My Name is Brandy. I’m A Marketer…

Hello ladies and gentlemen!  Tonight I felt like experimenting a bit.  I am a huge fan of quiche - and for those who might not know what that is, it’s like an egg pie.  Usually, it has cheese, and either some sort of meat (like bacon) or some sort of vegetable (like spinich or broccoli).  It is really good, but so high in fat and cholesterol.  I wanted to make a lower fat, lower cholesterol version.  It took me about three hours (or at least it seemed like it), and I substituted the following ingrediants:

For eggs, I substituted Egg Beaters, for bacon, I substituted turkey bacon, for cream, I substituted 2% milk, and for shortening in the crust, I substituted Smart Balance (a cholesterol-free, trans-fat free butter substitute).

I’ve never been good at baking, but my guess where I messed up here was trying to make quiche healthy.  There is a reason why it is so darn good.  It’s not supposed to be healthy.  It’s not supposed to be an overly salty, watery, greasy crust egg thing.  It’s supposed to be fluffy and rich.  Oh well.  NO MORE HEALTHY QUICHE! lol

If anyone out there does know how to make quiche healthy, I would be interested in knowing.  But, for now, I will just have to have it in moderation….

Peace

Hello all!  I want to thank those who wrote comments on my latest blog entry “An Imperfect Religious Experience”.  Since this blog is a matter of opinion, it is always nice to hear different viewpoints. 

I know its been a while since I wrote an entry, but I’ve been very busy.  I moved into a new apartment closer to where I work during the day, and evenings I have been working on client websites and honing up on my Adobe Creative Suite skills.  Also getting used to a new area has been an adjustment - I miss my friends and family, but luckily I am still close enough that I can visit them from time to time. 

Other than that, I made the most fantastic peanut butter cookies last night.  I am going to have to freeze them because I made too many for just myself.

Hopefully I will be able to start writing more again - next time, maybe I will write another crazy song spoof.  We will see.  Until then…..

Peace

I was out to dinner with my friend tonight, and something occurred that inspired me to write.  Let me explain the scenario first:

My friend and I went to a buffet tonight.  She is Buddhist, and this weekend is going to a fascinating ceremony.  We got to talking and I starting asking her questions about what she believes in her religion.  In the Buddhist religion (as she explained it), there is Heaven, Hell and reincarnation.  When a person dies, they briefly go to heaven or hell, and are then reincarnated into something else.  If a person happens to go to hell, their punishment depends on the sins they committed in their life.  I found that very interesting, and joked with her saying, “At least in your religion you get second and third chances.  In my religion, once you go to Hell you are there forever” and I laughed.  I am a Christian.

So then I started going off on a tangent about what different Christian religions believe. Now, I am by no means an expert on different sects if Christianity.  But when you leave out all the “details” (you know, the little things that everyone argues mean the difference between going to Heaven or Hell when you die) it is all basically the same.  We all believe in Jesus, and that he died so that our sins could be forgiven.  We all agree that killing/stealing etc. are bad things to do, and that the world was created by God, Adam and Eve existed, yada yada yada.  So I started telling her about how funny it was that Christians argue over the details, basically believing that if it is not their way, everyone else goes to Hell (please understand that I know not all Christians think this way - just the ones that make people hate Christians).  In telling her this, I used Lutherans and Baptists as examples.  I barely got into any details, just basically describing what I just wrote.  I also added in there that I am very spiritual, but don’t attend church because I feel that it is unnecessary to practice my faith, and that churches have a tendency to make people think that their way is the only way (hence introducing the topic above).  I noticed that there was a couple at a table next to us, who seemed to be listening to our conversation.  I thought nothing of it until my Buddhist friend left and the woman approached me…

“Can I say something?” said the woman.  I knew what was coming, I just didn’t know whether she was going to agree or disagree with me. 

But I was willing to listen.  “Yes,” I said.

The woman proceeded to tell me that she was a Baptist, and that Baptists don’t believe in Hell.  That raised my eyebrows a bit.  I have not heard of one Christian religion that doesn’t believe in Hell. She went on to say that once you are a Baptist and accept Christ in your heart, you are going to heaven.  She says that if they sin, they ask God for forgiveness and its okay then (sounds kind of like Catholicism to me – but what do I know).  So I asked her, “Okay, well what if somebody does something bad and they don’t ask for forgiveness?”  To which her response was “Well, we all have to face <our actions in the end>”.

So, Baptists don’t believe in Hell huh?

She then told me I should seek out her Church.  Basically come see what they have to offer.  She wrapped it up pretty quickly when my Buddhist friend came back, and told me she just wanted to make sure that I didn’t go home tonight without <it was either accepting Jesus in my heart or asking God for forgiveness>.  My first thought here was “what did I do?”  Then I realized, “Ahh.  I am a Lutheran who doesn’t go to church.”  Then she said she hoped to see me in her Church.  “Yeah…” I lied.

Four things happened in this scenario.  They all actually happened in the same order that they pissed me off.

First, she and her husband listed in on our conversation, and she made it her business to add her two cents. 

Second, yes Baptists do believe in Hell.  Just because you don’t believe you are going there doesn’t mean you don’t believe it exists.

Third, she proved me right. I did not one thing wrong, yet all she had to hear was that I was either “Lutheran” or “not church going” and she felt it was her duty to get me to accept Jesus so what sounded to me like “I don’t end up going to that place (that apparently she doesn’t believe in)”.  Sounds to me a little like “you need to go to church and believe what I believe or I fear for you”.  Wasn’t that my point to begin with?

Finally, the best part.  If she truly did believe that it is her Baptist duty to save the souls of complete strangers, why did she wait until my friend left, and then wrap up quickly when she came back? Probably because my friend is a Buddhist.  Hasn’t she read in the bible that Jesus ministered unto everyone?  Remember the story of the Samaritan woman at the well?  I would have at least respected the woman more had she included my friend in this as well.  And her ignoring my friend was not my imagination.  She didn’t even make eye contact with her. 

Some who read this may disagree.  Religion is such a hot topic and people get into ridiculously heated arguments over it.  I understand that people have different beliefs.  I even understand why Christians try to show others the way of God.  What I don’t like is when Christians claim perfection.  No religion, or person, is perfect, and I never claimed to be perfect.  I strive to be the best person I can be.  And I love being a Christian – I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Peace

Well, the company I was temping for decided to hire me on!  WOO-HOO!  So, this week, I officially start my first full time career job, and get to start it off by going to a highly-intensive leadership seminar in St. Louis MO.  I look forward to it.

As for today, it was father’s day, so Happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there. We (my sibling and I) took our father out to Macaroni Grill for dinner, and then we headed over to the Irish festival. 

Something else exciting is that my business is slowly but surely growing - I recently finished two clients - someone who works in real estate, and a motivational speaker.  Coming up are three new clients - a language tutor, someone who makes gift baskets, and a not-for-profit business owner. 

Now I go mow the lawn, finish packing, and get ready for a busy, exciting week!  I will post some pictures of St. Louis when I get back!

In 21 days, my life will change.  I have been a temp at my current job for the past two and a halfish months, and if (knock on wood, pray to God, cross your fingers) I get officially “hired in”, it will happen in 21 days, and here is a list of things that will suddenly become a part of my world:

Health care- oh health care – what a grand thing this is!

Paid sick days and vacations, including my birthday! – Never had these before.  It will be such an awesome feeling to take a half day off to go to a doctor, and get paid for it!  Or, take a vacation, and not have to worry about being short the week after!  WOW!  Mix that with health care, and this alone would be enough.  But, it doesn’t stop here…..

I become salaried – this is both a curse and a blessing.  The “curse” is that I will be expected to work beyond 40 hours a week if it is necessary to get a job done.  The “blessing” is that I will have the ability to be more flexible with my hours, and plus it ties in with the paid vacation and sick days.  The other “curse/blessing” with this will be the ability to do all my work from home if necessary.  The “curse” of this is that I will be expected to work from home if I can’t physically come into work (due to like car problems or something – different from being sick).  The “blessing” is that I can work at home at my own pace, free from distraction, and will be able to get work done so that when I am able to return I am not backed up.

Travel – I get to travel with this job!  Yay!

Knowledge of whether or not I will be moving in the fall:  I was estimating moving in fall, but had to make sure I had a job first.  I will know in 21 days!

Other perks and benefits:

There are other benefits that will come with this job as a full time employee.  Since these usually vary by company more than the others, I will not disclose them here.  I am sure, however, that they will be beneficial to me. 

So, now starts the 21 day countdown – I will do my absolute best to make sure when that 21^st day comes, they say to me, “You’re hired!” Or, something along those lines….  J

Time to be silly!  Here is The 100th Doughnut, to the tune of Asia’s Heat of the Moment.  Enjoy!

The 100^th doughnut

I never meant to be so mad at you

I asked the question knowing it was true

These pants I know are way too tight

Looking gloomy in the mirror tonight.

Do you remember when I was so thin?

I had no flub, I had an obvious chin.

I asked you if you thought that I was fat.

And then you laughed when I sat on the cat.

It was the 100^th doughnut.

Telling me not to stop now.

The 100^th doughnut

Shown in my thighs.

And when you look away and I’m alone

How many nights I eat beside the phone

Doughnuts are the best they are so good

I bought as many boxes as I could

It was the 100^th doughnut

The 100^th doughnut

The 100^th doughnut

Shown in my thighs

And when you think you’re going to be home late

Make sure to set me out a plate

Cause I give up I’m happy being fat

They’re so delicious you know that

It was the 100^th doughnut

Telling me not to stop now

The 100^th doughnut

Shown in my thighs

It was the 100^th doughnut

The 100^th doughnut

The 100^th doughnut

Shown in my thighs

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

Tonight I celebrate being part Irish! 

Once a little lassie
Who was a wee sassy
Went to pick a clover
Four leaves and a lad,
And the six drinks she had
Made’r night well worth the hangover!

I now start a new phase of my life.  I am starting to build my future.  Well, I kinda started that in college, but now I’m out of college and I’m about to start my first “real job”.  I have to be very aware now of all the things I was taught as a child.  Save money, use your head, believe in yourself, follow your instincts, don’t eat all that chocolate, remember your manners, and treat others as you would be treated.  Seems easy enough, right?  I think that sometimes as adults we forget these basic rules, because we experience this thing called “free will”.  (I think that’s what college is for lol). 

But anyway, I start this new job next week, and I couldn’t be more excited.  Watch out world, here I come!

So at about 1:00 this afternoon I felt like going out and going to Starbucks to get a steamer.  My mother had warned me that the roads were bad, but I figured, “Heck!  I can handle it!”  Well this was probably one of the two scariest drives in the snow I’ve ever taken.  The first time I got stuck was on my street, but I figured once I got off my street, I’d be fine.  No.  Going up P_ hill, I got stuck and several times swayed into the other lane and once almost went right into the railing (this is the point where I got stuck) and then the rest of the way up the hill I felt as if I was burning rubber.  I was showting “C’mon! F—g get up the hill! C’MON!” And I got up the hill.

For the next 10 minutes, I could barely see four feet in front of me.  My wipers were going but they seemed to be failing, and my windows were fogging even though I had my defrosters on.  The main road that goes through the city wasn’t even paved.  Later on I had heard a rumor that {the city} had ran out of salt.  I thought “Forget this, I’m going home!”

I should mention that there were two types of idiots on the road today (besides the ones that decided to drive in the first place lol).  There were, believe it or not, still drivers who would honk at people at lights because they didn’t go through quick enough, and there were pedestrians who walked in the middle of the roads even though it’s pretty common knowledge that on roads like this, cars slide and lose control.  So to go home I turned off onto a side road, and as I was approaching the road I needed to backtrack, I saw that there was a car that was stuck.  I had to slow down or I would run into them, but I stopped because they looked like they needed help.  I asked them if they needed any help and they said I could help push, but I offered my phone instead (it was two men slightly younger than me so I was being careful, you never know these days).  Well, the man used my phone but couldn’t get through, so they went back to pushing the car.  I suggested to them that they dig under the tires, so they took out a snow brush and started to dig.  I began to drive out of the intersection so I could help them, but then realized I was stuck.  So I got my car brush and got out of the car, and said “I help you, you help me?” They (the man and the other helping stranger) agreed, and within minutes we had dug his car out.  The second man pushed while the owner of the car drove, and he drove off, but kept his word and came back to help me.  So I finally got unstuck, and continued down that road. 

To make a long story short, I got stuck two more times going home, and one of those times another stranger helped me out of it.  Luckily, I made it home in one piece!  I guess today the roads were not only full of idiots, but Samaritans too! 

I also got to play with my six year old cousin in the snow later on, so I did enjoy the weather a little today.  I think I’m gonna go make some hot caramel…..

Something interesting happened tonight - I went up to Akron U to see a friend of mine (and give him a book that he needed).  He is a foreign exchange student and presented me with a souvenir from his country, which was pretty cool!

We talked a while, and it turns out that he is going to Riverdance on April 1st, and he invited me to go to!  WOO-HOO!  Its been a while since I’ve done something like this, so I’m looking forward to it. 

Kick them legs, Irish dancers!

One other interesting thing, when I was going up to meet him I ran into somebody’s mother……  ;)  Speaking of Irish……