Chinese History

I’m taking a course in Chinese history. What’s been most engaging is an analysis between how western civilizations think about history, and how eastern civilizations think about it.

You see, in western thought history moves in a straight line. Everything moves forward with causes and effects and the like.

However, Chinese civilization looks at history like a wave. There are highs and lows to each dynasty where they receive “the mandate of heaven” and when they lose it. The end of a dynasty is marked by a series of unfortunate events: civil wars, incompetent emperors, and natural disasters. At this time a new dynasty will have the “mandate of heaven,” they conquer the old rulers and the series starts over again.

Just in case you’ve ever wondered how different civilizations look at history.

Clam Chowder

One of my favorite recipes is clam chowder (I used this recipe from food.com) but added some salmon to change the flavor a bit.

This was the final result. My roommate made biscuits and I garnished with a bit of cheese because I like the texture it adds.

GU Nails

I went to the Gonzaga University vs. St. Mary’s Basketball game over winter break with my house. It was my first game in the student section and several of my friend’s first games entirely.

It was a little crazy, truth be told. We just barely won, scraping at the end of the second half.

I did my nails for the occasion, and look forward to playing with this design in the future in different colors.

I started with a layer of bright red (I used a bright China Glaze) and a dark blue sparkly polish from LA Color which I shaped in a half  circle.

Italian Loaf

I love baking bread. It’s one of the easiest things to make, and it makes me feel incredibly self-sufficient. I’ve used this recipe from Brown Eyed Baker a couple of times, but this round went the best by far. It rose the right amount and browned so wonderfully.

I bought extra yeast this time, so I  think that bread will be a more constant addition to our house for awhile. Something about the smell of fresh bread and the way the oven heats the house helps brighten winter weather a little bit. Spokane is getting dreary and cold, and we still have a couple of months left. Much as I love Spokane summers (and falls, spring and early winter) later winter can just get a bit draggy.

Friday Reflection

Happy Friday!

Tiny chocolate frogs from Spokane’s Chocolate Apothecary

It’s been a long week, mostly because it was the start of classes and as such the beginning of my last semester as a college student.

I’m excited for my classes, which I’ll be taking with a number of my favorite professors from the last three and half years.

I’m excited for my thesis and my thesis class which will take up a large part of my time.

I’m excited for my senior project, which I desperately need to finish.

I’m excited for Charter, Gonzaga’s Journal of Scholarly Opinion which I am the editor of. Soon it should stop being a headache and begin being something to look forward to.

Finally, I’m excited for my poetry class. I have only ever written prose with an emphasis on essays and short fiction. Branching into a new realm of writing is both exciting and nauseating.

My only concern for the upcoming week is the realization that I have to get glasses. I’ve been getting nasty headaches which unscientific opinion have deduced to be vision-based headaches. Finally, the years of reading in the dark have caught up to me! My father chastising me about my poor reading habits is suddenly coming back to me in full force.

Flowers from this summer.

Un-Decorating

I love decorating out house. We decorated for Halloween this year and Christmas, but all of the big holidays are over. I’m hoping that we’ll find some way to lighten our house up as Spring approaches (fresh flowers, perhaps?). But all in all the fun part of decorating is over, and we’ve still got three months of grey, cloudy, cold darkness before Spring will hit Spokane.

The Ideal Morning Routine

I’m awful at self discipline. I care far too much for relaxing, snuggling, and taking it easy when I can. That being said, my morning routine tends to be exceptionally rushed. Usually, it involves climbing out of bed, jumping in the shower, drying my hair, pouring coffee and running out the door. However, I’m trying very hard to slow my morning habits down.
That being said, here is how I’m trying to treat my mornings.

Wake up and drink!

During the day I’m fairly good at drinking water regularly. But, I usually don’t start drinking water until about two or three in the afternoon. Ideally, I should drink water (or hot water with lemon) first thing in the morning to keep me awake.

Shower, Hair, Make Up

The big things I want to change about this part is my make up routine. Mostly, I need to start using moisturizer and sunscreen. These little additions should help me even out my skin tone, and mostly make me feel better about myself.

Breakfast

Pictured here are a cup of hot water with lemon and homemade bread with peanut butter and honey. Typically, I usually grab something on the way out the door and eat while I’m walking to the bus or to campus.  The above picture is much closer to the ideal, however it is also probably going to stay impossible until this semester wraps up.

Finally coffee, and out the door.

Coffee is probably the most crucial part of my morning routine. Although I’ve gotten out of my headaches-without-caffeine stage, I feel dazed without a little bit of coffee to start off my day.

In an ideal world, I would give myself an hour or more to manage to get all this off. Realistically, I give myself about 40 minutes ish.

Pumpkin Scones

My favorite baked goods are breakfast baked goods. In the mornings I’m almost always running very late. Taking that into consideration, I need foods that are easy to carry and eat while I walk to work or class. Scones and muffins are by far the most manageable treats. I used this recipe that resulted in absolutely delicious scones and a lot of them.

My housemates were all big fans, and it was treat to warm the house up with the stove this morning. I’m really glad that I’ll have something to carry along for breakfast tomorrow.

DIY Glitter Glasses

I’m not exceptionally partial to glitter, but my best friend is. As a part of her Christmas present I made her glittery wine charms (seen here) and glittery glasses. The process wasn’t at all complicated and I’m very pleased with the finished project.

Tools: Glassware, paintbrush, glue and glitter.

Step 1: I put some glue on tinfoil to make it a bit more manageable.

Step 2: Pour a manageable amount of glitter onto a piece of paper.

Step 3: Use the paintbrush, outline the area you want glittery in glue.

Step 4: Fill in the spaces.

Step 5: Roll the glass in the glitter.

Finished project!

Here is the completed set of glittery glasses for Tamasha. I did just the edges of the wine glasses and the base of the shot glasses.

Favorite Things

Here are a few of my favorite things:

[Poketo Agenda, a Christmas gift for myself]

[A sign from my friend celebrating my first GUTS show a few years ago]

[A copy of The Historian that I received, recognizing my admission into the History Honor Society on campus]

[Audrey Blue by China Glaze]

[My Dad with his Christmas blanket]