Do it yourself. It's Cheaper.

That is something that usually holds true. You can pay to have someone do something for you or you can get the pieces and do it yourself. Take the laundromat. I can drop off my clothes and pay 80 cents a pound or I can do it myself and save an average of 5-6 bucks a trip.

Today my roommate helped me reach that same realization with food. I was about to buy premade Turkey meatballs because I liked the idea of having some meatballs with my pasta or making a meatball sandwich. I hadn't seen them carried here before and threw them in the cart. A few minutes later he remarked that I should just buy ground meat instead and make them myself.

After initially disregarding the suggestion, I changed my mind and made the switch. For the same price as the pack of the premade (and most likely very subpar) meatballs, I was able to buy 3 pounds of meat. This was 4 times the weight of the pack of meatballs. Already, this was a good decision.

I was, from this pack of meat, able to make a dozen and a half turkey meatballs, custom to how I wanted, as well as 6 turkey burger patties, also custom. (Don't worry, they were different recipes). It may have taken me over two hours for all of the preparation and cooking, but the result is unqeustionable. My meatball sandwich was incredible.

Lesson of the day: DIY

Picture today is not to reinforce pushing pennies. Instead, this is my college change jar. I started filling it back in September of 2006. I'd say very little went into it my first two years as most of my food shopping was on my parents (aka credit card) and 90% of what I ate I got from the caf anyway. Only small purchases of a movie or piece of clothing would generate change. Eventually I spent more cash and got more change. I decided way back in September of 06 that I would not cash this jar out until I graduated. It would be a little graduation present/bonus to myself.

Well 1 week from classes ending, and 1 month from graduation and I cashed it. I am a little bummed about having to do so early, but funds are dwindling fast and I was faced with the dilemma of holding out to fulfill the plan, or cashing it and having it to use for my last few city adventures so I could essentially still go on these adventures and not have to sit in my last weeks in NY.

So, I didn't make it until graduation, but my present to myself is to make sure I make the most of these weeks by having a little extra in my pocket.

"It's a crazy world...

Someone ought to sell tickets."

That would be a quote from the movie Raising Arizona, by the Coen brothers, which I finally got around to seeing today. Kept me entertained while I made myself a big pot of Italian pasta salad to hold me over for the next few days since we have run out of just about everything else.

Had another meeting for my GO trip. I am excited to head to Mississippi. I went to a basketball camp for a few years when I was younger, but never an actual summer camp. It will be enjoyable to experience that and spend a week with a group of kids.

At the meeting we made ice cream. It was basically like a high school chemistry experiment, except it functioned as an ice breaker. Take milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and pour them in a plastic bag. Take this bag and put in a larger plastic back which is filled with ice and salt. Shake for about 20 minutes and you have your own ice cream. It was a lot of fun.

Tomorrow I have to go on my first one-on-one. Meeting up with another person in our trip for dinner. It should be interesting.

Hope everyone got to enjoy the sun these last few days. I know the rain is due in in the next 24 hours, so if you haven't spent some time in the sun you should try to do so at some point tomorrow before you are kept inside for several days.

Preparations

Tomorrow is the Holiday Party!
Oh you don't know what I'm talking about? Um...of course you are invited...

Anyway - my contribution to the party (food wise) is two trays of baked ziti. I have never made this before and so I have no idea if my very brief 5 line ingredients/directions from my mom were sufficient. I boiled and prepped everytihng tonight. Tomorrow they go in the oven and bam - verdict. Let's hope no one gets sick or anything from them - that'll be my gauge for whether or not it went well. (yikes!)

Day-care was alright today. Had a few kids I was watching in the blocks-center get upset with eachother and start crying (one literally laid down and started banging and kicking) But the day ended with another kid, one of my favorites (yeah i have favorites, so what), not laying down to take his name until I gave him a hug before I left for the day. Was truly awesome. Hope I can work out my schedule to get a lot of time there next semester.

150

i feel like i was just posting about my 100th blog update and it is already number 150. crazy.

law and order: svu marathons kill my day.
getting in bed early tonight so I might be more productive tomorrow.

Lesson of the day: too much honey on honey glazed chicken

why does FedEx have to be difficult

maybe it's not them being difficult but they are making things more difficult for me. no pickup on saturdays and no nearby locations even if they did, i am not going to have to shell out the money it will take to send this flashdrive 'next day' to get it to delaware in time.

oye.

also - different file formats =tear my hair out. trying to figure out and plan for what file format will play on the computer in the conference room at the Christiana Hospital and then tweaking the format/compression numbers to boost what ever quality is left is not exactly what i want to be doing. fingers crossed that if this computer does not already have Quicktime, it can be downloaded.

I made a grilled chicken sandwich tonight starting with a frozen chicken breast. used some roasted garlic seasoning and caramelized some onions before adding lettuce to the bread and toasting it. it was yum.