When I’m feeling a little sad or down, one thing I do to cheer myself up is make lists. Yesterday, I had a craptacularly rough afternoon and cried, oh, about six times. There are just some days when you feel like you can’t get anything right, ya know? After the sixth round of tears, I made a list to remind myself of the things I’m pretty darn good at.
9 Things I’m pretty darn good at…
- Blueberry and peach cobbler. I make it from scratch, and some say it’s truly fierce. One bite can make your eyes roll back into your head. It’s cobbler crack! Holla at me and I’ll send you the recipe.
- Running hills. I can run up all the hills in my neighborhood. El Hub can smoke me on a level surface, but he eats my dust on the hills. The steeper, the better!
- Folding clothes. Years ago I did time working as a sales clerk for The Limited, Miller’s Outpost and Emporium-Capwells (a now defunct department store). I can fold a mean pocket-t.
- Bullsh*t detection. Don’t even try to pull the wool over my eyes, ’cause I can smell it coming from a mile away.
- Swimming. In a past life, I think I might’ve been an aquatic animal.
- Making music playlists. My gym playlists are guaranteed to get your booty shaking.
- Shoe shopping. 🙂
- Falling asleep on public transportation. Cars, planes, trains, pony express (kidding!)… if it moves and I’m on it for any length of time, I can cat nap, even while standing up!
- Befriending strays (both animals and people).
How about you? What are some things you do well? Toot your horn! *toot toot!*
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Oooh, I love cooking myself. Can I have the recipe please?
Yay for running hills. Belgium’s pretty flat so not much of that for me, but I went to train with my mum for the first time ever. I usually run on my own, but it’s a bit more intense at the track & field club… I’m sure my muscles will agree with me on that one tomorrow… lol
mmmmm-COBLER! that sounds so yummy! OK, mine-this is a little hard, but here goes.
1. Taking care of my dogs-they are very spoiled, get lots walks, toys, treats, etc. And good vet care too. 🙂
2. Knowing what’s on TV-I have a strange ability to almost always know the current schedule for “my shows”–what day, time, channel, etc and if it is a new ep.
3. Brushing and flossing! I floss every night and brush 2x a day at least. I’ve never had a cavity! 🙂
4. painting my TOE nails-my at home pedis usually look good and last (now I can’t say the same for fingers, lol)
5. cleaning the bathroom-I hate to mop and I’m not big on dusting either, but I can clean our bathrooms like nobody’s business! When I had roommates/shared bathrooms this was always my choice of job for the communal chores.
6. Reading. I read novels at a rapid pace.
ummmm. getting stuck! I’m really reaching here now, haha.
7. Driving-never had any tickets, and the one fender bender I was in was not my fault.
8. Organizing-Karen, I share a love of lists, and planning.
9. I just asked my hubby and he says I’m good at being a loving wife, so *toot, toot*
I had peach cobbler at Jermaine Dupri’s restaurant last night, it was so-so…
-I’m a good writer. I can be inarticulate and lazy, but I can write 🙂
-Packing and organizing…someone else’s crap LOL
-I gotta agree with Karen on this one, my Ipod playlists are legendary!
-I can read a situation/am quite observant when it comes to interpersonal stuff. Usually I can tell when shady business is going on
-I make a mean Sloppy Joe!!
LaurenIvy’s last blog post..If Your Heart is Nowhere in It…
oohh I like this one, perfect for my current state of mind haha!
1. Loyalty, my friends know they can count on me 100%, I am the most loyal person on earth!
2. Matching foundation to skin colour! Kinda comes with the teritory of my job but I can spot a colour at 100 paces.
3. Cooking in general, i can usually rustle something good up from nothing, came in very usefull whilst living away at university, but my roast potatoes are legendary!
4. french polishing nails, have always been able to do it well!
5. time keeping, lateness drives me nuts!
6. Pulling things out of the bag at the last moment, from essays to the perfect outfit, i always work better under pressure.
7. Remembering faces, terrible with names but great with faces.
8. Most things musical, ive always picked up instruments quickly and sing.
9. Being nice to old people! I am the favourite with all the wrinklies in my family haha!
I feel better already!
hey i like ur list
mine is
1. hanging out/ volunteering with kids
2. shopping for make up
3. languages ( spanish french and some italian)
yeah and im too lazy for other ones but ok.
Aawww, Karen! I’m so sorry you had such a rotten afternoon!! Let me add to your list that you are a really terrific speaker/writer with the ability to draw people in and get them involved in a conversational exchange! You rock this blog and we love you for it! 🙂
As for me….
1. For you, cobbler (and, oh yeah, I would love the recipe!) for me, brownies! I make gooey, fudgy, triple-chocolate brownies that knock people’s socks off!
2. Aikido! I’m actually good at it!
3. Befriending cats. All but the hardest cases tend to like me.
4. Goofing off. I can play all day as long as it doesn’t involve doing anything productive!
5. Making chicken soup!
6. Talking makeup. Love. It’s all about the love!
7. Listening to my friends when they need to talk.
8. Window-shopping. I’m a pro!
9. Finding the humor in almost any situation… I’m not gonna say it’s always appropriate humor!
Hubby’s great talent is that he can find something truly awful, I mean really mind-bogglingly bad, on television no matter what the hour, where you are or how many channels you have access to! It’s nigh-supernatural! 😉
I am trying to step my baking game up hit me with the peach cobble recipe please. Plus I am trying to catch a man so a good cobbler recipe might be just what I need. Thanks!!
Now for my list
1. Organizing – parties, work, clothes you name it I organize it
2. Making Plans – I plan any and everything even my lunch for the week
3. Getting my friends together I always get a party started
4. Finding my way – whenever lost I can somehow just figure out which direction to go in
5. Listening – my friends know who to call to just talk
6. Numbers – I love numbers math was always a strong subject for me
7. Hair – I am the guru of all things follicular related (probably because I have so much on my head)
8. Keeping secrets – I’ll never tell
9. Cracking jokes – I have a sick sense of humor most appreciate it (MOST)
Hey Karen! I’m so sorry you had a bad afternoon. I love reading your blog, it’s one of my favorites and I check it everyday. I hope you feel better!!
You should probably add photojournalism to that list 😉 as well as being super-dedicated!!
So what all is on your iPod list? My gym list just isn’t cutting it.
Girlfriend, please send me your cobler recipe! I rarely bake anything but my cooking skill is gooooooooood!
My list has a hint of sarcasm but here it is:
1. Procrastinating: my motto is “There’s always tomorrow”. If there’s a bigger procrastinator that you’ve met, please let me know.
2. Cooking: I can duplicate lots of things after having a taste. I don’t follow recipe directions very well though.
3. Not spending money: whenever there’s something that I need, I always find an excuse not to buy it. I waited 2-3 years to get a portable CD player.
4. Making jokes: my friends and I can sit for hours just to talk and crack up jokes. And sometimes we think our jokes are better than those in Comedy Channel (and other non-friends do agree!)
That’s it! Can’t think of anything else.
Hey K!
Been a while! I’ve been busy with, um, not exactly sure with what, but apparently with sth since it’s taken me a while since I’ve been able to be online, lol.
Yeah, Hertta sure is a sweetheart. 🙂 She’s one of those dogs you are expecting to hear speaking, that’s how close to a humanbeing she sometimes is. Well, it totally depends on where I’ll be moving, but if possible, I’ll definitely take her with me. 🙂 I’m sure I’ll be needing an extra radiator, lol!
I saw your cool haul, and found out that you had bought a Rimmel kohl in ‘Pine’! I have that one, too! It wasn’t long ago I bought it, and I really like it. 🙂 Hope you do, too.
I haven’t bought ‘Cherry Bomb’ yet, since I wanted to buy MAC’s Pink Lemonade l/g on Friday when I went to Helsinki, again. 😀
We all have rough days every now and then, but crying does help, at least in my case. I’ve never actually made any “I’m good at” lists, but that’s a wonderful idea! I like your list, and as some have already mentioned, you should add a wonderful blogger to your list! This is my fave blog these days and I really enjoy reading it, be the topic on makeup, life, cooking or whatever. Plus, you really seem to care about your readers and you’re interested in them and not only reply to everyone “Thanks!”. We readers feel respected that way. 🙂
Hey girl,
You should share not only that recipe with us all but how about your gym workout list so people can work off all those calories LOL I love getting ideas from other people’s workout play lists so pleaseee share! Keep up the fab work on the blog!! xo
K – I agree…sorry you had a craptacular afternoon. 🙁 That really does suck. I think you should also add “Writing lists” because you really are good at writing lists and these tend to be some of my absolute favorite posts of yours. 🙂
My list…
I’m really good at:
1 – Cooking/Baking. My fame is held by chocolate chip pecan cookies – and my ability to cook a meal from whatever I can find regardless of how infrequently I hit the grocery store.
2 – Throwing parties. I’m good at pulling the details together and having a successful bash.
3 – Giving Presentations. I mean I normally hate giving them…in my mind, but once I get up there it just turns on. I always get raves on presentations at work.
4 – Buying gifts. I tend to be pretty thoughtful and able to find gifts that people really like.
5 – Remembering Details. this is everything from lyrics, lines in movies to what shirt so and so was wearing last month when we went out. I don’t understand it…it’s just how my brain works.
6 – Rhyming. For all aforementioned parties I write poems/rhymes for the invites…LOL I know it’s random and weird, but my friends love it.
7 – Giving myself mani’s and pedi’s. I think this one just comes down to being a perfectionist.
8 – Wrapping Presents. Again…I think this one just comes from the prefectionist part of me…I take my time and make sure I get it right.
Here comes the bragging train… “toot toot!”
1. Keeping my room clean. I only have so much space and I like to enjoy it!
2. Meeting new people. I’m not afraid to introduce myself and I can usually spark up a conversation with anyone.
3. Spending money. This is a true talent of mine. When I get some cash I already have a list in my mind of things I can buy.
4. Keeping myself fed. I never, ever skip a meal. And I try to eat a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat.
5. Looking out for others. I try to do all that I can for other people, even if I have to go out of my way or sacrifice what I want.
6. Skiing. This is my third season skiing and I can ski down anything (not extremely well, but I can get down the hill).
7. Forgiving. Life is too short to hold grudges.
8. Online shopping. If it’s for sale, I will find it and I will find it as cheap as possible.
9. Keeping myself occupied. I can always find something to do and I am rarely bored.
K – I found this makeover website…and it’s really fun. LOL as if I need another distraction. It’s more than the normal one where you upload a pic and change your hairstyle. It has you input like the outlines of your eyes and lips with these dots and lines that you bend and You can redo your makeup etc. It’s fun… you should check it out. http://www.taaz.com
Hey Karen,
I hope you feel better, sending tons of good wishes and thoughts your way pretty lady!
Things I’m pretty darn good at:
1. My closet can get messy, but I can always always find whatever I am looking for
2. I love how I can whip out a full make-up’ed face in about 10 mins when I’m running late
3. I’m really good with eating healthy. I never ever eat anything unhealthy, I always stop my cravings, and don’t let anything unhealthy enter my system
4. I love how well I can spend money and shop be it shoes, clothes, and ofcourse make-up
5. I love how I read your blog even before I check my email;) U rock Karen!!!
6. I’m a really good listener. Trust me those secrets arent leaving my system
7. I’m really good at remembering phone numbers, birthdays, names, etc, basically good with information
8. I’m a very well focused student, I rarely ever let anything distract my schoolwork, other than blogging LOL…which I think of as therapeutic
9. I write killer papers. I have never ever gotten lower than an ‘A’ on a paper. :):):)
i♥makeup’s last blog post..LFW: Day 1 Make-up Trends
Here’s my list:
1. Lasagna – It’s pretty good and my husband says it’s why he married me. I’m not sure he’s joking either.
2. Decorating – I have a pretty good eye for it. If only I had endless amounts of money.
3. Grammar – I’m obsessed with it and I can’t stop editing what I read. I’m on the verge of obsessive compulsive, I think.
4. Spending money – I’m very good at it. I wish it was a job, because I’d be the CEO.
5. Forgiveness – What’s done is done, let’s move on.
6. Public Speaking – I really enjoy it and I’m pretty good at it.
7. Recognizing cars – I’ve spent too much time in traffic and made a hobby out of identifying cars by body shape and headlights/tail lights. Weird, yes.
8. Archery – I actually used to teach archery at a camp I worked at. Not sure if I’m still good at it as it’s been several years.
9. Swimming – I was on the swim team in high school and a life guard in college. I love the water!
Hey Karen, Sorry you had a bad day, I so love the list idea. It’s just a quick pick me up Love it.
I won’t bore you with my entire list but
I can send other people money very well lol
I would love to see your playlist mine is starting to bore me
Chat later
Kia’s last blog post..Butterfly by Jill Scott
Hi Karen B.,
Yup, of course! I will post it up in the comments to this post. That’s awesome that you trained with your mum (even though it was intense… that’s good though, because it pushes you!). I used to tag along with my mom to Jazzercise when I was a teenager, LOL. It was a fun thing we did together. Anyway, what kind of workouts did you two do? I hope you aren’t too sore tomorrow!
Hi Amanda! Your dogs are so lucky! It sounds like you have a wonderful pack. What are their names?
Like you I am also a brushing/flossing fiend… my mouth just feels wrong if I can’t brush and floss, and I even carry floss around in my purse (hey, ya never know!).
Awww, loved your #9! That’s deserves a big *TOOT*!
Hi LaurenIvy,
Is Jermaine still with Janet? Have you heard her new CD btw?
You and I are alike with #4 (reading situations). I rely a ton on my “spider senses.” 🙂
Girl, give up that Sloppy Joe recipe!
Hi Holly,
I’m glad you are feeling better. 🙂 I am also jealous that you can do your own french nails! Dangit, that’s been one of the beauty challenges I’ve never been able to conquer! What is your secret?
Hi Grace,
Three is cool. I wish I could speak more languages! Do you ever get to use them?
Hi hun. Hope you feeling better. Haha mmm..blueberry & peach cobler..I would like to have that recipe! And I’ll trade you with my chocolate banofee recipe 😉
And not to mention that I can do a #8 as well!! Haha. Yeah! The ability to sleep everywhere but still be able to sleep at night 😉
Hi Glosslizard,
Aww, girlfriend! Thanks for this wonderful complement. I really needed it. 🙂
One of these days you’ll have to gimme your brownie recipe. Mmmm, chocolate!
Hi Babyu21,
LOL, okay, I’ll post the cobbler recipe. It just might be good enough to snag a few hotties. 😉
Hi Pquanda,
My iPod list is mostly hip hop, dance and some other random stuff thrown up in the mix. Here’s a few from one of the gym lists (I have like, eight of them)
1. Nasty Girl/Notorious BIG feat. Jagged Edge, Diddy and Nelly
2. Get Up/Ciara
3. Love Like This Before (Crooklyn Cran Remix)/Faith Evans (seriously, sooo awesome, and it always gets me dancing)
4. Kascade/Steppin’ Out
5. Maneater/Nelly Furtado
6. Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Jay-Z
7. Rock Star (Jason Nevins Remix)/NERD (great for sprinting)
8. The Way I Are/Timbaland
9. Right Here (Human Nature Duet)/SWV (dunno how old you are, but this is pretty old school)
10. Conga Fury/Juno Reactor (another great sprint song)
And thank you for saying I should add photojournalism to my list. I’m such a camera newbie, so to hear that some of it actually looks decent is good news, LOL!
Hi Karen! You forgot to mention that you’re good at helping people relax – when I read your blog, I feel all my stress melt away 🙂
Please send or post the cobbler recipe…I LOVE to bake and this would be so fun for me!
Here’s my list of things I’m good at (I need this b/c I’ve had a craptacular weekend too, except for last night when hub and I had a date night and sent our little one to my parents’s house):
1. Softball – I’m a bad ass pitcher and was voted twice the best pitcher in my league when I was in junior high.
2. Cooking – give me anything, I can do it. I can also create recipes.
3. Finding the positive in everything. No matter how frustrated and crappy I feel about something, I can find the positive and stay motivated.
4. Helping people feel better and change their lives. I’m a marriage and family therapist that specializes in treating children, adolescents, and their families.
5. Being organized. Everything in our house is organized and categorized.
6. Being a mom 🙂
7. Trying new things (food, travels, you name it)
8. Doing make-up 🙂
9. Driving my husband crazy with honey-do lists, LOL
10. Staying on top of pop culture
Hope you are feeling better Karen!
Hi Dao,
Dang girl! Can I borrow some of that cooking skill? That’s hot.
I will dig out my recipe and post it in the comments. 🙂
Hi Aleks,
Girlfriend, how’s the job search? Did you find a relaxing summer job yet?
That’s fab that you’ll get to bring Hertta with you. You’ll always have a friend with you when you move to new places, aww. I really wish I could have a pet with me. For a while there the neighbor’s tabby was visiting me regularly, and I haven’t seen him in a few days. I really miss him! The love one has for their animals is a different kind, ya know? Dogs/cats/pets love you with such purity, and no matter how faulted you are in their eyes you are always number one.
I’m stoked about Pine! My green eye pencil fetish has grown by leaps and bounds in the last two weeks, and I plan on growing my green collection, WOOT! On Friday I went to the MAC store to check out green Technakohls, too. (Didn’t buy anything though, because of the previous drug store haul). Good luck when you go to Helsinki on Friday! I hope you find some good stuff in addition to Pink Lemonade. 🙂
I hope you get a chance to make a list. It feels good to remind yourself on paper sometimes of all the fab things you can do. 🙂 Thank you very much for saying that you dig the blog… I put my heart and soul into it and I’m glad that I can share my obsessions (makeup and otherwise). And gosh, meeting you and all the wonderful people who take time to comment has been so great. I feel like my circle of girlfriends has expanded, even though we are all in different parts of the globe and different places in our lives. Makeup brings people together, awww!
Hi Brittini,
I just put up a quick snippet of one of my gym lists on comment #26. If you need more song titles just let me know (cause I got a TON of them)!
I’ll also post up the cobbler recipe shortly on the comments, so check back!
Hi Megan,
I’m feeling so much better than I did yesterday. 🙂
We have a lot in common, especially the gifts, remembering details and wrapping presents. But for the life of me, I can’t rhyme to save my life. The chances of me turning into a rapper/poet are like, 0%.
Now I’m hungry for cookies!
Hi Amanda P.,
Oh, props to you for #1 (I need some help in that department) and #7 (working on this one). Rock on with your ski skills, girl. That’s hot. Have you ever visited California? I know nothing about skiing but Tahoe is a huge magnet for snow sports!
Oh thanks Megan! You know I’ll be hitting that up when I have an assignment due!
Hi Iheartmakeup,
Thank you, sweetie. Aww, you check the blog before reading e-mail! If I could hug you across the internet I would.
Your list was so great! You have many wonderful strengths that will take you so far in life. 🙂
Hi Tuprnut,
My best guy friend, NBLACK, would probably think you are the coolest girl ever because of your #7. He’s a car guy, and whenever I walk around with him he’s always scoping cars, naming cars and giving me specific info about tail lights, rims, etc. etc. You’ve got skills, girl!
I will have to get some decorating tips from you when I move into a house (someday!). I love looking at furniture and house items but when it comes to actually picking stuff out it’s very overwhelming for me and I get all locked up! It’s really weird. Do you have any decorating magazines or books that you like?
Hi Kia,
You won’t bore me with your list! 🙂 I like the ones you posted! I just put up a few songs on comment #26. If you know these already I can give you some more (cause there’s more where that came from… my music collection is GINORMOUS!!).
Hi Fie,
Done! I’ll put it up on the comments when I dig it out.
Sleeping on public transpo… I sure don’t take that one for granted! So handy on long plane and car trips!
Hi Shefali,
🙂 I hope you are feeling better, and that date night was fun and romantic!
Your list was fab, and you made me laugh with your #9! (I do that one too!).
Have a great week and I hope we get to talk again soon.
Okay gals… this is it! *drumroll, please*
THE BLUEBERRY-PEACH COBBLER CRACK RECIPE!
1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries
1 can of drained, canned peaches (or sliced fresh, ones, if you’d like)
1 14 oz can condensed milk
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
2 cups biscuit baking mix, divided
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional – I usually leave these out)
1. Preheat oven to 325. In bowl, combine blueberries, condensed milk, and peel. I usually add drained, canned peaches during this step (but you can leave ’em out if you want a blueberry only cobbler — totally up to you). I don’t add the entire can though, because I like an even blueberry to peach ratio. How much you add is up to your own peach preference!
2. In large bowl, cut 3/4 cup butter into 1 1/2 cups biscuit mix until crumbly; add blueberry/peach mixture. Spread in greased 9-inch square baking pan.
3. In small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup biscuit mix and sugar; cut in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Add nuts. Sprinkle over cobbler.
4. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Get ready to watch everybody’s eyes roll back, ya’ll.
Awww, hon!! I’m sending virtual hugs your way! 🙂 I hope you feel better today than yesterday!!
I’ll totally make a list too! (I’ll post it on my blog as well, because what’s a list without a blog, right?)
9 Things I’m good at:
1. Animation! I’m not ashamed to say I’m pretty damn good at it!! And it’s getting me attention from my favorite teachers (and famous people in the biz!).
2. Dancing. I’m an excellent dancer, even when I was shy when I was little, I was still never afraid to dance! I took professional dance classes for 12 years, and I have fantastic rhythm!
3. Drawing. Yeah, maybe this ties in with Animation, but I think it needs it’s own number as well! I love to draw. SO MUCH.
4. Photoshop. Artsy skills aside, Photoshop is a skill unto itself. I can rock the Photoshop like no one’s business! You think of it, I can get Photoshop to do it!
5. Makeup application. Again, tying into the artsy skills, I love makeup and I love using it. Blending is essential to me, and so is having the proper tools and colors! I love it!
6. Reading people online. By that, I mean telling if they’re full of bullshit, a troll, a n00b, or just a genuine person. I’ve used the internet for 15 years, I can tell.
7. Fighting video games. I can’t play Mario Bros or Metroid to save my life. I’ve just never been good at traditional video games. But give me a fighting game and I’ll show you what it’s like to get your ass handed to you! BOOYEAH!
8. Color schemes. Even before I took Color Theory at Art Institute, I knew innately what color schemes were best. I love complementary and analogous schemes, and usually hate triadic. But colors definitely make me happy.
9. I think I’m a pretty good girlfriend! I always have time for my man, and I’m never one of those mean, bossy girls that demands they are home buy a specific time at night. I never really ask for my man to buy me things either. (Although tomorrow he said he’s taking me to MAC, and he bought me some Kevin Aucoin books on Amazon! AWWW!)
Mariah’s last blog post..Juno!
I didn’t workout together with her. She’s the coach of the 15 to 16-year-olds and I tagged along with them. Actually I wasn’t the tallest girl so I’m sure it wasn’t obvious 😉 And I know most of them from camp last week and last summer.
We did a bit of cardio/strenght/power, nothing too heavy. Mainly to improve muscle tone for high jump and stuff. And we also did sprints and some distance.
I’m a bit sore this morning, but nothing too bad. I’ll do a few laps tonight so it’ll be better.
And very good news: I got my summer job. Well, they still have to call to confirm, but the manager was very positive. 🙂
Karen B’s last blog post..Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Oh, and thanks for the recipe 🙂
Karen B’s last blog post..Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Hey Karen!! It has been awhile — girl, I have been busting my butt working with my girlfriend on her cosmetic line — QVC on Easter Sunday, Sephora now carries 3 of the products with the entire line expected to hit the stores in the Fall of 2008 and now we are doing a line extension with a manufacture in Lyon, France (I leave for Paris on Thursday!!).
A list of things I am good at…..
I can remember one liners from movies — here are a few of my favs…”Abe Fromin, the Sausage King of Chicago,” “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night,” “your saying I am having sex with these men without my knowledge,” “welcome to another day of higher education!” And when I am feeling down, I watch funny movies to make me feel better or past episodes of Project Runway!
I am a great mom and wife!
I am great at spending money and making the magnetic strip on the back of my credit card disappear!
I am a great make-up artist (better be after 20 years right?).
I am great at taking pictures!
I am a great pet owner — Daisy is such a spoiled rotten princess of a dog!
I am a great friend! My friends mean the world to me and have gotten me through some hard times!
I hope that your day and week improved after your melt down — lord knows I have had many of those myself! I promise that I will get my butt up to San Fran so we can meet! Thanks for all your great posts and reviews — oh, and that freaking crazy cobbler recipe! I am going to try that one! Yummy!
ooo.. i love this post. stay strong women! things I can do,
1) I can sleep. 12 hours straight, no problem, 16 hours straight? no problem too hahaha
2) blog surfing on make up. if not for it i won’t discover your blog!
3) potato salad. simple and easy and the only dish i can make from scratch and never fail.
4) procastinating… 😛
5) reading chic lit or novel. I have to control myself not to finish the whole book in one day.
6) the ability to crack lame/horny joke and comment.
so far this much.. ahha
That recipe sounds great! I think I’ll make it for the dojo potluck this Thursday! 🙂
Going out to SF today…. gonna score some bronzer! Oh yeah!
Quid pro quo, baby! Here’s my brownie recipe (Credit to Gourmet magazine September 1992, parenthetical notes are mine)!
Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies
6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I like Guittard, Lindt, or Callibaut)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter (use European style, it’s so much better!)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (again, I recommend Guittard)
Preparation
In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the bittersweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate with the butter, stirring until the mixture is smooth, remove the bowl from the heat, and let the mixture cool until it is lukewarm. Stir in the sugar and the vanilla and add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the salt and the flour, stirring until the mixture is just combined, and stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into a well-buttered and floured 13- by 9-inch baking pan, smooth the top, and bake the mixture in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes*, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Let the mixture cool completely in the pan on a rack and cut it into 24 bars.
*In my oven, 23 minutes is the perfect baking time for a really soft, fudgy center.
Enjoy! 😀
Thanks for sharing the recipe, girl! It’ll be fun to make this in the summer… I love cobbler 🙂
As for decorating books/magazines…. I rip out pics from almost any magazine, mostly Good Housekeeping and Bazaar (they do a home styling segment in each magazine). I love looking and ripping out print advertisements from Good Housekeeping – right now I have lots and lots of ideas for our kitchen. I’m just waiting on the money fairy to visit.
I also get ideas from Pottery Barn catalogs. We don’t have a store near us, but I can get a concept in my head and recreate it from other stores, while saving major moolah.
Another great place is to look at sets on tv. A lot of the soap opera sets are fun to get ideas from – especially the characters who live in a newer place, if that makes sense.
I wish I could help you decorate your first house! I better get working on mine frist, I think. Again, just waiting for the money fairy.
I’m with Glosslizard – Here’s my cookie recipe and I don’t remember where I got it:
2 1/4 cup unsifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
1 cup sugar
1cup lt. brown sugar packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I use Ghirardelli because I think they taste better)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional, but I think they’re better with the nuts)
Preheat oven to 375. Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. In large mixer bowl, cream butter with sugar, brown sugar, add eggs and vanilla one at a time. Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Get to know your oven and don’t overcook – my oven doesn’t heat evenly, so I turn the cookie sheet in the middle of the time to get them to cook evenly. If you overcook them, they will still be good, but they will get hard after cooling.
Hi Karen,
I dont really have a secret to french polishing i guess its just years of practice! I remember giving my grandmother manicures when I was about 7 or 8 haha ive always been such a girly girl!
I finally got my Boots discount card today so went on a bit of a ‘drug store’ spree! I picked up a Rimmel concealer which is really good! I also finally gave in and bought an Ecriture De Chanel eyeliner, if you haven’t yet tried it you have to! Its the easiest liquid liner i have ever come across!
Hi Karen,
Fun post!
Things I do well:
1) Dancing (hip-hop). If it has a beat, i can dance to it.
2) Makeup – I can do it well too!
3) Reality checks – I love giving friends a slap of reality. Don’t know if they like receiving it. 😉
4) Making baby animal noises. cats, dogs, chicks…i can mimic their sqeaks and cries.
5) Painting rabbits in a standing position with one ear cocked. Acrylic on canvas, not real furry things.
6) Buying and hoarding; I have a huge collection of makeup, clothes and shoes; some stuff that haven’t even been used yet
7)Innate talent to figure out how to use electronics without reading directions. example, my friend had a overhead vent hood that he couldn’t figure out how to turn on in his new rental. it’s the new, slim, sleek type without any buttons. I stared at it for 5 minutes then pushed on the vent and it turned on!
8) good comedic timing
that’s it for now!
Hi Karen!
I love your blog.. I agree with one of the other replies here… it melts away my stress!
Like many others here, I would love to know about your playlists! I find that music motivates me so much in the gym.
Jess 🙂
Hi Mariah!
I’m feeling great. Thank you for my hugs, here are some back for you *hugs*.
I love your list! Regarding your $7: Mario Brothers is the only game I’m good at, oy! I can’t play the fighting ones (or the driving ones) to save my life.
What kind of dance is your favorite?
Hi Karen B.,
CONGRATS! I’m so happy for your new job. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you and hope that they call you soon to confirm!
Hope you enjoy the cobbler! Let me know if you ever end up making a batch.
Hey Melissa!!!
I was just thinking of you the other day because 1.) I really need to get down to SD to do some surfing, so if/when I make it down there we’ll have to somehow run into each other (it’s destiny, I tell ya) and 2.) Terminator was on TV for like the eight billionth time the other day. Sounds like there’s been lots of excitement lately in your neck of the woods, that’s great!
Congrats to your girlfriend — QVC and Sephora, that’s a HUGE deal! WOOT! Have a safe trip to Paris (YAY! My fave!), take care and talk soon!!!!
Hi Ping,
Ahh, the powers of sleep and procrastination! 😉
Send me your potato salad recipe, girl! I loves me some carbs….
Hi Glosslizard,
Thank you for this brownie recipe. It looks divine… I can’t wait to try it!
Mmmmm. Chocolate!
Hi Tuprnut,
You’re welcome. 🙂 It’s really yummy with vanilla ice cream… I’ve never made it with any other fruit but I think it might be good with other stuff, too!
I think I’ll start tearing out pics like you do, and then make a binder with decorating ideas (I have one for makeup, so why not?). My mom got me a subscription to Good Housekeeping for Christmas. I’ve noticed that there are some great decorating ideas! I also get the Pottery Barn catalogue too (just received a new one last week with summer stuff). I am still trying to figure out what my house style is. I like the warmth and comfiness of PB, but also like the clean aesthetic of a modern look, like West Elm.
I’ve never looked at TV sets before! I always get caught up in the writing related aspect of shows (dialogue/character development/pacing/plot/etc.) so I don’t always pay attention to the visual aspect. This gives me an excuse to watch more TV. It’s research! 🙂
I would LOVE for you to give me decorating help on my first house. Trust me, if left to my own devices I would probably become paralyzed with indecision fairly quickly. Money fairy, where are you?
Hi Megan,
Looks like I’m going to have to do a lot of running with all these new yummy recipes in my life. El Hub’s gonna freak because he loves chocolate chip cookies (esp. semi sweet and dark chocolate). Thanks for this! I can’t wait to whip up a batch. I like chewy cookies so I’m going to shoot for not overcooking them! 🙂
Hi Holly,
Aww, you were talented with beauty stuff even at a young age! That’s so fab! 🙂
I’ve never tried Rimmel concealer, but I like the brand. Which one did you get? I’ll see if they have it at my nearby drugstore. As for the liquid liner, does it come with a brush, or do you use a separate one with it? The only liquid liner I’ve ever used is one from MAC (liquidlast) and I can’t figure out how to use it.
Hi Susan,
Great list! Your friends are lucky to have somebody to give ’em a reality check. Everybody needs someone to give them that tough love, ya know? It’s important.
I am jealous of your #5, seriously! Strangely, I’ve always wanted to be able to paint rabbits… I know it’s weird, but it’s true. But I can’t really paint objects or animals… just walls, LOL.
Hi Jess,
Aww, thanks girl! Wow, I’m so glad you like it. 🙂 It melts away my stress too, and is a very fun thing for me to do!
I put a partial play list up on the comments on #26. If you already have those songs or want more ideas holla at me and I’ll put another list up!
Hi Karen,
its the Rimmel ‘renew and lift’ concealer, I read somewhere that it is the exact same composition as the Yves saint Laurent Touche Eclat and I have to say it does seem very similar to me! The 2 major downsides though are that it has a really unpleasant smell to it (in fact exactly like the smell of touche eclat when you have had it for a few weeks!) and it only seems to come in 2 colours! Altough the ‘classic beige’ is fine on me and I am a 40 Beige in Chanel foundations (I thought I remembered that was your colour too?) It is also in a small squeezy container so you really do have to apply it with a brush which is fine by me because i never like the brushes that come with touche eclat anyway and im not worrying about wasting when it costs 4 pounds ha!
The liner is just one piece, you twist the bottom and the liner comes out nice and evenly into the brush, you really cant go wrong! I really struggle with eye liner, I can put it on others no problem but when it comes to myself I find it really difficult but i feel like ive finally cracked it with this one! The next step will be trying out the MAC fluidline which terrifies me!!
K seriously… I don’t know why but people LOVE these cookies. I hope that El Hub likes them!
I am truly good at:
1.Saving money….to the point it sits in the bank,does nothing (sorry it makes ONE cent a month even though it’s something like 10K or more sometimes),but I won’t invest,just because it looks soooo good in my account;
2.Gardening no explanation need it,I guess.
3.Cleaning,am I obsessed?
4.Convincing my husband what we really need (what should be really read as: what we really don’t need 😆
5.Biology and science – although what biology has in common with…accounting?!
6.Cooking certain dishes.
7.Not calling my Mum.
8.Postponing – isn’t it called procrastination?
9.Buying gifts for my 6 year old nice.
and the very last thing…for now 😉
10.Remembering – why can’t I just forget! Why?!
….therefore I better send what I’d written,before I remember something else 😆
Hi Holly,
Oh, I have a thing about smell (sensitive nose just like you) so I may not be able to hang with it. But I’m all over affordable concealers so I hope I can find it just to try it once.
You know, that’s kinda funny how you mention that you can totally put liner on others but feeling challenged when it comes to putting it on yourself. My fave Chanel makeup artist and I were hanging at the counter and he had me put the new bronzer on him and I got soooo nervous about applying makeup on him. I was like, “Dude, I can put it on myself but I just can’t put it on others!” A few days later I talked to him and he said he had a moment like that too, when he was trying to put some shadow in his crease (he’s a club kid and dresses up a lot) and he felt the same way… he can rock putting it on others but found it very hard to do on himself, LOLOL.
Okay, must look for that liner now. I can rock the pencil and the gel but the liquid still eludes me. Hopefully not for much longer!
Hi Megan,
I think he will. Anything bitter/semi-sweet chocolate related and he’s all over it. I’m gonna make a batch this weekend. I can’t wait! *drools*
Hi Madeleine,
I am stellar at procrastination as well, and have made it truly into an art form, LOL!
What dishes do you cook well?
Sorry you had such a bad day 🙁 ..
1. Organizing – Good at writing lists and planning but not so good at keeping places tidy..
2. Spending money – Give me any amount of money and I bet you that I will have it spent in no time at all.
3. Shopping – Although i do tend to buy some things in the heat of the moment, i am generally very good at choosing which items i would be better spending my money on and such.
3. Gifts – I am well known between family and friends for my gift choosing talents.
4. Having a sense of humour – I have one at all times. Including when it’s not a suitable time.
5. Singing stupid rhymes – If i am in a good mood you will always catch me singing silly songs (they always rhyme) which are completely random.
6. Finding information – That’s why i have thousands of bookmarks on my laptop. Seriously. (They are all sorted in to alphabetical folders based on their subject though :))
7. Giving advice – You can guarantee if you need a shoulder, i’ll be there.
8. Being a hypochondriac – So many times i have done things like stubbed my toe and automatically assumed it was broken or found a lump and rushed to the doctors just to be told it is just a spot. Better to be safe than sorry 🙂
9. Finally, I can talk for days. As you may have noticed.
Wow.. Writing that list has made me feel SOOOOO much better about myself. It took me a while to write but i started going through what everyone else has put and thought to myself that i am not bad at that. Thanks for the boost Karen! Hope you feel better! 😀