Lesson Number Eight:
Bread!
So I've been trying different bread recipes lately to find one close to my grandmother's recipe. I also came across a super easy beer bread recipe that Thomas really likes and thought I would share it with you. So here it is:
Beer Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 12oz beer (I used Killians since that is what was in the fridge)
1/4-1/2 cup melted butter
Preheat over to 375. Mix all dry ingredients. Then mix in beer. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Pour melted butter over mixture. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool. Enjoy.
The key to this recipe is sifting the flour! If you do not sift your flour, it will not come out quite right. I made this recipe this way and it gives a nice crunchy crust. I also made it where you mix the butter into the bread mixture then bake it, it gives a softer crust. I like it both ways. This bread is a good bread to have with some soup for dinner. We like to eat it by itself while it's warm with butter on it.
Just thought I would share this easy find and hope you like it!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Lesson Number Seven
Lesson Number Seven:
Everyone's family is messed up in their own way.
So lately I've been trying to understand my middle brother. He seems to have lost all ambition to do anything with his life and is slowly throwing everything away. I know most of it is due to the drugs he is into. Also his wife doesn't seem to be helping the situation. My entire family is trying to help them but they aren't ready for it. This is the hardest part to deal with.
I've been working on being patient with them and trying to be understanding, but it is very frustrating. I know they won't truly be helped until they ask for it and are ready to receive it. So this is more of me venting than having a lesson. Thanks for 'listening'.
Everyone's family is messed up in their own way.
So lately I've been trying to understand my middle brother. He seems to have lost all ambition to do anything with his life and is slowly throwing everything away. I know most of it is due to the drugs he is into. Also his wife doesn't seem to be helping the situation. My entire family is trying to help them but they aren't ready for it. This is the hardest part to deal with.
I've been working on being patient with them and trying to be understanding, but it is very frustrating. I know they won't truly be helped until they ask for it and are ready to receive it. So this is more of me venting than having a lesson. Thanks for 'listening'.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Lesson Number Six
So I've discovered writing a blog every day is next to impossible with my weird schedule so I am going to do my best to get a few of these in a week. So here's lesson number 6....
I never really liked 'pinch' collars after working with animals. I associated them with the crazy untrained dogs that come into work with careless clients. I always thought they didn't work because it seemed all of the dogs who used them were not helped by them.
The reason I am talking about this is that I've been frustrated with trying to walk our crazy dog Martini. She pulls so hard with a regular collar that she chokes herself. We started using a harness a while back and helped some but she ends up bunny hopping on her back feet. Now that it has been hot, she's putting so much that her feet are worm raw. I broke down and bought a pinch collar for her and was in shock how in 2 seconds she walked loose leash! I couldn't believe it! I think I now have a different dog. I now know it wasn't that the collars didn't work, the problem was the user.
This lesson applies to all kinds of things. If someone doesn't know how to use something properly, it will never work how it is supposed to. This has been a lesson I have been getting used to for a long time. I tend to think more highly of the general population than I should. I will someday understand that the majority of the general population are total idiots.
I never really liked 'pinch' collars after working with animals. I associated them with the crazy untrained dogs that come into work with careless clients. I always thought they didn't work because it seemed all of the dogs who used them were not helped by them.
The reason I am talking about this is that I've been frustrated with trying to walk our crazy dog Martini. She pulls so hard with a regular collar that she chokes herself. We started using a harness a while back and helped some but she ends up bunny hopping on her back feet. Now that it has been hot, she's putting so much that her feet are worm raw. I broke down and bought a pinch collar for her and was in shock how in 2 seconds she walked loose leash! I couldn't believe it! I think I now have a different dog. I now know it wasn't that the collars didn't work, the problem was the user.
This lesson applies to all kinds of things. If someone doesn't know how to use something properly, it will never work how it is supposed to. This has been a lesson I have been getting used to for a long time. I tend to think more highly of the general population than I should. I will someday understand that the majority of the general population are total idiots.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Lesson Number Three, Four, and Five
So I slacked off and took a nap the last 2 days and did not write number 3 or 4 so here they are:
Lesson Number Three:
You can't fix stupid.
I think this one pretty much says it all. I'm not sure I can truly go into detail without offending some people I know so I am just leaving it as is. Sorry this is a quick lesson but it is the reason I needed a nap after work. The original title for this lesson was going to be, "There's nothing better than maggots in the morning" but I thought it might upset those with a sensitive stomach.
Lesson Number Four:
Sleep is a mysterious thing.
When you want to sleep, you can't. Sometimes you fall asleep when you're trying your hardest not to. And sometimes we forget about it at all when we are busy with other things. Wiki defines sleep as: "a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles." We need sleep to allow growth and revitalization of the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems. Surprisingly, sleep only decreases your metabolism by about 5-10% so it's not as horrible to eat before bed as they make it sound.
On average in humans, each sleep cycle lasts about 90-110 minutes. We need multiple sleep cycles each night to allow the mind and body to complete it's tasks. This is why you still feel tired after only getting about 5-6 hours of sleep instead of the 8ish your body actually needs. Our 'internal clock' actually has a name known as the circadian clock. this is the factor that tells us when to sleep and for how long. We throw our system off with self-willed alarm clocks or when awaken by others. The circadian clock is also greatly effected by the core body temperature. Each person's circadian rhythm is different but a full cycle is 24-25 hours long and sleep should be done when the body reaches its highest levels of melatonin.
This all goes back to the fact that there's not a right answer for how much or how little one should sleep. I personally could sleep for about 10 hours a day and be very happy.
And finally....
Lesson Number Five:
Today would have been Les Paul's 96th birthday. Google did a cool guitar logo in him honor today. Les Paul made rock possible with his innovative solid-bodied electric guitar. He began playing music at age eight and only got better. His first instrument was the harmonica and he created the hands-free neck holder so he could play both the harmonica and guitar at the same time. This is the same simple design still made today. This is just one of the many things this legend did in his life. RIP Les Paul, you changed music forever.
So there you have it, 3 lessons in 1. Enjoy.
Lesson Number Three:
You can't fix stupid.
I think this one pretty much says it all. I'm not sure I can truly go into detail without offending some people I know so I am just leaving it as is. Sorry this is a quick lesson but it is the reason I needed a nap after work. The original title for this lesson was going to be, "There's nothing better than maggots in the morning" but I thought it might upset those with a sensitive stomach.
Lesson Number Four:
Sleep is a mysterious thing.
When you want to sleep, you can't. Sometimes you fall asleep when you're trying your hardest not to. And sometimes we forget about it at all when we are busy with other things. Wiki defines sleep as: "a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles." We need sleep to allow growth and revitalization of the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems. Surprisingly, sleep only decreases your metabolism by about 5-10% so it's not as horrible to eat before bed as they make it sound.
On average in humans, each sleep cycle lasts about 90-110 minutes. We need multiple sleep cycles each night to allow the mind and body to complete it's tasks. This is why you still feel tired after only getting about 5-6 hours of sleep instead of the 8ish your body actually needs. Our 'internal clock' actually has a name known as the circadian clock. this is the factor that tells us when to sleep and for how long. We throw our system off with self-willed alarm clocks or when awaken by others. The circadian clock is also greatly effected by the core body temperature. Each person's circadian rhythm is different but a full cycle is 24-25 hours long and sleep should be done when the body reaches its highest levels of melatonin.
This all goes back to the fact that there's not a right answer for how much or how little one should sleep. I personally could sleep for about 10 hours a day and be very happy.
And finally....
Lesson Number Five:
Today would have been Les Paul's 96th birthday. Google did a cool guitar logo in him honor today. Les Paul made rock possible with his innovative solid-bodied electric guitar. He began playing music at age eight and only got better. His first instrument was the harmonica and he created the hands-free neck holder so he could play both the harmonica and guitar at the same time. This is the same simple design still made today. This is just one of the many things this legend did in his life. RIP Les Paul, you changed music forever.
So there you have it, 3 lessons in 1. Enjoy.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Lesson Number Two
Know when to cut corners and when to take the long way.
So this seems to be the theme of my day today. I decided to try a cut through this morning to save some time on my way to work only to have to wait 10 minutes on a train. This was only the first time of the day that I really wish I had just stayed on my normal path.
I had planned on making spaghetti tonight for dinner. I got the water on to boil for the noodles then turned to the fridge only to realize I didn't have any kind of meat to cook to go in. I proceeded to improvise and sauted some bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms in garlic to serve as my 'meat'. This turned out to be the best spaghetti I have had in a long time! This will be my new favorite easy dinner for making after long days at work. All the veggies are great for my diet and help fill me up so I don't eat all the noodles.
I recently got a different cell phone on ebay to cut back on my monthly bills to save money for the house we have been patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) trying to buy. I had bought a phone from a guy in Atlanta previously for a good deal that worked great. I was planning to buy from him again since everything had gone smoothly and had a good shopping experience before. I then decided to search for the phone I was planning to get and found it from someone else for about $15 cheaper. This seemed like a great deal so I went for it. I have had this new phone for about a week only to discover today that there are keys that do not work. Fortunately this new seller offers a 30 day return policy. This just proves that sometimes you think you're doing the right thing and cutting a few corners only to see you'll end up going to the long way in the end.
This lesson is a little difficult because there is no formula as to when it is ok to cut corners or when to take the long way. This is one of the lessons where I'm not sure if I've learned sometime or just come to terms with the fact I will never truly know the right answer. If I ever figure it out though, I may be one of the richest people in the world!
So this seems to be the theme of my day today. I decided to try a cut through this morning to save some time on my way to work only to have to wait 10 minutes on a train. This was only the first time of the day that I really wish I had just stayed on my normal path.
I had planned on making spaghetti tonight for dinner. I got the water on to boil for the noodles then turned to the fridge only to realize I didn't have any kind of meat to cook to go in. I proceeded to improvise and sauted some bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms in garlic to serve as my 'meat'. This turned out to be the best spaghetti I have had in a long time! This will be my new favorite easy dinner for making after long days at work. All the veggies are great for my diet and help fill me up so I don't eat all the noodles.
I recently got a different cell phone on ebay to cut back on my monthly bills to save money for the house we have been patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) trying to buy. I had bought a phone from a guy in Atlanta previously for a good deal that worked great. I was planning to buy from him again since everything had gone smoothly and had a good shopping experience before. I then decided to search for the phone I was planning to get and found it from someone else for about $15 cheaper. This seemed like a great deal so I went for it. I have had this new phone for about a week only to discover today that there are keys that do not work. Fortunately this new seller offers a 30 day return policy. This just proves that sometimes you think you're doing the right thing and cutting a few corners only to see you'll end up going to the long way in the end.
This lesson is a little difficult because there is no formula as to when it is ok to cut corners or when to take the long way. This is one of the lessons where I'm not sure if I've learned sometime or just come to terms with the fact I will never truly know the right answer. If I ever figure it out though, I may be one of the richest people in the world!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Lesson Number ONE
So recently I have noticed a lot of my friends have been keeping very interesting blogs. My friends' blogs are about everything under the sun from cooking to natural parenting. I have been inspired to start my own, so here it goes.....
I decided to base my blog on the old saying, "You learn something new everyday." I have recently noticed myself saying this a lot and decided I wanted to keep track of all the useless things life teaches me. Sometimes they will be true life lessons that will change my life, or sometimes they will be completely useless facts that I would be just as well off not knowing.
This is mainly for my entertainment, but maybe someone else can learn some useless knowledge with me. This may also end up showing people that I missed out on a lot in school while I was sleeping heh.
Lesson Number ONE:
So while reading an article in the local paper, I came across some drug names I had never heard of before. I quickly went to Google to figure out what they were. I then found out that alprazolam is Xanax, clonazepam is Klonopin, and methylenedioxymethamphetamine is ecstasy. I also then proceeded to read about each drug. I learned that according to Wiki, "small doses of MDMA is used as an entheogen to enhance meditation by some Buddhist Monks". This all gave me the conclusion that there are too many people getting arrested for drugs they really don't know the side effects of.
Speaking of local news paper articles, when looking though local news online, I came across this title and had to take a second look. Zombies in PTC reminds me of every day of my childhood hehe!
This is the first example of useless knowledge that I would be fine never knowing. I'm hoping my lesson for tomorrow is a little more interesting and can have some value. I'm not getting my hopes up though.
I decided to base my blog on the old saying, "You learn something new everyday." I have recently noticed myself saying this a lot and decided I wanted to keep track of all the useless things life teaches me. Sometimes they will be true life lessons that will change my life, or sometimes they will be completely useless facts that I would be just as well off not knowing.
This is mainly for my entertainment, but maybe someone else can learn some useless knowledge with me. This may also end up showing people that I missed out on a lot in school while I was sleeping heh.
Lesson Number ONE:
So while reading an article in the local paper, I came across some drug names I had never heard of before. I quickly went to Google to figure out what they were. I then found out that alprazolam is Xanax, clonazepam is Klonopin, and methylenedioxymethamphetamine is ecstasy. I also then proceeded to read about each drug. I learned that according to Wiki, "small doses of MDMA is used as an entheogen to enhance meditation by some Buddhist Monks". This all gave me the conclusion that there are too many people getting arrested for drugs they really don't know the side effects of.
Speaking of local news paper articles, when looking though local news online, I came across this title and had to take a second look. Zombies in PTC reminds me of every day of my childhood hehe!
This is the first example of useless knowledge that I would be fine never knowing. I'm hoping my lesson for tomorrow is a little more interesting and can have some value. I'm not getting my hopes up though.
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