epic amish kitchen fail

How hard could it be to make scrapple? After searching high and low (seriously went to every Mexican and asian supermarket in sac) for pork liver, I finally obtained the necessary ingredients for scrapple. In case you don’t know…scrapple is an Amish dish made from pork scraps such as liver and other pieces of meat that is left over after a pig is carved up. It is then mixed with cornmeal and boiled down. Given the apparent simplicity of the recipe, I thought…how hard could it possibly be to recreate this traditional dish? Oh…I was in for a surprise.

First of all, scrapple needs to be chilled and set into a spam-like consistency. Then it needs to be sliced and fried so that it forms a crispy slice of mushy meat. I know…doesn’t sound really appealing but trust me…it’s good. Well, since there are various recipe’s online, each with different set of ingredients depending on the family and their traditions, I thought I’d just try a little from every recipe and try to create my own little chef d’oeuvre. Hehe yeah that didn’t quite work out.

I think I used too much cornmeal and not enough meat other than the porkliver. The resulting creation was not really firm enough to slice and ended up as a grayish mass with a consistency of really bad oatmeal. Oh man, this wasn’t what I expected. As I tweak with the recipe over the next week, I’m going to have to keep in mind the lessons learned here and try again. Yes…even though today’s test was an epic fail…I’m gonna have to pick myself up off the mat and keep going…stay tuned…hopefully the next one turns out decent.

work quirks (hehe that rhymes...)

The other day I was shooting the breeze with Denise, Paula, and Zang about some old stories at work and it occurred to me that I’ve seen and been through quite a bit in my 4 years here (just hit the 4 yr mark the other day =/ ).

I still remember vividly going to Sharky’s after work with Eddy, Ky, and the Merrill crew to shoot pool till 2am. We did this at least once a week up until the news about the stabbing in the parking lot…then each of us all of a sudden had “something to do” that next week.

My old boss is a Davis lifer. Seriously. Born in Davis, grew up here, went to UCSB for 2 years before transferring to UCD, named his son Davis, and is looking to buy a house here. I wonder if his son’s gonna be a lifer too…

On my second day on the job, I almost got sent to HR for saying the word “asian”. Good thing too…I think I almost offended myself.

A few months later, one of the managers looked up at me one day and told me I had slanted eyes. How does that not get sent to HR?

In some groups, the people take turns calling in sick. In relationship management, the girls take turns going on maternity leave. Must be something in the water…

I once drew the short straw and got sent to “copier training” once. One full hour of listening to the RICOH rep explain the science of loading paper. Apparently if you don’t fan a ream of paper once before loading, there could be potential implications on world peace.

My coworker once told my boss to google a drink called the “gay astronaut”. This did not end very well.

We used to be able to call 911. Then some geniuses who had to make international calls started messing things up. Usually when we dial out we have to push 9 first…and for international calls it’s 011, then country code…you see where this is going?? So after a few fake 911 calls from our office, we’re no longer able to call 911 from our phones. But that’s ok though, because if there were ever a case of an emergency, we simply have to dial 9-1-617-500-8877. Then the security guard out of Boston will route us to our local police and fire depts.

Even though there are more stories like these, it’s the people I work with that keep me here. For some of us, we’ve been through a lot in the last two years, from living and working together in Back Bay, to celebrating promotions and commemorating last days. I guess it’s definitely been an interesting 4 years, kept me on the edge of my seat, not really knowing what to expect. I wonder how the next few years pan out…

must be a slow news day...

ok seriously?? cats that look like hitler made the front page of CNN? how slow of a new cycle must this be exactly? and it's not like this has been an uneventful week. The Tour deFrance wrapped up earlier this week, along with the clean-up still going on in the gulf and the afghanistan leak...there's plenty to report about. I like how CNN's going for the hard-hitting journalistic pieces tho. without it i would've never known that "Kitlers" are once again hot on the web...

1 year later...

It’s been a year since my first post. Looking back on it, I’m not certain where it’s really gone over the past year. I guess the title sort of defined the goal at the beginning. A year later and it doesn’t seem like there’s a target audience yet…just random people that glance at it occasionally, which is cool since its aim was just for random rants. Let’s check back in a year and see where we are. Like I said in the first post, shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up :)

first day of car-shopping

ok before I start, let me first say that I am a complete rookie when it comes to car shopping. I’ve driven two cars in my life and both have been hand-me-downs so I’ve never actually been to a dealership with any intention of buying a car before. So today was a brand new experience for me. The first place I went was the Toyota dealership down the street from where I live.

The first thing I notice about the car buying experience is that the salesmen just bum around and do nothing unless you initiate (almost like a CSR in a Chinese supermarket). So I wandered around for about 20 minutes before I had to approach one of the reps to help me out.

The guy I talked to (Anthony) has been a rep for 6 months. Not exactly the most experienced person on the lot but definitely knowledgeable about the cars he was selling. He helped me test drive a camry and a prius (both are nice…). I have to say I’m definitely leaning towards a camry tho. After that I went over to the Honda dealership across the street and test drove their accord (nice car…) and sat around and talked to the sales rep for a bit too (jim went to bible college and is now a retired music teacher turned sales rep).

The second thing I noticed is that everything on a car is optional. The very base model comes with seats and a steering wheel. Luxury add-ons like navigation packages or seatbelts will cost you extra. Even a sticker on the back windshield that says Synergy Drive is $19 (that’s convenient because I might not even get the optional back windshield). XM radio comes standard tho. Ahh so many choices.

Now that I’m back home…it’s time to sift through the brochures and find the best car to pick from. Right now I’m leaning toward the camry but I’ll still open to new ideas…

the pumpkin muffin throwdown

Last week I went with a few coworkers over to temple for the first time in at least two months to nab one of the elusive pumpkin muffins. As we walked in, we were greeted by the icy stare of the lady behind the register (who refuses to serve double espressos to-go…story for another time) and an empty line. My eyes immediately make its way to the display case to the right of the cashier: 2 pumpkin muffins left.

Woot!

As we moseyed up to the counter, I order an espresso and a pumpkin muffin, and so does Tony. While standing in line waiting for our drinks, we notice the sideways glances this couple is giving us from the line. The woman eventually walks over and explains that her husband came here just for the pumpkin muffin, and he is getting angry. From what it seems…they expected us to give up our muffins. At that point I offered to share some pumpkin muffin goodness with these clearly irate people. The man’s eyes lit up a bit before he settled down to a cold “no”. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Bhavneet centering the rings on her fingers so she could be ready (probably because she left the brass knuckles at home…haha kidding).

They stood toe-to-toe with us awkwardly for another few minutes before finally backing down, giving us the stink-eye, and getting a carrot muffin from the counter. As the crisis cooled down, I notice they nab a seat by the door so they can glare at us while we leave. We awkwardly smile at them on the way out and quickly make the journey back to the office.

dealing with jetlag...

got this video from a friend...figured i'd give it a shot since i can't fall asleep anyways:


(**side note** i'm not a nutritionist or anything...but if the only thing in your fridge is vodka and asparagus...ice cream may not be the best thing for you at the moment...)

anywho...

the ingredients are very simple...


okie shaking the bag turns out way messier than in the video =/


not exactly breyers...and kind of grainy and slushy-like...but definitely tasty!

things can change so fast...

6 hours after a 5 minute phone call with my parents, I was on my way to LAX for a connecting flight to Beijing. I didn’t really have much time to send out emails or prayer requests…only whatever was necessary to make arrangements to be out of the country for a week. As I’m writing this in row 33H, I’m simply amazed how I can be so set in my regular routine that a phone call can so dramatically change the next 24 hours.

I wasn’t really certain what I would do when I got to the hospital. My grandpa, from what I understand, was already going in and out of consciousness and only has a few days left. On previous visits I’ve been able to have meaningful conversations with him about everything from the weather to God’s purpose for us. The hardest part of the conversations was trying to tell him about God.

Here’s a man that I spent my early childhood living with. He’d take me to the park down the street, going on the swings and walking by the lake. I’ve looked up to and respected this man my whole life, and yet, for me to tell him that his life is incomplete, that it lacks meaning without the presence of God, is one of the toughest things I’ve ever done. As I was rushing back to see him one last time, I was running the words to say over in my head.

The first time I walked into the hospital, the sight was unbearable at best. He is definitely one of the most dignified and respectable people I know, and this was the first time I’ve seen him…like this. I can’t stand watching people suffer, especially people I love, and the sight of him in this state was simply overwhelming.

Over the next few days, it was pretty tough for him to talk, but we went over childhood stories and everything from work to family to God. To tell you the truth, I went into the conversation about God with so much doubt. I’ve been over this conversation with him so many times over the years. Each time I got the same response. I think God shows Himself when it glorifies Him the most; when there could be no doubt that it is Him working. This is one of those Act of God moments, where the only thing I can say is to explain it is that He was working to soften my grandpa’s heart. This time, the response was different. As we prayed together, I felt such an overwhelming feeling of joy and sadness simultaneously. I felt joy for the obvious reasons, and sadness over why I had doubted Him, why I thought that God couldn’t change my grandpa.

When I left this morning…I couldn’t help but think about the two years and all the memories. I couldn’t help but think that this is most likely the last time I’ll see him. I couldn’t help but think that he’s going to be suffering a while longer as the doctors switch drugs on him daily. As I said goodbye I couldn’t help but think of the verse:

From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

tailgating...

OMG…why do people insist on tailgating on the freeway when there are two other open lanes?? As much as I might I like to go past 85 on the causeway, I don’t feel like ending up at the comedy driving school my friend attended awhile back. btw that one fingered wave I got after she finally passes was some serious talk coming from a mom in a Volvo…

Left of the middle…Living in Davis

Now that I’m a full-fledged davis local now, I’m beginning to notice stuff that I never really realized/cared for when I was exploring the university, being in undergrad, or the bumming about afterwards. The town has some quirks that are seldom found in other areas, even in California.

This town has an old-neighborhood feel to it, as some of the neighbors I lived next to over on Vista Way had lived there for 20+ years. They buy each other bagels on Saturdays and communally share meals together on occasion. You don’t see that nearly as much in the apartments or the dorms. In some respects, when I watch my former neighbors interact with one another, I’m sort of reminded of the latter part of Acts 2, where the entire Christian community lived together and did everything together.

Part of me feels that, since I moved into a relatively new neighborhood, the community aspect of Vista is missing (granted the Vista neighbors didn’t particularly fancy us living there). It’s a little tougher getting to know the neighbors as they’re all enclosed in their houses and only venture out o walk the dog and check the mail. That sense of “hey how’s it going” isn’t quite there.

To tell you the truth, I never noticed just how dedicated the town is to its bikers. I mean, I know that davis is the bike capital and all, but I didn’t really realize that there was an entire network of bike-paths all over davis until last year. To tell you the truth, this is part of the reason that I bought in davis. I like the fact that the locals are so in-tuned with not just being the bike capital, but keeping up that image. There are some pretty jacked up parts of road over by Olive Dr., but it seems kind of obvious that our bike paths are on par, or even have a slight priority over motorways when public works budgeting is hashed out. At my first FBC meeting, there was a sizable chunk of time spent discussing bike path maintenance.

Even though I bike recreationally and am getting used to sharing the roads with bikers when I drive, I still feel an overmastering hatred and waves of disgust from the frowning woman on a bicycle, who looks at you with an air of contempt as if you are the symbol of all capitalist, meat-eating, the enemy of the people, enemy of the planet, globalizing, capitalism with a huge cigar, just because you may have slightly blown her off course on her freaking bicycle as you drive by at 30 mph (even though you gave her almost a car’s width of space).

There’s still a lot for me to get used to, especially as I go door-to-door trying to get to know my neighbors better. For the most part the neighbors have been really friendly, although there’s still that asian grandpa/grandma diagonal from me that think I’m there to rob their house haha. I noticed them watching me intently through their Levalor blinds a few times (probably clutching the phone with the finger on the 9) as I walk in front of their house to check my mail. Haha that’s ok…I have a few years to win over g’ma and g’pa with my folksy charm :D.

Other than this little hiccup, I think I’m settling quite nicely into the davis community. Now all I need is a golf cart and a prius on my driveway so I can fit in completely.

Ok I gotta go check the mail now…time to look innocent.

I’m weird…but that's ok cuz everyone's weird.

I’ve recently been challenged to list ten weird things about myself…for me the real challenge is limiting it to ten…

Everytime I watch House, I believe that I have whatever mystery ailment the patient of the week has. That’s ok…I usually just assure myself that drinking a glass of water will cure the lupus.

I have a preference for teaspoons…for stirring coffee, eating ice cream, and other stuff. Tablespoons...not so much. I’m sure there’s some kind of reason for it…haven’t found out what it is yet.

I don’t like it when the MU games area is overrun by high-schoolers and kids having birthday parties on the weekends. It’s not that I don’t like kids running around screaming their head off and chucking 6lb bowling balls at each other...it just ruins the ambiance and tranquility of an otherwise decent pool hall.

I go through several breakfast phases every year. Usually it starts off as PBJ every morning for a month or two…then it transitions into PB tortillas (yeah it’s freakin awesome). That eventually gives way to hardboiled eggs and soymilk. Currently it’s strawberries, craisins, and habanero almonds (I know…I keep blue diamond in business). If I ever switch to cocoa puffs… please shoot me.

I dip my fries in a chocolate shake. Mmm. That’s right.

I’m averse to crowds. I think that’s probably because I’m out-of-sync with the rest of the world. I like to go to supermarkets either early in the AM or late at night, I eat lunch at 11:30 or 1 to avoid the lunchtime rush, and I dread going to work at exactly 8:30am because I know the elevator is going to be full and stop at EVERY floor from G to 10.

Speaking of elevators…I’m a leaner. It’s always a bit awkward to stand in the middle of an elevator…back walls are the best, side walls are second. If you have no choice…lean against the door and face everyone. It’s a little weird at first but that’s ok…at least you’re leaning. Just move when you hear the ding or you’ll go flying out on the 3rd floor.

I tend to save venti iced starbucks cups for drinking water…I usually switch it out once a week or so. I’m too lazy to get a permanent ice/water cup and reusing a starbucks cup give the illusion that I’m green. Socially speaking, it’s almost like driving a Prius except I get to keep my man card.

Sometimes I watch Monk on TV and think to myself…I do that sometimes. Oh well…my life isn’t a TV show. (although…sometimes I get the eerie Truman Show feeling…ever get that??)

I only order one thing at a restaurant. Ever. At chipotle it’s the chicken fajita bowl, café italia is the clams linguine, dos coyotes is the paella burrito, and alejandros is always the super quesadilla.

Hmm…all this talk about food makes me wanna get some In-n-out fries and a chocolate shake. brb