Camy Tang's Blog, page 128
May 23, 2012
Amusement park or coffee shop?
Captain Caffeine said, “There’s a new Transformers ride at Universal Studios down in Los Angeles.”
Me: “I think I’m getting too old for that stuff. I don’t get a good enough Return On Investment.”
Captain: “What do you mean?”
Me: “Before, I used to love roller coasters. I didn’t mind paying the park fee and waiting two hours in line for each ride. Now, it’s just not worth it to me anymore. Those are two hours of my life I’ll never get back.”
Captain: “What if you went with your friends and you guys could talk while you’re in line?”
Me: “But it’s hot. Why would I want to spend money to stand in a hot line with lots of people when I could instead spend money to be in a coffee shop with my friends, or go have High Tea somewhere and talk there? I’d be in air conditioning and get scones and Devonshire cream.”
Captain (thoughtfully): “You have a point.”
What do you think? Amusement park or coffee shop? What floats your boat at your stage in life?
Me: “I think I’m getting too old for that stuff. I don’t get a good enough Return On Investment.”
Captain: “What do you mean?”
Me: “Before, I used to love roller coasters. I didn’t mind paying the park fee and waiting two hours in line for each ride. Now, it’s just not worth it to me anymore. Those are two hours of my life I’ll never get back.”
Captain: “What if you went with your friends and you guys could talk while you’re in line?”
Me: “But it’s hot. Why would I want to spend money to stand in a hot line with lots of people when I could instead spend money to be in a coffee shop with my friends, or go have High Tea somewhere and talk there? I’d be in air conditioning and get scones and Devonshire cream.”
Captain (thoughtfully): “You have a point.”
What do you think? Amusement park or coffee shop? What floats your boat at your stage in life?
A Voucher to Almack’s
Many of you know I’m a huge fan of Regency romances, and I recently came across this photo of an actual voucher to that elite social club, Almack’s.
I think that’s totally cool! I think one day I’d like to write a Regency under a pseudonym.
I think that’s totally cool! I think one day I’d like to write a Regency under a pseudonym.
Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter!!!!!
I absolutely love this spread! I’m so glad Captain Caffeine gave in to impulse and bought it.
It’s a spread made with crushed biscuits (cookies) that has the consistency of Nutella but tastes kind of like gingerbread. I spread it on some of the ciabatta I’m working through and it’s AMAZING! It’s warm and comforting but not too sweet. I love it!
I had it with a special limited-edition tea called White Christmas by Lupicia teas: black tea with white chocolate and apricots. It’s totally delish.
That adorable cup and dessert plate was a gift from my Aunty Janet and the tiny stainless steel teaspoon was from an old set from my Grandma, so that’s quite a homey photo. :)
May 22, 2012
Solar Eclipse photos
I forgot to post these yesterday (because I know you’re all just waiting with baited breath to see these).
Here’s the photo of the eclipse through a pinprick in a piece of cardboard:
Captain Caffeine had read that you can also view the eclipse through a pair of binoculars, so he got his out and we looked at the eclipse projected onto the side of the house wall. Cute, huh?
Here’s the photo of the eclipse through a pinprick in a piece of cardboard:
Captain Caffeine had read that you can also view the eclipse through a pair of binoculars, so he got his out and we looked at the eclipse projected onto the side of the house wall. Cute, huh?
I’m such a sucker for buy-one-get-one-free sales.
Especially when it’s artisan bread!!!!!!! They had a sale at Nob Hill and so I came home with 4 breads, plus the loaf of Nob Hill Dutch Crunch bread I’d gone to get.
I got a ciabatta, a three-cheese loaf, a pugliese, and cheese ciabatta rolls. Yummo! I actually decided to freeze the last 3 and am now eating the ciabatta. I’ll thaw them when I’m done with the ciabatta. :)
Anyone else love bread almost as much as me????
And isn’t it ironic I’m blogging about bread right after blogging about tracking my food intake? But I’ve been really good about recording my bread intake, too. :)
I got a ciabatta, a three-cheese loaf, a pugliese, and cheese ciabatta rolls. Yummo! I actually decided to freeze the last 3 and am now eating the ciabatta. I’ll thaw them when I’m done with the ciabatta. :)
Anyone else love bread almost as much as me????
And isn’t it ironic I’m blogging about bread right after blogging about tracking my food intake? But I’ve been really good about recording my bread intake, too. :)
Tracking my food intake changes the way I eat
Tracking my food takes more time than I’d like, especially if the database doesn’t have the food I’m looking for (like black bean sauce shrimp) or if the food item lists portions as a “serving” (WHAT THE HECK IS A SERVING???).
But it’s been good because often I’ll see what I need to eat to hit my target ranges. For example, most of the time I’ll look and see that I need to eat more protein for the day, so sometimes I’ll choose cheese instead of a biscuit at tea time. Or if I’m high on my fat range, I’ll be careful to go low fat for dinner.
I’ve also noticed that when I know I need to track my food, I start to change how I eat food. I start thinking, “I need to eat only about 1/2 cup of rice” or I’ll weigh that slice of bread (yes I know that’s kind of freaky anal) or I’ll use a measuring cup when I scoop out soup to reheat. It just makes it easier for me to record my food later, because otherwise I’m really guessing at how much I ate.
But I recently read this article on SparkPeople about how a study showed that if you track your food, you might end up losing twice the weight than if you didn’t track your food. Makes sense to me, especially in light of how I’ve been changing my food choices during the day if I’m aware of where I’m falling in terms of my nutritional ranges.
Who else out there tracks your food? And if you’ve lost weight, do you still track your food to maintain your weight?
But it’s been good because often I’ll see what I need to eat to hit my target ranges. For example, most of the time I’ll look and see that I need to eat more protein for the day, so sometimes I’ll choose cheese instead of a biscuit at tea time. Or if I’m high on my fat range, I’ll be careful to go low fat for dinner.
I’ve also noticed that when I know I need to track my food, I start to change how I eat food. I start thinking, “I need to eat only about 1/2 cup of rice” or I’ll weigh that slice of bread (yes I know that’s kind of freaky anal) or I’ll use a measuring cup when I scoop out soup to reheat. It just makes it easier for me to record my food later, because otherwise I’m really guessing at how much I ate.
But I recently read this article on SparkPeople about how a study showed that if you track your food, you might end up losing twice the weight than if you didn’t track your food. Makes sense to me, especially in light of how I’ve been changing my food choices during the day if I’m aware of where I’m falling in terms of my nutritional ranges.
Who else out there tracks your food? And if you’ve lost weight, do you still track your food to maintain your weight?
May 21, 2012
Trying to limit Facebook and Twitter time
There have been lots of articles on Facebook since they went public, and there have been a few about people who deliberately refuse to get or re-up their Facebook profiles, for various reasons. Some of them don’t want to do it because it ended up sucking too much of their time.
I don’t think I could NOT be on Facebook or Twitter, but the articles have been making me more aware of how much time I’m on social media. I need to be a good steward of my time.
The other day, I spent half a hour just browsing around on Facebook. While that’s not necessarily bad, if I’m on Facebook when I should be working, that’s wasting the gift of writing full-time that God has given to me.
So I’m trying to be more conscious of my Facebook and Twitter time and trying to limit it to once or twice a day. Let’s see if I can do it!
I don’t think I could NOT be on Facebook or Twitter, but the articles have been making me more aware of how much time I’m on social media. I need to be a good steward of my time.
The other day, I spent half a hour just browsing around on Facebook. While that’s not necessarily bad, if I’m on Facebook when I should be working, that’s wasting the gift of writing full-time that God has given to me.
So I’m trying to be more conscious of my Facebook and Twitter time and trying to limit it to once or twice a day. Let’s see if I can do it!
Kale chips in the dehydrator ... eh.
Yeah, that was my reaction when I ate them. I think I’m spoiled because I’m used to deep frying them, and kale deep fried tastes absolutely amazing. I think the frying causes some caramelization and so the kale tastes a little sweet, and it’s lost the “green” bitter taste it usually has.
I used this recipe minus the apple cider vinegar. Maybe I need to add that next time? Anyway, I took them out today and they were crispy and salty, but they were still “green” tasting, which I don’t really like.
I think I’ll try this again with the other bunch of kale I have and add the vinegar. I really don’t like vinegar, but maybe something in it will get rid of the “green” taste.
I used this recipe minus the apple cider vinegar. Maybe I need to add that next time? Anyway, I took them out today and they were crispy and salty, but they were still “green” tasting, which I don’t really like.
I think I’ll try this again with the other bunch of kale I have and add the vinegar. I really don’t like vinegar, but maybe something in it will get rid of the “green” taste.
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man holds it back.
My friend Mary DeMuth posted this verse on Facebook right when I needed it. I’d just read an article by a Christian that insulted me (not specifically, but generally) in a very hurtful, condescending way, and I was so upset I wanted to fire off some angry blog post in response.
But this verse reminded me that it’s not necessary. I have been blessed with a job that is a mission given to me by God. I love what I do and I’m not afraid to admit it.
If I don’t live up to other people’s ideas of what a Christian should be like, whose fault is that? Not mine! My conscience is clear before Jesus, and He’s all that matters.
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.
2nd Corinthians 1:12 (TNIV)
My friend Mary DeMuth posted this verse on Facebook right when I needed it. I’d just read an article by a Christian that insulted me (not specifically, but generally) in a very hurtful, condescending way, and I was so upset I wanted to fire off some angry blog post in response.
But this verse reminded me that it’s not necessary. I have been blessed with a job that is a mission given to me by God. I love what I do and I’m not afraid to admit it.
If I don’t live up to other people’s ideas of what a Christian should be like, whose fault is that? Not mine! My conscience is clear before Jesus, and He’s all that matters.
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.
2nd Corinthians 1:12 (TNIV)
May 19, 2012
Review: Identity Crisis
Identity Crisis by Laura Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the best Love Inspired Suspense novels I've read yet. The action starts fast and the pace is great. The heroine's character is really likable and the romantic tension is unusual and interesting. I'm a little sad the mystery thread is continued in the next book, Twin Peril, coming out in August, but it was a satisfying book on it's own.
View all my reviews
