An exciting announcement

Prologue:  about a month ago I posted "I have an exciting announcement to tell you later today!" on a social media account of mine.  I then got tons of messages asking if I was either getting married, having a baby and/or moving home. Oh to be a southern late 20-something.

Well my friends as I mentioned last week, allot has happened in the past couple of weeks. The biggest change is that I am finally in the fun and exciting world of energy engineering!

Say what? Weren't you just exclaiming about a year at CESC and how we should donate to CESC. Yes, that's true...and you should still donate to them because what CESC does is amazing and I wouldn't be where I am today without all that learned and was able to do at CESC.

Right before the holidays a friend of mine forwarded a job posting to me.  I semi looked over it and ignored it, lol. I like CESC and I was really finding my stride in LED case lighting, refrigeration projects, and Title 24 (The state green building code, new version goes into effect July 1, 2014). Then she texted me "Did you check out the posting?".  YAs a more technically minded person, writing is hard for me. It's one of the reason I started this blog to improve my non-technical writing.  To appease my friend I took a look and line by line I couldn't believe what I was reading...

 Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) is a rapidly growing nonprofit energy services and training organization which is dedicated to achieving energy efficiency in buildings in order to foster and maintain affordable and healthy housing and communities... AEA West is seeking a Junior Energy Analyst/Energy Engineer to join our tight- knit, talented team of “Energy Geeks.” The candidate must be starving to learn, but ready to contribute. If you are passionate about energy conservation and renewable energy, you love buildings, and you’re seeking to learn from an experienced organization in a hands-on environment, this is the place for you. (!!! this totally sounds like the place for me)

 Okay so an engineering position at a non-profit...I didn't even know that existed? So what else are looking for?

 He or she is expected to be a self-starter, an independent problem solver, and a strong team-player.   Oh you mean like a certain cupcake business owning, volunteer training, engineer who up and left her home to move nearly 3000 miles away alone? 

Responsibilities: The Junior Energy Analyst may be responsible for:

• Conducting energy audits and in-field energy assessments, on-site diagnostics, field data collection and analysis
• Performing energy modeling and building simulations
• Preparing energy and green building assessment reports based on analytic findings which include detailed equipment specifications and cost savings analysis
• Energy efficiency program implementation

Wow, sounds similar to what I do now...up a knotch or so. energy modeling!? OH-YEA!

I got to the bottom to see what impossible to meet qualifications they wanted and the good times kept rolling


Minimum Qualifications:

•  Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, architecture, environmental science, construction management or other sustainability related focus, with a demonstrated interest in energy conservation and building science preferred
• Knowledge of building systems including lighting technologies, building envelope, mechanical systems and combustion science

 Additional Qualifications Desired:

•  Basic knowledge and understanding of Title 24 and other building codes
•  Familiarity with local, state and federal incentive and rebate programs
•  Sound technical writing skills and experience
•  Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification preferred.
•  Experience with the use of energy modeling software a plus, i.e., EnergyPro, TREAT, eQUEST, DOE2 programs.
• ~ Minorities and women are encouraged to apply ~

Minorities and women, I'm both of those! It was like reading my resume, I suddenly felt so inspired and churned out an cover letter and resume.  Everyone I told about the job said "A non-profit green engineering job...It's perfect for you"

The hardest part was leaving CESC, that and trying to interview for a job when you have one.  I wouldn't have so qualified if not for CESC, ironically AEA does the multifamily version of CESC does in Marin County so I'll still be working for the same energy watch programs.

So far the new job has been intense. That engineer struggle ^_^ I've ready 2 books, taken 4 tests for 2 certifications and travelled down to Orange County (Southern California).  It's definitely a challenging position but I've learned so much already. Everyone is so nice and willing to answer my tons of questions. And my position counts as a junior engineering position for the California board of engineers and surveyors!

...I can't believe it. I finally have done it. The dream is real!  I'm an engineer.

Epilogue: one of the ladies from the church I went to in college congratulated me by saying this job should make me better wife material. Oh being Southern can be such a treat sometims.

Celebrating Pi Day with Grasshopper Pie

Hey Y'all,

Long time. no blog!

It has been a ridiculously busy month and I can't wait to blog all about it: I've been to so many places in the past month it's crazy:Georgia, South Carolina, Los Angeles, Muir Woods, Yosemite National Park...and I can't wait to blog about Yosemite.  Today's post however is about my 3rd favourite holiday.

After my birthday and Christmas, it's Pi Day. Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, approximately equal to 3.14159. So the distance around a perfect circle divided by the distance across it, or the diameter.
 It's a day for baked goods and math, practically a day built for baking engineers.  Engineered Cupcake was started shortly before Pi Day 2013.

Last year I made French Silk Pie. This year I'm planning on making Grasshopper pie. I say planning because I just got back from Orange County, California 11pm last night and by 7:30am was doing work.
Grasshopper Pie is a mint chocolate pie, a retro classic. There's about 12 dozen recipes on the web for them but they mostly come in 3 different types

Marshmallow based: I don't know what it is about Americans and mallows. And yes if you're a first time visitor I'm American. I like mallows and all but they're a bit too sweet. for me and allot of the store bought ones have high fructose corn syrup. I think it's a 1950's thing. That said these grasshopper pies are sweet, simple to make, and often  a crowd pleaser, easily made vegan with Ricemellow fluff.

Frozen: This usually involves taking ice cream and/or whipped cream (occasionally marshmallows), mixing it together and freezing it. In terms of "convenience recipes" this is my preferred method.
It's pretty easy to find a chocolate cookie crust with simple or ingredients (or make one up with newman O's),and get some Mint icecream.  This recipe from is Mod Meals on MendenHall (NC girl!)  my fave.

Custard based: This version takes allot of patient but was the way that I made it up from when I stopped making the mallow based until I came up with this new version about 6 years ago.  I basically used the recipe from Epicurious.

Silky smooth method: This my favourite, basically it's based off of one my favorite pies. The pie that I made for Pi Day last year in fact: French Silk Pie. I contemplated drumming
out another type of pie. But outside of the fall/winter's sweet potato pies I rarely just bake pies for the sake of it. I'll whip up somebody's favorite if I'm headed to a party
or wine class. Besides so many people just think there's only one way to make a french silk pie Like most french silk recipes this has raw eggs so be sure to use fresh pasteurized eggs.  This recipe also has not 1 but 2 liqueurs. Which lead one of my 15 year old cousins (now a sophmore at UNC Asheville) to say "Oh it's a naughty grasshopper pie!" . It was funny and cute so the name stuck.


Naughty Grasshopper Pie

Crust
2 cups Chocolate cookie crumbs: (newman o's, chocolate wafes, etc)
1/2 cup melted butted
1 deep dish pie pan
Chop cookies i food processor. Stir in butter well. Transfer to pie crust and pack down well.

You can bake this on 350 for a firmer crust but make sure it's completely cool before you add the filling.
If you need this in hurry you're a bit inpatient (like me) you can just refrigerate it well.

Filling
3/4 cup  Butter room temperature
1/2 cup Sugar
3 large Eggs
3 ounces white chocolate (if more than 60% cacao use 2oz)
2 tbsp cream de menthe
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. let butter soften to room temperature
2.  melt chocolate with cream de menthe, set aside
3. whip butter until smooth
4.  add sugar, one quarter at a time. allow ample time so mixture is smooth not gritty
5. add chocolate scrap sides
6.  add vanilla
7.  beat in eggs, one at a time. Be sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding another egg. Filling will be light brown and quite fluffy.
8.  Pour filling into COOL pie crust. Wrap with clear plastic wrap and let chill at least 2 hours (4 is preferred but I know how it is...) 

Topping:
1.5 cup heavy whipped cream
2-3 tbsp powdered sugar sifted
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp mint Bailey's (optional.

1. Nota bene (Note well) For best results use chilled beaters, bowl, and very cold cream please. 
2. Beat in   cocoa, into cream till slightly thickened.
3. Add sugar to taste beat till soft peaks
4. add Bailey's and beat till slightly stiff peaks
5. Using a piping bag pipe onto pie (I use a Atco 21 tip) 
6. Garnish as desired I use chopped Andes candies

Get this: next year it will be 3.14.15 what's so great about that well Pi is: 3.14159265359. I sense a Pi Day party in my 2015 social calendar.

P.S This is an extra special Pi Day for me as it's my first Pi day in engineering work. More about that in the next post!