RIP Michael Jackson

I know, I know I'm late. Been travelling throughout the south. But seriously, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays, and Michael Jackson. Bad things come in 3's but that was four. Though some say that Mays and McMahon collectively make one. aww that's not rite.

My sister loved (loves) MJ. When we were in Arkansas, she was just talking about making the laugh in Thriller her ringback before 'it' happened. I mean she had the thriller jackets (black and red ) went to the concert. it was ridiculous. And that was my introduction to Michael Jackson.

I remember being in grade school when 'Remember the Time' came out. When people would bust out with 'It doesn't matter if you're black or white'. My personal favourite memory is of my big crush of highschool. When we used to go on long field trips I would listen to 'Butterflies' on my portable CD player and gaze at them. (so look for that on 'Lyrically Speaking') LOL. terribly silly but you know how young love is. It's one of his less popular song but you have a crush, that is *the* song to listen to.

MJ went through a lot of changes with his looks, if he would've stayed the way he looked in 'Don't Stop till you get enough' (I'm not going to front, he was a cutie in that video). He caused a lot of controversy and somethings we will never know. One of his last appearances was a few years ago in my hometown of Augusta,GA at James Brown's funeral. I have a definite feeling his persona is going the way of Elvis. (and poor Lisa Marie, to have to go through this twice).

The nite he died I watched BET for the first time in years. his music bridged so much. His dance moves were so smooth.

Nerdy Pick up lines

A few days ago, on twitter #geekpickuplines was a trending topic. I still don't know why but it was. I was ace-ing them. As a self proclaimed nerd, I think that nerdy pick up lines are hilarious. The question is, do they work? does anybody actually use them? In my experience I've actually had two pitched at me, in jest of course. But it must of worked, we dated. I used to say them to my last boyfriend, he thought they were funny. Why do people (not just nerds but most people who've taken some upper maths and science) think their so funny? I don't know but here are some of my favourites:

• I wish I was a derivative so I could lie tangent to your curves.
• Baby, Lets take the integral of e to the x to infinity
• Baby, I'll treat you like my homework, slam you on the table and do you all night long.
• Baby, you overclock my processor
• Be my queen and mate me with your knight moves
• I wish I were your second derivative so i could fill your concavities
• Lets get together and test the spring potential of my matress
• I less than three you….. (i <>
• I wish I was your secant line so I could touch you in at least two places!
• I’d be the photon to your electron and take you to an excited state.
• Baby, if they made you in Java, you’d be the object of my desire.
• Hey, up for some high-energy quantum tunnelling tonight?
• I’m overheating because you’re stuck in my head like an infinite loop.
• You’re as sweet at 3.14.
• Our love is like Pi: irrational and never ending
• You fascinate me more than the fundamental theorem of calculus.
• Roses are #FF0000, violets are #0000FF. All my base are belong to you.
• Are you the square root of 2? because I feel irrational when I’m around you

And last but not least, why you should date an electrical engineer:

• The world does revolve around us... we choose the coordinate system.
• No "couple" enjoy a better "moment".
• We know how to handle stress and strain in a relationship.
• We have significant figures.
• We know it's not the length of the vector that counts, but how you apply the force.
  
• Electrical engineers do it on an impulse
• Electrical engineers do it with more power and at higher frequency.
• Electrical engineers do it with super position
• Electrical engineers do it until it Hertz.
• Electrical engineers do it with spark.
• Electrical engineers do it with precision.
• Electrical engineers do it any way they can.

I haven't quite figured the particulars of this one.

When I started my 43 things account years ago, I wanted to open a bakery. Since then I’ve had the opportunity to work as an assistant to a pasty chef. I’m still not sure if I want to open a bakery or a restaurant one of these days. I’ve even thought about a deli/bakery. I’ve got this one really crazy idea, but it’s still to random to even mention on the blog. I do know that this is one of those long term goals. My family and friends tell me I have great cooking skills but I know that I still need a lot of work and practise until I’m ready to open up my own eatery.

People have jokingly suggested that I go to culinary school. But as I always say to them, I believe it's more logical to begin my career as an engineer. Perhaps this bakery thing will be a retirement thing (God willing). I need to do this engineering thing while my brain is still sharp. I always can be an amateur baker/cook, but a hobbyist engineer...? Not so practical.

182 days left!

I was on twitter, were I follow ‘jlist’ and he tweeted the fact that there are 182 days left until the JLPT. I’m going to be taking the level 4 I have decided. I don’t think I will be ready for level 3 this year. But hopefully if things go well I will pass the JLPT 4 this year and next year the new N3 Level. Of course the ultimate goal is to pass the N1 one day but that’s just the 2 year plan.
I’ve been trying to study at least 30 minutes everyday. Preferably studying 1 hour a day. Probably going to have to step up my game on the kanji. I know 1-25 pretty well but there’s still so many more to learn. I’m also worried about the listening portion. I get to talk on the fone some in Japanese. The one good thing about being in Macon is that I did speak Japanese when I went to Shoki. I maintain to keep my eyes on the prize.
I use a lot of online resources to help me study japanese. You can find my bookmarks on my Delicious account (http://delicious.com/jdks/japanese) but I also try to write Japanese every single day and read some Japanese everyday. I try to watch Japanese dramas,news, baseball games without subtitles and it’s getting much better. I’m looking forward to the day that I receive my certification in the mail. I know that being certified in Japanese will open me up to more opportunities and I love the language it’s very beautiful.
Back to studying!

See more progress on: improve my Japanese

I baked some cookies!

The recipe I use is originally Paula Dean's but as much as I love Paula's no-nonsense southern cooking I have to cut the sugar a bit and even with that I still don't understand how anybody could eat those cookes with icing on top. Even 46 couldn't imagine it but we don't eat nearly as much sugar as we used to.

These cookies are sooo soft. Everybody I know likes them from the sweet lovers to my sister, who's a bit of a health nut.

This recipe is adapted from Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies.

Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 12-15 minutes
Yields 5 dozen (so she says. I think 3 dozen medium sized cookies)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) magarine, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease 1 or more cookie sheets.
• Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy.
• Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color.
• Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture.
• Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded tsablepoons onto cookie sheet.

FYI: This dough is softer than other cookie doughs I make, a bit less tacky but the common problem on the Food Network Review site is that they come out flat. Make sure your Baking powder and soda are fresh and you may need to add up to an extra cup of flour. This time around I had to use 2 cups of flour instead 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour.

Lightening it up: I've made this recipe alot. A few times people wanted less fat or sugar. I've used 1 cup of margarine instead of 1/2 cup margarine and 1/2 cup shortening.

For a sugar free or non refined sugar version I've also used 1/2 cup honey or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1 cup splenda though prefer the brown sugar blend splenda with this recipe.

I've also used whole wheat flour. I actually like it best with whole wheat flour and molasses as the sweetener. with pecans , raisins and craisins... so tastey.