I know you missed me... and I don't blame you.

So when I started this blog post I had in mind to give you a bunch of excuses and reasons why I haven't blogged in forever, ie: I have two demanding jobs, a hot boyfriend, a fairly regular social life and a mean streak of laziness only made worse by the invent of Pinterest, but then I was all like, hey, step off. I'm busy and important and I don't owe you an explanation. Just be glad I'm back ya'hear??

Hey, we all deal with guilt in different ways. I am agressive and defensive.

Anyway... Whats up with all of you? Its the beginning of a new year and I have made some tentative resolutions:

1. Stop drinking carbonation (again). While I type this there is a red solo cup filled with Pepsi sitting next to me (AGAIN). You know, they're GOALS. Like things you strive for. Sometimes you never meet your goals. OK. Enough of the judgment.

Man. I am just full of guilt on this post. Moving on...

2. Get my business back in order. I recently got a promotion at my other job, making the job I love--my photography business--way harder to concentrate on. My website has been telling me I need to do a back up and upgrade for some nine months or so and I have multiple shoots I haven't posted. Not to mention I have some sweet woman who wants to feature a senior session I did on her photography website and I haven't gotten her the pictures yet. I feel like a total slacker.

Did I mention that we got a PS3, a new Samsung Galaxy Tablet, a Netflix subscription, and we are now a season and a half into Weeds with no end in sight??? Sigh... Who am I kidding? I've started this blog post three seperate times in the last two days but hey I've streamed 22 episodes of a cable series. I have priorities people.

3. Eat better... Or you know... Less anyway. This also includes not eating out as much and laying off the Super Convenient When I Have Worked A Ten Hour Day And Still Need To Go Home And Do Laundry And Dishes fast food, which is also concurrent with the next resolution which is:

4. Save money. I just bought a new car. The car I had--which I LOVED--was starting to have some issues and it just wasn't cost effective to have them fixed, so while Hyundai was having some year end incentives we decided to take advantage of the situation and take a look. After 8 hours at the dealer and a bunch of test drives later we decided on the Sonata.



Beautiful car. But I didn't just want the regular engine... Oh no, had to have the turbo. And then I didn't just want cloth, I wanted leather. Lets just say I am a spoiled brat and now feel like I should take steps to save some extra money for the car payment. I just keep whispering to myself, "100,00 mile warranty" and then flatten that turbo and peal out like a bat outta hell. That usually makes me feel better. Self medicating has its moments.

And thats the end of the resolutions. Having too many goals you fail to meet doesn't do anything for the ole self esteem ya know what I'm saying? Besides as I write this I start to think to myself, how come resolutions have to suck so much? Why can't they be awesome? So here are some "awesome" goals too:

1. Eat more sushi. So this basically walks right up there and spits in the face of "Crap Resolution #4". I recognize that. I just don't care.

2. Do more shoots with HOT people doing cool things. Which I can tell you, as a professional photographer, is WAY better then taking pictures of ugly people doing nothing. Sooo. Much. Better.

3. Take my sexy car and my sexy boyfriend and go on a couple roadtrips. I'd really like to hit up Seattle and drive down the Oregon coast again. That sounds pretty awesome to me.

Thats it for me. I feel thats a nice comprehensive list. Whats on yours? If you haven't got any "Awesome" resolutions to go with your "Crap" ones I highly suggest you make some.

A happy New Year to you and lets stick it to those troublemaking Mayans already.

A status update of sorts..

Yes. I am alive.

Yes I am aware that my blog has begun to molder.

Yes I know the smell of decomposition is starting to waft through the links and stink up your own blogs.

HOWEVER---I also know that most of YOU haven't been blogging either and so that might just be your own stink. So step off.

Instead I offer you an invitation to join me in a new year blog sprucing. Its the perfect time. Resolve to blog more often. You know, change your background. Add some pictures. Make the place look nice. Use a little Fabreze---get rid of the smell. I think it will be beneficial to all, don't you? If there's blogs to read I get inspired. If there's reason to check on blogs I have more reason to feel guilt over my own... never underestimate the power of shame. It does wonders.

So I extend this Blog Swiffer to all. Any takers?

The Dangerous Microwave Chocolate Cake-In-A-Mug challenge--cause I can't suck THAT bad can I?

So here's a little something about me: I'm a tolerably good cook, but I am an atrocious baker. I'm just no good at anything where you have to be super precise, but today I found myself on one of those recipe sites and I saw something that looked fast, fun and seriously suck-proof.

Dangerous Microwave Chocolate Cake-In-A-Mug

Recipe #338964 | 5 min | 2 min prep |

This cake is from Haydee's Chocolate Journal and is fantastic for those times where you want just one or two servings of all-natural, warm chocolate goodness. It's easily made with basic pantry items. I found the texture to be more spongy and very moist, It really was delicious. It fit perfectly in a regular-sized mug, although it did get a little messy when it puffed up. If you've got a slightly larger mug, I'd recommend using that.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons cake flour (plain, not self-rising)
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 dash vanilla
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Add dry ingredients to the mug; mix well with a fork.

2. Add egg and mix thoroughly.

3. Pour in milk, oil, and vanilla, and mix well.

4. Add chips, if using.

5. Put mug in the microwave, and cook for three minutes at 1,000 watts. Cake will rise over the top of the mug -- do not be alarmed.

6. When finished, carefully remove mug from microwave and allow to cool a little. Tip onto a small plate prior to serving, if desired.

7. Yields one generous serving or two "more virtuous" servings.

The ratings on the recipe were fabulous and seeing that it only took two minutes and I (lo and behold) already had these items in the house I decided I would try it out. I did leave out the vanilla and chocolate chips but I figured that they wouldn't make much of a difference. The Lowdown: I'm CRAP at baking. I even managed to screw THIS up. I think maybe three minutes was a little long in my microwave. Right after sticking a fork in the substance, which was a not-so-distant cousin of concrete, it began to turn hard and rubbery. My only satisfaction came from the fact that my mug was the perfect size and it didn't spill one drop in the microwave.

Seeing how the multiple ratings were so fabulous I have decided to issue a challenge to all. Think of it as a free blog post and a chance to do some fun easy baking with the kiddies, or maybe you just need a quick easy chocolate fix. Try out this recipe. Post a picture and tell me how it went. Then I can truly know if perhaps I REALLY am the worst baker ever. Feel free to experiment, just don't change the recipe basics, then share your experience.

I promise it takes less then two minutes and you just have to wash a fork and a mug! I'm really looking forward to the feedback!!!

In which I torture myself and learn a lesson in futility

Saturday I went golfing.

That in itself should be enough of an explanation for my title, but alas, not a very good blog post. It started out so well too. It was a lovely Saturday. I went with Randy and my good friend Ber to Spanish Oaks. Its a nice course. I enjoy it. It was delightfully sunny, but not too hot. Ber loaded us down with all types of "cart-goodies". I remembered my camera for once. It was a good first hole; a little rough off the tee, but no biggie. I was gonna have fun with people I love, stuff my face, get some exercise and work on my tan. All in all it seemed like it was going to be a pretty good time.

Then the second hole happened and in succession I started to have a complete meltdown. Not only could I not get off the tee but I couldn't hit any sort of second shot either. At first I tried to distract myself from my dismal attempts to swing a club by sticking licorice up Ber's nose and tripping on my own footwear but even that started to lose some luster after the state of suck continued. To make matters worse, Ber pretty much had the best 18 holes I've ever seen her play. If we only could have combined her game with my chipping and putting (the only thing redeming in any form throughout the day) we would have been sensational!! I noticed as my frustration and bitterness ensued that Ber started to get very quiet, shrinking to her side of the cart, perhaps, much like a frightened animal, that I might not notice her and thus not gouge her eyes out and wear them like olives on my fingers.

To include the preverbial cherry on top of my whip cream sundae of steaming crap, I had waited to get the camera out for the sun to get a bit lower and by the time it should have been perfect, big dark yucky clouds moved in and I only got one decent picture of the entire day. Add that to the fact that my dinner after at Red Robin was an equal disappointment the day was almost a complete bust!

Notice I did say ALMOST. There WERE some redeeming factors. I did say I got to spend time with two people I adore a whole lot, even while pissy. Randy as always was very patient, and tried to cheer me up and help me out. Ber totally could have rubbed my face into my sudden lack of complete hand-eye coordination, especially when her game was going so well, and never did. I really did work on my tan and ate a lot of junk food and I'm sure I burn just as many calories when I throw my clubs as when I actually hit something. And yes I realize I included eating junk food and burning calories in the same breath, but thats cause I would eat the junk food regardless. The burning off of those aforementioned calories is just a bonus. See... not so bad afterall.