Shoutout To Cyberspace Community

I need a kick ass cookie recipe for Christmas gift giving. This year I intend to make instead of buy the presents I plan to give away. My niece always bakes a variety of cookies and packs them for gift giving every Christmas, and they are always sought after and most anticipated.

This is a wise move on her part. Not only does she hone her baking skills, she also saves a lot of dough (pun intended) in the process.

However let me first clarify one thing. I.DO.NOT.BAKE. My minimal baking experience can be atributed to making brownies straight from the box - on two different occasions.

The first time it didn't turn out moist and chewy, but it was okay, passable for a first time. The brownie, however, did not fare well after the first day. It hardened like a stone and was too tough to eat, although a little time in the microwave solved the problem.

The second time it came out of the oven tough. But again time in the microwave solved the problem.

As you can see, I don't have the natural abitlity for baking. Therefore, the cookie recipe I need must be/have:

• easy to follow, easy to make
• simple ingredients
• yummy and buttery (it is after all holiday eats)
• will last a few days

Okay then, I will wait.

Two Days and Counting

Second day of "diet" and I'm hungry, but felt lighter, which feels good.

Lord help me make it thru the rest of the week.

Good Turnout and Other Things

Hah! finally the Halloween I have waiting for came. I've been asking myself the past years where have all the kids gone? Halloween nights past the kids were nowhere to be found and I was left to gobble that giant bag of goodies they sell at Costco. Not this year folks, not this year. Last Saturday, Halloween, my giant bag of yummy miniature chocolate bars was almost emptied. And I was going back and forth from watching my old movies on tv and handing out candies. Who knocked on my door? Let's see - the pirate was there, angel, fairies, princesses, scream guy, bumble bee, etc. And what's fun was that these are tiny kids, from tots in strollers to about tweeners. Not the teens that used to ring my bell over at my old neighborhood.

My husband reminded me that our previous neighborhood was a townhouse development and there aren't many kids around. Our present neighborhood is not a development but good old normal neighborhood. I don't know how to express it. And the best part is the kids were accompanied by adults, which was too cool.

And the best part, I don't have to finish the whole bag of candies. Calories saved!

UPDATE: The Bay Bridge has finally reopened. I was as usual stuck in traffic at Eastshore Fwy somewhere between Berkeley and Emeryville when the announcement of the reopening was broadcasted on radio. It took Caltrans long enough (6 days I believe) to reopen it. I thought they were overly cautious, which is just okay with me. Better safe than sorry. Now I hope that the hellish traffic would be a lot manageable beginning tomorrow.

In another news, I have just received training to be part of what they call Altar Guild at church. I think I can manage this. This would be my way of giving my time and talent to church.

I have promised myself to refrain from blogging starting today as I have plenty of things to take care of before heading out of town for a much-needed vacation. But as you can see here I am typing away.

Another thing, I have been chatting on fb with my old girl friends from the old country (hehehe) this weekend. It was such a good feeling to chat with old pals again and revisit old memories. They are asking me if I have plans to visit the country, which I reply with plans I have plenty, but nothing concrete. I surely would relish some time with them in the near future. Isn't fb fabulous, just for this reason alone?

Mixed Bag of Emotions

• I am sad about this.
• I am frustrated about this.
• I am fuming about this.
• I am happy thinking about this.

You probably guess where all these emotions are coming from right? Yeah, it's that time of the month again :-D

The Bridge is Closed

The bridge is closed, an emergency closure yesterday. And today's morning commute was hell. It's a miracle that I got to work just a few minutes after my shift started.

I am lucky in a way. I don't get to drive over any bridges to get to work. I may have the headache and stress related to the jams on this very busy Eastshore freeway, but going over one is adding half an hour to one's commute.

I thought with the bridge closure and the all the local networks invoking the use of public transport or other alternative routes that the Eastshore freeway was going to be a little lighter than normal. But NO! It was heavier than normal with majority of the commuting public making the decision to drive and take an alternative bridge - the San Mateo Bridge - which means that the commuters were driving my route. Yuck.

I knew someone who has phobia of bridges, I mean crossing one. When she worked in the city, she took the train. The train didn't cross the bridge, but went under the bay through a tunnel. Call me crazy, but going under was scarier than going over for me. Well to each his own.

Goal of the Week

Today is Monday and I'll try to limit my coffee consumption for this week. I say coffee, not caffeine :) One at a time, people, one at a time.

Hope we all have a great work week.

TGIF because I'm in a rut.

Glad to see this week end because I am in a rut. This week I have drank way too much coffee, slept way too little. Feeling so blah, disinterested, depressed and craving chocolates all week. I don't crave sweet other than that special time of the month. And it's not that time of the month. Not for another 2.5 weeks yet.

And I've been hooked on reading this blogger's journal. It feels like a novel to me. I stumbled upon the blog late last year I believe and I wondered how "they" met. So I went back and read all the posts in the archives - that's four years of posts!!!. Pathetic, I need a life!!!!

Anyway, finally I think I just came upon the post where the beginning of the friendship was mentioned.

And I am more depressed.

And the sad part is I have no clue why.