Google Phone!!!!

So my boss finally listened to me and did a price comparison at T-Mobile... and even with buying our way out of our Verizon contract, it was still saving us money, and so yesterday we switched our work phones over to T-Mobile, and I got a GOOGLE PHONE!!!! I loooooooove it! It's soooooo cool, seriously, so much better than the blackberry!

I'm addicted to the Coloroid game, and I'm so excited that the photos from my contacts all show up in the google contacts... very cool. Now I just need to sync up my phone book from the berry and I'm golden.

I spent all afternoon making "oh-so-good-onion soup" for tomorrow's potluck at church. They're doing it as a fundraiser for my cousin's trip to Africa this summer. He's going back to do more work with Engineers Without Borders, which I have to say is pretty cool of him.

Austin's playing tonight in Hamtramck so he was nice enough to come over and pick me up so we don't have to take 2 cars. He's coming with me to the potluck tomorrow too. Well, back to the kitchen with me... turns out onion soup is a messy messy thing to make!!! Or at least, it takes up a ton of dishes!!!

Photo of the day

Jul7 2007 I was given the opportunity to attend Jack Canfield's Breakthrough to Success seminar. I went because my boss had an unavoidable schedule conflict at the last minute and didn't want to waste the money the company had paid for the registration, so he sent me in his place. I went with no expectations and ended up having a really fantastic experience...

One of the ladies I met at the conference was named Stephanie and was also into photography. One night she and I decided to take some time all to ourselves and to do something that brought us sheer joy (actually I think it was a personalized homework assignment for her) so we grabbed our cameras and wandered around the resort just shooting to our hearts' content! We had a great time, and really great conversation... and really established a special friendship that night. This shot is one of my favorites from the evening, it's the back of a chair that was sitting in the poolside restaurant.

you spin me right round baby right round

Today has felt like a total whirlwind. I'm sure I got stuff done, I'm just not entirely what...!

I'm excited because I will get to see my goddaughter next month... my mum and I are going to drive down to OH for a weekend and play with her while her folks take a breather (they've had a LOT going on the last year and really need a breather... enter fairy godmother! heehee!)

I'm also excited because I get to see Austin tonight!! He got home from Nashville yesterday but was way too tired to see me, so I let him rest, and now we get to spend some time together tonight... goody!!! I really missed him this week. He called me last night before he went to bed and we ended up talking for like 2 hours, it was so nice! We haven't had a long talk like that in quite awhile, and certainly not over the phone...!

Alrighty, well I just wanted to blast something out there and say what up to cyberspace, so there's my what up.

Photo of the day

I love flowers... and they are one of my favourite things to shoot... I especially love finding really unusual angles on them... but this photo I was just struck by the shapes and the colours.

These orchids were in the Opry Mills Resort down in Nashville, TN. Austin took me there to walk around their (many) atriums on my first trip to Nashville with him back in 2007. I think I shot about 300 photos just that day... :o)

So I guess as much as I hate Nashville, it does still have a few good things to offer... as long as you're not there trying to make it in the music industry! ;o)

Photo of the day

I have decided to add a "Photo of the Day" feature to my blog. It will let me share my photography with whoever reads this thing, as well as give me a moment of zen every day as I decide which photo to post. (I find photography very calming when it's on my own terms)

So today as the first day of my "Photo of the day" (shall I say day a few more times?) here you go:
I took this photo when I was at Michigan State living on campus. It was the first really big snow we'd had, and the campus looked fantastic. You would not believe how many of us just brushed the snow off our bikes and still took them to class... but enough for a cool pic didn't bother :o) This photo always brings back really good memories for me, coz I spent most of the afternoon out in the quiet new snow shooting... I love quiet new snow.

I hate Nashville: a rant about the music industry and it's impact on my life

Austin is in Nashville this week on solo mission... he was meeting with a contact we have at BMI (they're one of the major royalty companies) to let him hear his new stuff and to see if he'd be willing to provide Austin with any recommendations on new management or direction or what. The meeting (from Austin's account) was a total waste of time. I am so sick of this Nashville selfish snobbery. Everyone that we've met there has been thrilled with Austin's work, they love him and love what he does, but none of them are willing to do so much as make a suggestion. All anyone says in Nashville is "you need to move here and play open mics and on the streets..." except that that's what everyone in Nashville is doing, and clearly it isn't working for the vast majority of them. Even the talented ones.

Also, I've been to a bunch of open mic nights, and the only people who are there are the ones who are hoping to get stage time...!! How does THAT help any of them? It doesn't.

ARRRRHHHHHHHGGGGGGG!!!! I am sooooo frustrated for him, I feel so bad!! I feel like no matter what we try to do to advance his career we either end up in complete debt (or begging our friends and family to donate to the cause) or we get nowhere. I am so tired of Nashville people thinking they know everything, and even more tired of them saying how much they love Austin's work without being willing to lift a single solitary molecule to help him out. We aren't asking for handouts. We are simply asking for opinions and guidance... if there is a logical fit, then maybe an introduction here or there where it makes sense. But no one is willing to help. Everyone is out to sit on their butts and thumbs-up or thumbs-down everyone else. It's ridiculous.

What we need is a solid manager or publicist who knows enough about the industry to help us create and implement a strategy. I have a full time + job, plus I'm trying to grow my photography business so I can eventually move into my own place and not live with my parents for the rest of my life, but I also do everything I can think of to help out Austin and his career. In the mean time, we get nowhere. No one in MI it seems is hiring music, at least that's what they all tell us... and no one in Nashville wants to help. I'm in no position to move right now, I love my job, and I don't really have the paper to find anything else like it even if I did move somewhere. I also can't afford to live anywhere other than my parents' home. Austin can afford to move out even less than I can and yet everyone (in Nashville) says he needs to live there. To do what excatly? Continue to have pointless meetings where no one helps?

*sigh*

I'm hungry, I'm tired, I'm super super cranky... and I just wish I could hug my boyfriend, and punch Nashville in the FACE. You suck Nashville.

Sushi Bonanza

Last night I had my last class of the semester at Schoolcraft (last class coz I can't afford any more this semester...!) I've been taking some continuing education culinary classes there since fall... my folks paid for the tuition for the first class as a birthday present to kickstart my "I've always wanted to do that..." drive :o)

Last night was my sushi class.... and I cannot even begin to describe how incredible it was! I had sooooo much fun...! First, Chef Gabriel showed us how to make "perfect" sushi rice, along with the seasoning and everything (and he gave us recipes for all of it), then he demonstrated how to make about a dozen different kinds of sushi. After the demonstration, each of us were given a plate of garnishes, and a plate with probably $30 worth of sushi fishes (tuna, yellowtail, eel, crab salad, spicy tuna...) We were in groups of 3 making the rice, and then we were told to just have fun and make whatever we wanted! We were to "roll until all of the rice and fish is gone, then take anything that's leftover home too"... I was in HEAVEN!!! My group was fun... Jim was this all spunky retired guy, and Shirley was this tiny round mostly deaf grandma lady, but we had a blast together...

I was a little disappointed because we were supposed to also learn how to make tempura, but Chef said we wouldn't have time, so he skipped it, but then we ended up being done an hour early, so we really could have learned how to make it! He did give us the recipe, so we can try it on our own, but I was still bummed, I was looking forward to that part as well. At the end of the night I had 3 carry out boxes filled with the sushi I had made, I had even more fun than in my knife skills class, and I'm starting to get to know some of the other students and instructors (actual students, the ones who assist Chef in class, not the others in my class, I didn't see any overlap in people from the last class to this one)

After class I went stright to Austin's, where he was waiting with a special surprise to make the night even better... he drove all the way down to Mexican Town to buy us two glass bottles of coke. He and I have a sushi tradition of always having coke, and we like glass bottle coke way better than canned coke, and non-american coke tastes way better (because they use sugar cane instead of corn syrup)... we ate to our hearts' content, and still ended up with enough leftovers for Austin to take for lunch to work with him today.

All in all it was a super successful class and I had a real blast... plus I know what I'm doing now when it comes to sushi making!!! :o)

Joss Whedon makes me happy

For those of you who are unaware of my Joss obsession, brace yourselves. Chances are you are unaware of the wonder that is Joss Whedon, but he is one of my all time favorite TV writers. He is responsible for Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie and the show), Angel, Firefly (followed by the movie Serenity), and now, Dollhouse. I watched the pilot episode last week and it's fabulous... kinda like Alias in that spy, multiple personality type way, but way more sci-fi and very cool... it's classic Joss.

Of course, the fact that Eliza Dushku and Amy Acker are back on TV makes me uber happy too... I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

If you like some action, some drama, some "what the...." and some serious comedy (as long as you don't let yourself get too swept up in the rest of those things, the comedy is at times rather subtle) you must get on the Joss bandwagon... then tell me you're there coz I'll be oh so happy to have converted someone... Ginger converted me, and I will be eternally in her debt, haha...

k enough Jossfest... get on it.

Step Down, Shaun White!!!

Haha, yeah right...! Austin took me snowboarding for Valentine's day!!! I have never been so excited to see snow in my life!! I've been so bummed out because we finally decided to go up to Alpine Valley so he could teach me, and then all the snow melted and it was like 50 degrees all week... we had totally made other plans for the day and everything... then I woke up, and everything was WHITE!! I was soooooo excited!! We packed a lunch and headed out. Alpine's only about a 40 minute drive from my house, so it really was great and we were there for the whole afternoon and a good part of the evening.

Austin was so patient with me, I was so impressed! He got an all access pass, so he still got to do some real snowboarding during the times I needed a break from falling (which I did way more of than snowboarding...) but I went down that bunny hill over, and over, and over, and over... I fell a whole lot, but had soooo much fun...! My best run was actually my very last one, where I was finally starting to get the hang of it (kind of) when I fell way too hard on my poor tailbone, which had broken about as many falls as it could handle (see? being skinny DEFINITELY has it's disadvantages - no padding!!!) Actually, I went down so hard on my last run that I wasn't convinced until this morning that I hadn't fractured something... it was pretty bad... I felt so bad because there I was lying in the snow bawling my eyes out and poor Austin's sitting there with me probably trying to figure out whether he was gonna have to carry me back to the car or not...

In the end, I think I at least did far better than he expected of me on my first day out, and I felt pretty good about it (minus the pain), and I can't wait to go again! He said when I graduate from the bunny hill we'll take a trip out west to the real powder... I think maybe I should have started there, may not have hurt so much! ;o)

I bought a pair of Oakley goggles (like Austin!) coz the ski shop has everything 50% off one day only for Valentine's day... I thought that was a pretty good indicator that I actually do want to learn how to do this, not just go once and say "ok I tried"... I had sooooo much fun, I just wish it were a little cheaper to go! It was $80 for the two of us (one bunny hill, one all access, one snowboard & boot rental) which I have no idea how that compares to other places, and I'm sure it's pretty reasonable, but on our budgets, it's a real treat... we'll be super lucky if the snow lasts til next pay and we decide to splurge two months in a row...! I'd hate to only get one day of learning in before next winter, but we'll see how things go!

I made Austin take a few photos of me, they're up here: http://imageevent.com/snugglebear83/rachellearnstosnowboard

He also took this most amazing video (I can't believe he actually continued filming while snowboarding down to meet me after I kept falling... had I tried that, I would have for sure ended up in the ER!)

Now compare skill levels... here's Austin:

Ice Cream Therapy on "one of those days"

Yesterday was absolutely "one of those days"... not just for me, but for just about everyone around me also... so Austin and I decided that we would meet up when I was done with work in order to have some ice cream therapy and spend a little bit of time commiserating.

We met up at a McDonald's that was kind of sort of in between our locations, and wouldn't ya know it, I got there, placed our order, and the ice cream machine was broken. *SIGH* so Austin settled for nuggets and a milk shake (for those of you not versed in the world of McD's, the shake machine and ice cream machine are housed in the same casing, but they are, in fact, separate machines, and the ice cream mix and shake mix are two different things, held in two different compartments), while I had to make do with a hot chocolate (kind of the opposite of ice cream eh...)

We still enjoyed a little bit of time together, and it did make me feel a bit better, but it was just one of those things where I was like "seriously? I mean, really?"

my amazing recipe

ok, so it's not *my* recipe, but it *is* amazing...! I made fennel crusted pork with apple cider glaze and 3 apple fennel salad (try saying THAT 10 times in a row!) tonight for the 2nd time since Lisa got me the coolest cookbook I own for Christmas (Top Chef cookbook, for those of you who care). It turned out even better than the first time I made it... it is soooooo delicious!! The best part was that I had leftover glaze from the first time I made it (I was smart enough to freeze it!) so it really only took about a half an hour to make this time (not counting marinading last night). The kitchen table is still covered in papers (yay tax season!) and so I set up the card table and chairs in the family room, put a fire on and we had a little sit down dinner there in front of the fireplace. It was actually a nice treat because the kitchen table has been unusable for a couple of weeks now, so we've been balancing plates on laps a lot... it was nice to sit and eat without the TV on for a change again!

I went a little cook-happy today... I stopped at Crate & Barrel (finally!) to buy my sharpening steel... and an egg cup (didn't mean to walking in, but they were there, and I needed one!!) Then when I got home, I had en email in my inbox from Crate & Barrel announcing up to 70% off in their outlet stores and online... so you *know* I had to at least check it out... and buy 2 bamboo cutting boards, a mortar & pestle, and a christmas gift for mumma for next year (I know, I know...) so now I'm gonna be like a kid on Christmas eve for like a week until the stuff comes in *giddy*!! :o)

I'm excited for next week, when I take my Japanese Sushi class (woohoooooo!!!!) It's the same instructor as the last 2 I've taken and he's soooo great. I really really like him, he is so passionate about food!! He also gives really good tips for "real life" cooking (as opposed to culinary school, 4 star restaurant presentation cooking) so you can adapt your recipes and techniques and ingredients to suit real life. He also has a great sense of humour that apparantly I'm usually the only one who gets him (at least in my other classes that seemed to be the case) Schoolcraft has this amazing kitchen... I feel all professional everytime I walk in!

k, all this talk about food has made me hungry again... time for some milk and oreos!!! :oD

Back in Blogland

Well I don't think I've done any blogging in a couple of years now... and Mary's diligence in keeping people posted through their blog has inspired me to start one up again. Plus I was tired of commenting on her blogs with some random name and no photo ;o) Preeeeettyyyyy lol...

'til later y'all...