100th post!

I want to put a couple pictures on. One is a close up picture of two kids, a girl and a boy that I sewed into fabric for my art project. And close ups of each of them.

One is a pic of my family.

There's a wall display of my encaustic paintings. Encaustic is painting with hot wax and fusing each layer together. It's really fun. Each square is 6" X 6".

I will show you more later. I am going to visit my grandma today. She lives in Lebanon, so I should head out. I will probably write again tomorrow.

contemplation

I graduated!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness. I have so much to fill you in on. Unfortunately I don't have any time right now, but I just realized that I didn't even tell you that I graduated yet. I have to post our installation pictures on here (my art collaboration with the mannequin). And my other installation, oh, and I guess I could take some pics of my printmaking from this term and put it on here too. I just checked my grades and I got all A's. Holy Moly!!!! I am really happy because it feels like such a great way to end my college career. I felt like this was a last great term to have. I worked hard, and I enjoyed my classes and the projects I had. I enjoyed my classmates (for the most part), and phew, I am finished.

My friends and family gave me a surprise graduation party to top it all off. I felt really honored and loved. I will share more details later. I have to go to my meeting pretty soon. BYE!!!

When to buy organic

I just got the newest Shopper's Guide to Pesticides from the Environmental Working Group. It's a really handy list to help me remember what to buy organic. I thought you'd be interested in downloading it, too. Check it out at: http://www.foodnews.org

I don't know if you guys are like me, but I attempt to buy organic produce most the time, but sometimes I go to other places like Trader Joe's or elsewhere where there is not always a full selection of organic produce. Plus it's nice to pay a little less money every now and then. So the link will give you a heads up on when to go organic and when it's not as harmful to go without it.

There a printable wallet-sized version. HEALTH TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES TOO! I just made that up and I like it.

PS

My chicken pot pie turned out to be SO tasty. It's going to be in the regular rotation from now on. I loved it!

Hey All!

Well, I've just been finishing up with school. I feel so excited and sort of sad that this chapter of my life is coming to an end. What next? I have been looking for jobs, but have not yet applied. I am going to do that once I graduate. I plan on going on a little vacation at the end of March and then starting work after that. I am so nervous.

I have not worked for someone else besides my parents for like 4 years. I like working. I need to be around other people though.

A lot of people around me have been getting sick lately. I am nervous I am going to catch something, so I am trying to stay low today and rest. I felt a little bit of a sore throat coming on last night so I took some Welness Formula. That stuff works well for me.

I have been exploring new places in Portland lately. Like North Portland. I went to Gravy. Such a good restaurant on Mississippi. They make their own corned beef at the restaurant. If you know me you know I love corned beef hash. It was delicious. They are spendy, but they have HUGE portions. I got three meals out of my one order. So, the price is worth it.

I went to Mississippi again yesterday to go to the hardware store, the ReBuilding Center, and ¿por qué no?.

If you want to work on some fun home projects, and you need inspiration go to the ReBuilding Center. Oh my word! I love it there. I thought of so many fun ideas, but I only bought what I went there for and that was a couple slabs of wood for my current project for my class.

I plan to go back after I graduate. I would love that. I want to learn how to weld. I should take a welding class. That something on my list of things to do before I die. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

This whole almost being done with school thing has a lot of excitement. There's so many directions in which my life could head. I know I need structure. That's really important for me, because I don't know how to create structure for myself. I'll write again, and maybe I'll still be sorting through the same questions again, and maybe I'll have some answers. We'll see.

Jimmy Mak's and Cafe Nell

Saturday, February 21st was my mom's birthday. We went to Cafe Nell for breakfast. I believe it's on 10th and Kearney in NW Portland. It's a little pricey, but cozy. Especially when they have the fire place going. The servers were all very helpful, and even the bathrooms were cozy. They had a nice candle burning in each of the bathrooms with a fresh flower, and very nice throw away paper towel to wipe off your hands. You know those really thick, good quality ones?

Later that night we went to Jimmy Mak's. Linda Hornbuckle was playing and she rocked the house. She's the woman singing in the two video clips. I would have showed her singing for longer, but I have had trouble in the past with longer videos. We had a lot of fun. Danny and I got the 100% lamb burgers, and they definitely cook it more 'well' than what you ask for, but it was still good. I would highly recommend going to Jimmy Mak's for some feel good music. There's a cover charge. I know it varies, we paid a $10 cover to see her. The shows start at 8pm. They have Lebanese food, Cajun, hmmm...I can't remember the other two. There were 4 different types. Bottom line: good, fun jazz club.

Danny and I have been realizing how much we like jazz since we went. We didn't even know how much we liked it until now. It's nice because Danny and I don't typically have the same taste in music. Now we can both agree on jazz.

Oh, speaking of Lebanese food...Danny and I went to Nicholas' Restaurant and man, it is good. I am even going to post the address, in case you want to go. 318 SE Grand Ave
Portland, OR 97214. It has very good ratings, and very affordable prices. This is the second time I have been there, and I am going to continue going back for more.

I should go. I have to do some grocery shopping. I am going to make a chicken pot pie tonight. Danny had a craving for it, so I thought that would be a nice thing to make. Wish me luck, I have never made chicken pot pie before.