Bentos: The Freshmaker

My newest obsession is a bento. I saw them in Korea and I'm wanting to bring my lunch into work so I can eat more healthily and stuff. Now the point of a bento is to eat small amounts. It is automatic portion control. I bought a less than totally cute bento from ebay that will take 2-3 weeks to arrive. I ordered it on Sunday, so we'll see how long it will take until it gets here. I think I'll paint it or something to make it cuter. I really wanted pink paisley, but could only find these wacky cartoon characters and flowers. Hmmm. So until it arrives, I'm using normal tupperware sorts of things. I make thai dumpings (basically egg rolls) yesterday along with a tortilla soup without tortillas. It's basically a chicken soup with tomatoes and chilis. Yum. I also brought a dollop of sour cream. So to go with the dumpling and soup is cherry tomatoes and green grapes. So this is sort of healthy.

My rice didn't go so good and I used garlic salt in it so I can't exactly make it into rice pudding since those flavors would not meld. I accidently put the rice into the water before it boiled and I ended up with mushy, sticky rice. I tossed it with a bit of oil and will try it tonight and see how it goes.

Hmm. I also made this mini crustless quiches in foil cupcake tins. They are pretty good too. I did not however share with my family because they always complain about my cooking. So even though they kept mentioning how good it smelled and how hungry they were, I neglected to offer them sustanance. But they ALWAYS complain about my food, so I don't feel too badly about starving them. There was plenty of food to eat, just not mine.

Here are a couple of good blogs:

• http://lunchinabox.net/
• http://mmmbento.livejournal.com/
• http://www.cookingcute.com/recipes.htm
• http://pikkopots.blogspot.com/

New Sewing Patterns

So I went to Hancocks Fabrics to pick up an upholstery needle and some heavy duty black thread for my convertible top and noticed that much of the fabric was 50% off and I resisted it :smiles proudly:. It was rather difficult, but I decided to use the fabric I already own before buying anymore on impulse. The same does not hold true for patterns. Butterick was .99, Simplicity 1.99, and Vogue 3.99.

I bought...

Butterick 4985

Butterick 5214

Butterick 5209

Butterick 5178

Vogue 1042

The only one I've cut out is the 40s style Butterick 5209. I think I'll make it with the sleeves for 4th of July. Hmm, now I have to plan something to wear it to... Maybe a family picnic or we could go out to some fireworks.

Delayed Update

Everything is going well in Korea. I'm enjoying my time for the most part and am discovering some online free pattern sources because while I tried to sew without a pattern, I do like patterns. I've also found that its only .06 a copy at kinkos and it took me over 30 minutes to find the kinkos, but was easy once I got there. So my project for this week is Burda 7911, a wrap pattern that is free from Burda. I hate thye sleeves and its a bit long, but I think it will go well. I tapes the pages (printed on A4) yesterday and cut it out. Tonight the plan is to decide what modifications I want to make , like cap sleeves and shorter length and taking it in a bit at the sides, and then I will cut from my actual fabric (a green and white flowered cotton). Tomorrow I will sew it up and then on Thursday, I will do the finishing touches so on Friday, I can wear it with my jeans. I will sew the VA Museum pattern after that even though I know I wlready gave it a chance and failed. Everything deserves a second chance, right?

Passed Capstone

Well I haven't updated over here very much because I've been updating my Korea blog, but I just received this email.

Congratulations! Your hard work and dedication have come to
fruition. You have successfully completed the Capstone Experience.
If you have met all of your other academic requirements, you will graduate on
May 9.As a graduate, I hope you will continue to participate in the life of the
school. This time, not as a student but as a colleague. We need your
ideas and energy. The School needs you to help identify opportunities,
open doors, and pave the way for our mutual success. We need your help to
receive the greatest dividends in the investment you have made in your
education. We hope you will join with us as an alumnus.We also want to
assist you in achieving your career goals. If we can identify a job
opportunity, write you a reference, or simply give you some advice, please let
us know. Give us a call or drop us a line. We're still here to help
you.Again, congratulations and best wishes for a successful career.

Isn't it wonderful? Celebrate. I wish I got more feedback on how my essays were, but I suppose they were good enough for me to pass and that's enough.

In Korea now!

So, I've been in Korea for a few days now. I'm still kinda jetlagged and tired and out of it, but thankfully won't need to teach until next week. This gives me a few days to prepare and get siked for it. I will update again later. Luna is doing okay too:)

Mod a Sewing Machine

Well, I thought I could go a year without sewing, then I rethought that and decided to pick up a small sewing machine at the stores and use that. I was inspired by some blog wherein the user posted pics of fabrics at a Korean market. Awesome. So I'm taking a Janome Sew Mini with me. With taxes it was $56, a little more than I wanted to pay, but it got good reviews, is small, but not too small, is also pretty light, hopefully not too light. Hmmm. So this is a pretty cheap machine and I am inspired to mod it up. I'll take a page from the gamers handbook and turn it out as much as possible. Here's what it looks like right now:

I'm going to spray paint it either pink, blue, or green. Actually blue would be best because I'm going for a blue theme in my apartment. So the plan is to sandpaper the exterior (after making sure it works obviously) and then put tape on pic of the stitches and the dials odds and ends and stuff and side thingamabobber. Then give it a brief layer of spray paint and let that dry for a couple of hours before giving it another coat. I may apply the paint around the stitch numbers with a paintbrush. Or I could just cover them up and keep the manual. Actually I like that Idea and after the machine is blue, I will use acryllic paints to paint some flowers on it. Maybe I should look at stencils or something. Hmmm. This machine is gonna look so awesome, I'm not going to want to give it up when I get back and upgrade. lol. Here's an inspiration from inspireco.com that is pretty inspiring. I love the colors, but the other painting will be different on mine. No words, just images of flowers in a darker blue and white. Hmmm. VISION.

More Future Plans?

Well, as a planner, I like to think about things. I may be unusual for a planner in that I don't really care if I follow that plan. I just think planning is fun. Sometimes my favorite part of sewing is finding the pattern and fabric and cutting them out. This is long before the actual sewing starts.

Okay so after my Year In Korea (shall I abbreviate, YIK?) I get back to the US and start looking for a job. Sings to self.

I'd like to make a list of the places I'll be looking for library jobs in. These are all places I've been to or always wanted to see.

• San Antonio
• El Paso
• Albuquerque
• Salt Lake City
• Casper, WY
• Cody, WY
• Oklahoma City
• Dallas
• Pocohantas
• Athens, TX
• Lufkin, TX
• Midland, TX
• Jasper, TX
• White Plains, NM
• Williamsberg, Va

Now what am I looking for in my next domestic abode?

• Small town feel
• Culture is some supply, but constant stuff not necessary
• Hot most of the year
• In Texas always preferable
• Lots of YSM nearby ;)
• Librarian job available
• Something historical nearby
• Decent price for houses

Thats all I can think of for now. This leaves San Antonio as the town I'll probably move to if I can find a job. Now after I get back, I want to buy a Mini Cooper Convertible and put a down payment down on a house. I suppose this means that on my return to the US I'll become a real adult with responsibities and stuff. Now this does necessitate my finding a job that pays more than $40,000 a year. I'll probably look for some position in the academic librarianship field. There are several colleges and universities in San Antonio and there's also the public schools. Anyway, also, after I return I don't want to gom straight to work. I want to take a road trip. Hmmm, I may want to negotiate with my school to stay an additional 3 or 4 months if I really like it so I can return in May or June and really enjoy my new car and there'll probably be more jobs available in the universities at this time as they hire for the following school year. Hmm. As I said, I love the plan even if none of my planning comes to any fruition.