weather, the leaves, the pumpkins, and Halloween!  What's not to love?