Complete: Travel to Vietnam

     I've wanted to go to Vietnam since before my husband and I were married. He was going to go back alone earlier this year, but I begged him to wait until the baby was born. I believe that to truly know a person you have to understand where they're from. It shapes us in ways that are so subliminal we ourselves don't realize its impact until somebody points it out to us. So, I considered visiting the country he was born in a must.

 

     After Lela was born we began organizing our trip. We booked our tickets, reserved our on-flight bassinet, and paid our travel agent. After many years of anticipation, we were finally on our way!

 

Culture Shock

       Nearly twenty-four hours later we finally landed in Ho Chi Minh City. We gathered our luggage and walked through the doors to a crowd of people waiting for their loved ones. We arrived at night so it wasn't really hot, but it sure was humid! The heavy air was putting my lungs in to overdrive. Vinh's father gathered our luggage, threw it in the back of his truck, and we were off.

 

     Although my husband's dad didn't live too far from the airport distance wise, the average speed limit was about 35 MPH making our destination almost two hours away.  Motorists zoomed left and right, in between cars and other motorcycles. They drove on the wrong side of the road and backed up on rotaries. People from infants to seniors piled up on the motorcycles so that there would be up to four people on one bike. Although there were traffic signals, there didn't seem to be any incentive to follow them.

 

     Confession:     

     I've never been overseas. I've never even left North America. As we drove away from the city the miles upon miles of tiny shops and restaurants in people's front yards were never ending. I was suddenly reminded- I'm in a third world country. I'm nowhere close to home, and I can't go back to my comfortable little life if I find the heat, food, or anything else to be unbearable. As I continued to stare out the window, a slight panic set in....



Apologies for some of the small pics. Click for actual size.

Have you ever had culture shock?

Where do you still hope to visit someday?

 

 

50 Things that Make Me Happy

     Life is a whirlwind. All too often we get swept up and lose focus. Not often enough do we take the time to sit back for a few minutes and appreciate everything we have- everything that brings us even the smallest joys in our lives. I think that this is a huge mistake.

     Something that is both on my life list and on 25 before 25 was being able to identify 50 things that make me happy. I actually completed this list a couple months ago, before Lela was born. Life has changed since then and there are now more things than ever that make me happy. I'll just have to make a longer list!

     So, here it is! They are in no particular order- except as you get toward the end, in which they are ordered only in which came to mind first:

50 Things that Make Me Happy

1.       My first car



2.       Chef Boyardee

3.       Moments of schadenfreude

4.       New episodes of my favorite TV Shows

 

   5.       My husband

          6.       And the silly lyrics he makes up to popular songs

          7.       And the silly sayings he comes up with (etc. etc.)

    8.     Macaroni and cheese

          9.       Dr. Pepper 10

          10.   When brussel sprouts are cooked correctly

          11.   Knowing my goal for getting an education is not to make money, but to help others


          12.   Contacts



# 13, Photo Courtesy Stephen Unger

       13.   My turtle Shelly

 

14.   Doggie

15.   Chocolate Milk

16.   Bras

17.   My family

18.   My friends (the few yet irreplaceable)

19.   My Cat Jack

     20.   Cooking (but not cleaning)

     21.   Knowing that there is hope

     22.   Sleep

     23.   Low blood pressure

     24.   Being warm

     25.   Cultural Acceptance

     26.   Getting an unexpected 'A'

 

27.   Lela

 

28.   A clean house

29.   Funny Movies

30.   Peace and uneventfulness

31.   Laughing

32.   Milk with ice
 

33.   Subliminal reminders that we are all human

34.   Freedom of religion

35.   Empathy

36.   Feeling healthy

     37.   Mr. Polar Bear

     38.   Dragonflies

     39.   A good sale

     40.   Not wasting money

     41.   Having clean ears

     42.   Doing thoughtful things for someone else

 

43.   My School

44.   Observing the simple/less obvious things
 

45.   Turtles in general

46.   Oldies

47.   90s nonsensical song lyrics

48.   Finding something I've lost

49.   Adding –ness to the end of a word




 

50.   Discovering a perfect snowflake has just fallen on me

What makes you happy?

Do you have a list? Link Up!

Karaoke- an Expected Crisis

Complete- Drop # 82: Sing Karaoke

     I've never quite understood the why people are attracted to karaoke. What's so great about singing in a room full of strangers? Do we all need our minute of fame that bad? Why is this on my list?


     I wasn't sure, and I have to say after doing it I'm still not sure. I don't have a lot of confidence- certainly not enough to regularly put myself in situations that smoke me out from the crowd. Maybe it was the thought of doing something completely out of character that attracted me to karaoke.

     Perhaps that's why people do it. It's an opportunity to put yourself in a potentially embarrassing and vulnerable situation. But, unlike most situations, to fail at this one is culturally acceptable. You're expected to be terrible at it. How many other opportunities in life do we have in which it completely okay to to fall flat on our face?

Opportunity Presents Itself

    For the first time since Lela was born, Vinh and I were presented with the opportunity of having a date night to ourselves. We took it. We went to the local hangout where it just so happened to be karaoke night. Great. Looks like I can't escape it!

     After singing a song with the hubby, I had enough confidence to do one by myself. It wasn't pretty. But, I did it! I'm by no means Christina Aguilera. Hell, to say I'm better than William Chung would even be a stretch. But, I have to admit, it was pretty fun.

     I asked Vinh to record me. Somehow this translated to record everything in the bar but me. Regardless, this is proof I actually went through with it :-) Apologies for the multiple levels of suckiness which is this video.

Have you ever karaoke-d?

Why does/did it appeal to you?

Signature Dish: Orange-Glazed Pork Chops

Complete: Drop# 35- Create a Signature Dish

     This dish has actually been up my sleeve for well over a year. I was going to create custom sides to go along with it, but decided that because of the richness of the sauce, simple sides would probably be best anyways. Sauteed broccoli or snap peas and white rice would do nicely. I think this is absolutely delicious. I urge you to give it a try!

P.S.- The measurements are approximate. This is cooking, not baking, so I tend to make food using the eyeball technique!

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops

Half a Small Jar of Orange Marmalade

1/4 C Teriyaki Sauce

1 Clove Chopped Garlic

1/2 Tsp Paprika

1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

Salt

Pepper

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

3 Scallions- cut on the diagonal

1/2 Yellow Onion- diced

1 Tsp Sesame Oil

Flour

Water

The Recipe:

Step 1:  Make the sauce

In a saucepan, lightly saute the garlic. Once aromatic, put in half can of orange marmalade, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, and some water. When marmalade has deconstructed lower heat and let reduce. If sauce thickens too much over time, just add a bit of water and stir to loosen up. Let simmer while the rest is cooking so to dissolve the orange skins in the marmalade.

Step 2: Prepare a tempura batter. Combine flour, water, cayenne, pepper, paprika, baking powder and some salt. Make sure to mix well and get out any lumps. Set aside.

Step 3: Fry Pork Chops

Place some oil in a frying pan and heat to medium high. Take Pork Chops and smother them with pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. When the pan is ready, sear up the chops. When done, let rest on a plate covered with tin foil.

Step 4: Fry Scallions

Heat up a wok or clean the pan you were using and put some oil in it. Dip the scallions and onion in the tempura mix and fry them up until golden brown, working in small batches and draining on paper towels.

To Serve:
Place pork chop on plate. Pour generous amount of sauce over pork chop, and then place tempura veggies on top. Serve with white rice and choice of asparagus or green beans.

Ta Da!

Wow. This came out pretty ugly. I promise it tastes better than it looks!

 Wow. I didn't realize how ugly this dish is.
 Despite it's hideous appearance, It's really easy to make. Give it a try!

Stephs Steps to the Perfect Summer Cocktail

Complete- Drop # 94: Create a Signature Cocktail

     There is a pretty common saying: In New England, we have four seasons: Winter, Spring, Fall, and Fourth of July! When Fourth of July season does hit, the lemonade starts flowing.

     I am personally not a big fan of lemonade. I do, however, love Strawberries and Mango. So, this cocktail isn't so much about the lemonade as much as it is about everything else.

     The Cocktail: Hard Strawberry-Mango Lemonade

     Anybody can mix together an assortment of liquids, give it a name, and dub it their signature drink. This cocktail is a little bit more involved. But need not fret- you can easily bypass the extra steps if you choose. Here's what's in it:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Sweet and Sour Mix
• 1 oz Vodka
• 1.5 oz Mango Infused Rum
• 5 Tbsp Osmossified Strawberries
• 8 oz Lemonade

Infusing Rum

     That's right! Mango Infused Rum! Here's what you'll need:

• Light Rum (200 ml)
• A Mango (I'm using a Champagne mango. They're so much more delicious than the greenish-red ones)
• Air-tight Jar

 STEP  1

EAT THE MANGO!

     We're doing the yummiest part first. The mango has a core, so just cut to the left and right of it, score the meat, and EAT! Save the core for Step 2.

STEP 2

     You could gnaw on the core, or you could infuse rum (or vodka, or whatever). Make sure the skin is peeled off and put your core in the container. Pour the light rum over it, making sure that there is enough rum to cover the entire mango portion. I am only making a small batch, with 200 ml of rum. If you're doing more, I'd suggest eating more mangoes.

STEP 3

     Make sure to seal the container very tightly. Place in a cool, dark place for four days to a week, shaking a few times each day.

STEP 4
    In a week at the longest, the rum should be infused. Feel free to do a taste test to ensure it's infused to your liking. Discard mango core and strain rum in strainer or cheesecloth. Put back in original bottle or the jar you infused it in.

TA DA! Infused rum.

Osmossifying Strawberries

     This sounds so fancy, doesn't it? Don't be fooled! In reality, I think that this is just called 'Strawberries in a Simple Syrup'. What a boring name! Osmossified Strawberries sounds so much more... Impressive!

     Just cut up some strawberries, sprinkle a generous amount of sugar over them, mix, cover, and store in the fridge until you're ready to eat them. You could alternatively just buy the frozen ones at your grocery store.  Make your own osmossified strawberries once, and you'll never want to eat the ones from the freezer aisle ever again.

 OKAY! All that fancy-dancy stuff is over! Now let's make the drink!


Hard Strawberry-Mango Lemonade

     Before adding ice, put your strawberry syrup on the bottom of the glass. Put a few spoonfuls of the strawberries on the bottom as well. After your ice has been added, pour in your infused rum and vodka, followed by the lemonade. Top off with the sweet and sour mix to help bring back some sweetness that the liquor and melting ice cut.

     This is a very light, summery drink. I couldn't even taste the alcohol. Enjoy it for a few more days before the chill of fall sneaks in!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a signature drink?

Proof the World is Coming to an End

Complete- Drop # 96: Become an Ordained Minister

     If you asked anybody who knew me ten years ago if they thought I would become an ordained minister, I am almost certain that everybody would have answered similarly- if that day ever comes, the end of the world as we know it is sure to follow!

     Well, surely this can not be good news:

     
      Despite not having the slightest idea of how to perform a marriage, I can legally marry you in most states. But, that's okay. I am sure I will not be performing any marriage ceremonies. A marriage that is made official under the power invested through Stephanie probably will have as much pick-me-up as a Dunkin Donuts light and sweet iced coffee that has been sitting in a hearse all day.

      Ladies and Gents, find your nearest bomb shelter. I am certain that end of the world is near.

Graduate from College

Complete- Drop # 10- Graduate from College

Something that was on both my life list and on 25 before 25 was graduating from college. Although I still have graduate school in my future, I did earn my bachelor's degree!

Overcoming Challenges
      Being pregnant my senior year, I was unsure of whether I was going to be able to:

1. Walk and
2. Get my GPA above a 3.5.

      When getting my Associate degree I had graduated with a 3.8 GPA. So, I was disappointed in myself when the transition from community college to university did not go as smoothly as I had hoped. I calculated my likelihood of graduating from Clark with a 3.5 or better. I needed straight A's my final semester. An A- would mean failure. It seemed like a fat chance.

      Not only did I actually get straight A's my final semester, Lela's procrastination in escaping the womb meant that I was able to attend my graduation. I honestly hadn't planned on going- I was sure I would be in labor by then. I hadn't even picked up my cap and gown! On May 20th I woke up pregnant, so we headed up to Clark. Looks like I was walking after all!

Baking the Turkey

     I was excited- until I put on my cap and gown. It almost immediately became clear that a graduation ceremony on a nearly 90 degree day was hardly an appropriate place for a pregnant woman. I was wearing way too many layers, soaking up the rays with my lovely black gown, and packed together with hundreds of other graduates. I felt like a stuffed thanksgiving turkey covered in tinfoil and left to roast in the oven.

     When it came time to accept my degree, I could barely move. Nor could I keep up with the rest of the line. I tried to act as un-pregnant as possible. I jumped out of my chair way too fast and pulled a muscle in my leg. Now I became bloated pregnant turkey with a limp. Awesome. I waddled across the stage to accept my degree and eagerly went back to my chair to start stripping off my layers. It was way too hot for this formal nonsense.

     My parents had flown up from Texas for Lela's birth, so it was a bonus for them (and me) that they were able to also watch me graduate from Clark. Vinh's mother and sister were also able to come. Although I was very happy that I had the support, the last thing I wanted to do was to put the turkey tinfoil back on and take staged pictures. Let's just say that by the time this picture was taken, I was not a happy camper. Shortly after this picture I refused to put the cap back on. I was dried out and overcooked..

     Despite the heat, I was glad I was able to walk. Attending school at Clark was a great experience and- despite being a pregnant, bloated mess- it is nice to have pictures of the event.

Welcoming Lela

Complete: Drop # 7- Have a Child

     Wow! It's been a while since I've posted anything on here!I think a part of me really needed a break for a bit, and just some time to relax before some major life transitions. Regardless of my lame excuses, I'm back! And I am bringing a little half-me along for the journey :-).

The Push

     Lela was way over-baked. She was due May 18th. A week came and passed, and no baby.
Anything over two weeks late is considered a medical condition, so they scheduled me for an induction on May 31st.

     Thankfully, that morning I went in to labor myself. We checked in the hospital at 9:00 A.M., and the nurses decided to admit me (was sent home the day before- false alarm). After they broke my water my contractions increased. It was time to give me the juice.


     Epidural: Epi-Do It!
     
       After my water broke the pain and contractions significantly increased, taking place every three minutes or so. After they gave me the 'juice', no pain. The mood in the room completely changed, and both myself and my husband were much more at ease.

     Around 7:00 things had come to a standstill, and boredom kicked in. Vinh ran down to the store to pick up a pack of cards, and we played games  until it was time for me to start pushing. By 10:51 P.M., we had ourselves a baby girl!

Settling in to Parenthood

      The first night at home was frustrating. Breastfeeding is hard! The poor thing literally didn't get anything from me to eat, and she essentially starved until we decided to go against the advice from the hospital and sub her intake with formula so she would get something to eat (for which we got yelled at for later by the lactation). I'd rather have a happy and full baby than a half-starved one any day. Sure, exclusive breastfeeding is great if it's successful. But I can't be convinced that if mom's supply simply isn't catching up to baby's demand, that it's better to let the baby starve than to give her a bottle. Feedings should be as stress free as possible for both parties. I'll end my little soapbox speech here :-).

     There's still some problems in that area, mostly with falling asleep while feeding or general fussiness. Other than this ongoing difficulty we couldn't ask for much of an easier baby (knock on wood!) She sleeps very well at night and overall is fairly quiet... Unless she's hungry, which she's developed quite a desperate cry for (I would too, after starving my second night in existence).

     Being a new parent  is going to be an incredible adjustment. Here's to the next 18+ years of overcoming the challenges of parenthood as they arise.

PDL and Love Letters at the Zen Bar

Complete- Drop #89: Write a Love Letter

      About a month ago I was blog stumbling and ran across a site called The World Needs More Love Letters. Once I figured out what it was all about, I fell in love with the concept. I had to add writing a "Love Letter" to my list. The tasked looked quick and simple enough, and I am all for anonymously brightening a stranger's day.

Love Letters to a Stranger: Creepy?

"Love Letters"

      These are not your typical love letters. A part of me wishes that they weren't even called that. It sounds cliche, and brings up connotations of the cheesy love letters you hear about in the movies or those immature little notes you would write to your crush in high school. Let's just say if I told anybody that I write love letters to strangers, I'd probably get a few odd looks. Maybe even a death glare from the husband.

      These are actually more like 'pick me up' letters. They're written with some sort of positive message with the purpose of brightening somebody's day. They can be specific to a particular person, to a group of people, or to a complete stranger.

     I was inspired. But, where do you put a letter like that? Anywhere, I suppose. But I found difficulty in writing a positive message to somebody when I had absolutely no idea who that person might be. I needed some sort of general idea of what this person might look like, so before writing I had to think of the perfect location. Somewhere it would be easily discovered and, hopefully, appreciated.

PDL Stall at the Zen Bar

     Over the past month my husband's band has played a few gigs at the Zen Bar in Plainville, CT. This is a fairly new bar, which was why when I went to the ladies room to empty my pregnant bladder I was surprised to see this:

Part of the Wall in the PDL Stall



     What's so surprising about a graffiti-filled bathroom stall at a bar? It wasn't the act of graffiti-ing itself, but what people had chosen to write. A majority of the defacing was upbeat, positive messages promoting love and self-acceptance. It was oddly refreshing. I don't recall seeing such a positive form of defacing a bathroom stall anywhere else.

     I personally dubbed this space the "Public Display of Love Stall." I love the ironic twists some of the graffiti-ists signed to, and the overall message that is portrayed on the wall while you're doing your business. Sure, like any graffiti-splashed bathroom stall there were some negative messages or profanity, but that is overruled by the positive messages that resonate with you as you wipe. This stall is right up my alley.

     What better place to leave a love letter than in a love stall? Now I had a pretty clear idea of who my audience would be, and I couldn't think of a more appropriate place to leave some love. My search for the perfect location ended almost no sooner than it began.

Everything Happens for a Reason

     I wanted a fairly generic stationary; something that I could use on more than one occasion, and that came in duplicates in case I messed up. I wasn't looking to spend any more than about five bucks.

     I happened to come across a pack of ten blank greeting cards with a simple, fairly neutral design and an inspiring quote. It was light-hearted and reminded me of spring. Snatched.

     Time came to write the letter. Writer's block kicked in, but figured if I didn't put something down, I'd never actually get around to it. It was time to stop procrastinating and to just get it done.

     The "Love Letter":

 Hey You!

     Perhaps it's cliche, but just remember that everything happens for a reason. It's true. There's a reason why you are at this bar, listening to this music, and now reading this totally random card you found. That's right- you're exactly where you are supposed to be!

The "Love Letter"

      Stop panicking about the future! You'll get exactly where you're going, and you will end up exactly where you need to be when the time is right. All you can do is live right now- be yourself. Stop underestimating your awesomeness. Give others the chance to discover you and the unique qualities that you offer to the world! 

     So we've all made mistakes in the past. So what? You can't changed what's happened, but it's already changed you. And for the better. It is those experiences that have made us who we are, and you shouldn't change yourself for anybody or anything. Embrace the Past! It's a part of you now. And you're pretty awesome.

*You are Strong  

*You are Brave 

*You are Beautiful 

and you are On the Right Track!

Keep Chuggin' :-P

Love,

Me

       A few weekends ago my husband's band played at the Zen bar again for a charity event. When I went to visit the PDL stall, I placed the letter on top of the toilet role holders. 

      Can't get much more obvious than that! I snuck out of the bathroom like a guilty puppy that just peed on the carpet. I couldn't help feeling like everybody knew what I had just done. 

     I feel good. I hope that somebody found it, and that it was just the thing needed to brighten their day. Of course, I am being an optimist, and what most likely happened was somebody read it, laughed, and then tossed it in the trash.

     Even if that's the case, I still feel good. If that person exists they suck, because I can't think of a more perfect place to have put the letter, One of the types of people that almost certainly could benefit from a pick-me-up is a sloppy, sloshy drunk chick.

Have you ever written a "Love Letter?"

What are some things that you have done to help brighten a stranger's day?