Blasphemy.

Ferry Corsten, remixing The Killers.

Horrible. Nauseating, even.

I can't muster any more words to describe this travesty.

Ferry has been my very favorite DJ/Producer for several years. And now, I am sad to say, I have lost some respect for him.

The Killers ? Seriously ? (shaking head)

The Most Perfect Brownies EVER

I believe I have now created the most PERFECT brownies ever to exist on the face of this earth.

Juicy, moist, chocolatey... and with perfectly portioned pieces. Can it possibly get any better than this ?



So what are my secrets ?

Ghirardelli brownie mix (the best brownies EVER), and a special pan that sections the brownies off before you bake them.

Ghirardelli brownies are so moist and chewy that slicing them used to result in a big, huge sticky brownie mess. With this pan, they come out absolutely perfect.

(Note, this isn't the pan that was advertised on the infomercial. I got it from Bed, Bath and Beyond.)

These aren't going to last long in our house.

Jacqueline's Birthday !

As promised, here are a few pictures of Jacquline's birthday party.

She wanted a kitty theme for her special shindig, however none of the party stores stocked any items that were cats. They had dogs, but not cats. Jacqueline joked that people are racist against cats. haha :)

Luckily for us, I found a most adorable kitty themed party set that did the trick just perfectly. Add in a custom Baskin Robin's cake, and some awesome friends and family, and we had a PARTY !




(Notice the resemblance to Mr. Mittens and Peachie ? That is not a coincidence.)

That's a Swarovski crystal of a cartoon lion. So absolutely cute, and perfect for her own collection.

Exhausted -- But In a Good Way

I am back from my stay in Southern California at the Society for Women Engineers national conference.

It was an exhausting three days. In addition to interviewing young college grads and soon-to-be-grads for positions within my company's IT department, I also had time to attend a couple of leadership, coaching and mentoring seminars. This conference is not just for women to help them find jobs; it's a total career builder, with seminars ranging from what to wear to interviews to how to succeed in the workplace.

During a rather brutal two days of interviews and booth duty, I met and spoke with some of the most intelligent, talented and interesting women I have ever interacted with in my life. Just hearing these women's stories and what makes them tick was fascinating to me. I am so honored to have been chosen for this duty, and I sincerely hope that the eight final candidates I recommended for hire will be brought onto our company.

Of course, we were allowed some time to unwind after a gruelling two days. What better way to do so than a nice juicy steak, chocolate cake and a Mai Tai cocktail ?



(Don't worry, that wasn't the shirt I wore at the conference.)

My most awesome and hard-working co-workers and I had a blast, and there is already talk of another conference to attend in one year's time.

I am so there.

CPR Squirrels

Link: [I Can Has Cheezburger]

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

As I mentioned in a previous entry, I was selected by my company's IT department to represent it at a national women engineers' conference. That conference is fast approaching, with the final preparations falling into place.

My bags are (mostly) packed, flights and hotels are booked, and all the paperwork and information I need to fulfill my role as interviewer for prospective new employees is in hand. I am a little nervous, but very excited and honored to be fulfilling this role for my department.

I'm not terribly thrilled, however, at leaving my family for three days. I booked the trip for the absolute minimum away-time possible, arriving a full day later than my coworkers. The only non-work activity I will be doing is visiting my sister-in-law and her family before I get on the plane to come home.

While we were discussing my imminent departure, Daniel piped up,

"Hey. What are we going to eat while you're gone ? Man, this sucks. We won't have anyone to cook for us. And it'll be WAY too quiet in here."

Well, it's nice to know that I'm appreciated, and will be missed. hehe :)

The Storm Has Arrived

And apparently, it's the worst storm in the Bay Area since 1962.

Traffic is insane. Spinouts and accidents everywhere, so many that the Sigalert website isn't even showing the multitude of accidents right now. I am so glad I came home early, and finished my workday from the safety of my dining room.

Welcome to winter, California.

Hell Has Frozen Over

This past weekend, I heard these words from Daniel's mouth, words that I never though I would hear in a million years:

"I want to go back to school !"

Due to a severe flu, high fever and general sickness, he was quarantined at home all last week. As with any viral illness, the only treatment is to address the symptoms, rest, cover one's cough and wash one's hands often. Robbed of the privilege of seeing his friends, attending his very interesting and enjoyable Construction class, and socializing face-to-face for an entire week, Daniel was one restless teenager. We tried our best to take care of him, but that was all we could do. Home confinement was necessary due to the contagious nature of the illness.

His fever finally broke on Saturday, which meant he was free to leave the house with us on Sunday. He still has a persistent cough, for which he is going to the doctor tomorrow.

And he is back in school.

Right where he wants to be.

For the first time, I think, in his life.

Ouch.

You know you're in for the ass-whooping of your life when your Krav Maga instructor tells everyone before class, "Go get a drink of water before we start. You're going to need it."

Everything. Hurts.

Time for some more Advil.

Catching Up

The recent reorg at my work has rendered me excruciatingly busy during the day, and without much energy to post on this blog. So, to get everyone caught up on my life in brief, here are some of the highlights. :)

• My company has been telling us all year that we may not receive bonuses because of the terrible economy. We received the best surprise ever when we were told that yes, we were in fact receiving bonuses. And because my performance review was high, I was given a nice amount, enough to increase my savings to their pre-recession level. I am ecstatic, and very thankful for this unexpected gift from my employer.

• I have been chosen to represent my company's IT department at a national conference for women engineers. I'm nervous as heck, but honored and humbled by the appointment.

• Our softball team made it to the championships, and then lost in the final game by a score of 17-7. :(

• I finally replaced the stupid piece of shit alarm system in my car that used to beep like crazy when there was a swaying tree 20 feet above it, and used to never turn off or on unless I was 1" away from the car with the remote to my chin. Good riddance.

• Jacqueline turned 12 at the end of September. We had her party at our house, with a cute kitty theme. Pictures to follow !

• Daniel has been off school all this week with a bad flu. We have been washing our hands often and treating his symptoms with rest and medication. The doctor's office thinks it might be H1N1, so nobody but family is allowed over at our house right now. I feel so bad for him. :(

That's all for now.. more later. :)