Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

On Being Sick and Reaching Goals

There simply must be some law that ensures that when creative people are home from school, they are totally and completely bored out of their minds and thus are dying to return to school ASAP. If there were such a law, I wish it could be enforced on me. Granted, I should not be in school because I am such a snotty, sneezing mess; however, there must be some was to inflict boredom on myself. Being stuck at home with every form of supply and tool for creative expression available to me is a far cry from punishment. In fact, staying home from school is a great deal of fun, despite the long list of chores Bubba leaves me with and my incredibly explosive sinuses.

I feel guilty knowing that all my friends are having their physical health rewarded with Calculus homework and heat-lamp lunch food while here I sit: still in my PJ’s, doped up on green tea, and crafting like there is no tomorrow, trusty box of Kleenex at my side. Sometimes I wish I could just drop out of school for the sake of art alone. I swear I’d get more art done in twelve days than I have in twelve years.

Disclaimer (in the event that my mother reads this): On the subject of dropping out: I will do nothing of the sort; I’m finishing High School, and I’m going to college. But, at least in college I’ll be studying art all the time.

Even as I write this angst-filled blog post, there are people making significant amounts of progress towards their goals. Right now, Caleb is sitting in a waiting room getting ready to take his ASVAB and MEP tests.

Yes. Caleb is joining the Navy.

Since he was in second grade, he has wanted to be in the military, and now (after much deliberation and questioning) he has finally signed up. Everything is all crazy in my mind with the excitement and fear surrounding his decision. All I can do is wait until Wednesday when he gets the results back and finds out when he ships out. Is there some kind of support group that understands the obsessive “I’m-freaking-out-right-now” crocheting of the proud, yet fearful, girlfriends of future sailors?

There’s one thing I can tell you, I’m going to get so many hats done.

Prayers please.

Carolyn Michelle


photo source: www.collectingpapermemories.com

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Never cook alone

"In December, drinking horchata
I'd look psychotic in a balaclava
Winter's cold is too much to handle
Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals"
-Horchata by Vampire Weekend

Since I have lost my voice so completely that it would be an utter waste of time to even attempt to go to school, I embarked on a culinary journey of sorts today in leu of class. Ever since the release of Vampire Weekend's new CD, I've been dying to try my hand at making homemade horchata, which is what the first track of the album is about.


"Horchata (or-CHA-tah) is a milky white, sweet beverage that was introduced to Spain by the Moors. The original Spanish version is made with ground tiger nuts and is especially popular in Valencia. In Latin America, where the tiger nut is not commonly available, pulverized rice is used. In Mexico, horchata is one of the most common aguas frescas and is ladled from large glass jars set in ice." -whats4eats.com


So, after the decision was made that I would stay home, I immediately began to make preparations for my horchata adventure. I had previously done research on how horchata is made, but had never printed out an actual recipe. No problem, I'll just look it up again, right?


Wrong.


It was snowing this morning, which means the satelite dish that connects me to the rest of the universe is dusted in just enough of the flakey, white stuff that the connection is ka-put. In other words, no internet.


But I didn't let this little fact hinder me at all. I remembered most of the recipe and, honestly, how hard could it be? Horchata is made of rice and water, for Pete's sake! Famous last words.


With a quick prayer that none would be harmed in the process about to ensue, I dove in. After about three hours of boiling rice, steaming rice, soaking rice, and blending rice, the horchata was ready. I, in my joy of coming this far without assistance from modern, internet-type technology, was ready to behold the glory. And after looking at my creation that had congealed into a substance that resembled Southern-style grits....


...I'd rather not talk about my horchata.









Photos (top to bottom): Horchata and Jamacia drinks (e-how.com)
Horchata in a Mexican cafe (bakingbits.com)
Horchata ala Carolyn Michelle