NanoUpdate

This is my graph now! As you can see there was some holes. I am a bad person ;] Just kidding. 

The first hole was because of Harry Potter 7, so totally worth it. The last two holes was my laziness. I did get lazy, but as you can see, I caught up!

Now, I am back on my way to the top of NanoWrimo!

I hope all of you my friends, my dear writers, are also on the path to win!

Now, I must make Lexi snap at someone else. She is whining again :P

Cooking a chicken pot pie

Today is Sunday. In my head, Sunday is cooking day. I usually wake up, spend sometime in front of the TV, hunting down some recipes. Once I have set my mind on something delicious, I go to the store and spend at least an hour picking out the best and cheapest ingredients.
Today was Chicken Pot Pie day. My room mate is sick, and it is grey outside, evoking a sense of darkness. It was time to eat some "comfort food". Chicken Pot Pies are nutritional if done right, and they are warm enough to keep us happy for a couple of hours.

So off I went to make 4 chicken pot pies with my small college budget.
I went to buy the ingredients, and in total, it comes down to 15$. For 4 chicken pot pies. I was worried I didn't have enough ingredients, but I had the perfect amount, expect for the chicken. Good thing we have a vegetarian in the house.

So here is how I made them.

1 cup [200 grams] of small onions (cut)
1 cup [200 grams] of carrots (diced)
1 cup [200 grams] of celery (diced)
1 cup [200 grams] of potatoes (diced)
1 cup [200 grams] of peas
4 slices of chicken (diced)
1 can of chicken broth
Salt and Pepper
1 cup [200 grams] of heavy cream
1 cup [200 grams] of milk
1 Tbsp [13 grams] of butter
2 Tbsp [13 grams] of flour
4 Pre-made crust in a bowl

Preparation:
First I cut all of the vegetables, and chicken. I opened the cans and checked that I had enough pans. (It requires two pans or one).

Cooking:
Saute the vegetables. (Which means to add the vegetables to oil and a pan. The oil must be hot.)
Add the chicken. Once the chicken is white, or brownish (to your preference, add the butter. Mix well. After the butter is melted, add the flour. Season with salt and pepper (as much as you want) It should look a little bready. After the flour is mixed in (you shouldn't see the flour anymore), you want to add the broth. The whole can will be fine. Let it simmer until it is a bit thicker. Then when the liquid is reduced of half of the amount that it was, you just need to add the milk and the heavy cream. Then let it simmer for a little bit, and when it looks a little thicker take the pan off the fire.
Preheat the oven for 400F [200C].
Once it is pre-heated, you can put the mix you just prepared in your bowls and put the crust on top, or not. Your choice on that one. Then put it in the bowls for 10 mns in the oven.

Enjoy!

Deathly Hallows. A review.

So, I went to the midnight premiere of Harry Potter 7 and the Deathly Hallow - Part 1.

Yes, I stayed up all night so the inner-nerd in my could be satisfies.

And. It. Was.

The movie followed the book closely, which was very very exciting. It didn't feel rushed in anyway, like the 6th movie. We had time to analyze the scene and feel for the characters as each scene took place. The timing for each scene could not have been better.

If you haven't read the book, no worries, everything is explained pretty well in the movies. So you can follow along, and discover Harry's adventure in a logical sense. There is no secrets that isn't revealed to you, and for that matter, everything is pretty much spelled out to you.

My favorite scene was when Hermione was telling the story. I love animated movies, so that was animated, and my fav'. Just the whole story is so crucial to the book, that if not told well, we could have been left scratching our head. There was no head scratch.

My least favorite scene was when Bertha transformed into a snake. It was truly, the scariest part of the movie. I didn't expect it to be THIS scary, and I never wanted to see that part again.

Now for grades:

Characters:

-Acting: A+ (Ron is the best actor in the world.)

-Wardrobe: A+++ (Hermione's outfit are ADORABLE. New personal hero of mine)

- Haircuts: A- (I hate Harry's hair, and at times Ron's)

- Secondary characters: B+ (We really don't see much of them. It is too focused on Hermione, Harry and Ron. The only reason I gave it a "+" was because my favorite characters are still hot.)

- Deaths: B+ (TOO MUCH CRYING)

Setting:

- Landscape: A (Beautiful landscapes and sunsets at all times. Dreaminnngg)

- Luna's house: A- (A little too organized for my choosing. They aren't crazy enough with that)

- The wedding: B- (We didn't see enough. I was sad)

- The ministry: B+ (That was pretty well done. I enjoyed it.)

- The tent: A (Gotta mention the tent seeing as it is in there ALL THE TIME. Plain and boring, but oh well)

Magic stuff:

- Hermione's bag: A+ (I WANT IT. It just never ends.)

- The wands: A (Love the symbolism. Go see it and you will know what scene I'm taking about. *wink wink*Lucius and Voldemort *wink wink*)

- Hermione's spells: A (she is pretty much the only one using cool spells this movie. Ron even says "You're the best at spells." So, they are pretty interesting)

- The snitch: B- (Didn't have a giant part in it, maybe it will come around in the next book.)

- Ron's lighter: B (Not even going to attempt to write that. The effect were pretty cool and it was actually interesting to watch him use it.)

- The horcrux: A+ (Totally loved it!)

Plot:

- For reals? A++

Therefore, all together I give it an A+ and a "see again!"

Link to my self-esteem

All I am really going to do today is give you this link : CLICK HERE

You can click on it, read it, and love it as much as I do ;]

Here is a little preview from that amazing article.

"French girls may not have the quirky eccentricity of British girls, but they all share one thing: an unshakeable confidence in the power of their femininity, as nature intended it"

Society's new addition?

I was taking a shower (Yeah I do that sometimes) and I realized that money was a new addiction.
I realized that while I was counting the amount of Dollares in my bank account to this day.

Money is something on my mind at all times, because it is all around us. It something we will call an invisible addiction, because it is accepted in society.

When a woman cannot stop thinking about her body image, we call her anorexic or bulimic.
When a man cannot stop smoking, we call them a heavy smoker.
When a person cannot stop working, they are a workaholic.

But what about a person who cannot stop worrying about money?
Well, that's called normal. In the society I live in, money is everything. The reason for living is money in some people's lives. How many times do I hear people saying that they cannot die, because it would mean leaving a family without an income.

I know lately I have been worried about my own bank account, and I was thinking in what way can I bring more money in my little virtual piggy bank. It is that worry that feeds our addiction with money.
I pick up jobs that I hate in order to make some extra cash. I am stuck at a job that I do not enjoy so I can pay for rent and food bills. Before I swip my bank card, I calculate how much I have left in my account, and what it means for the week.

I wonder, if I was in someone's hand at the market, how often they think of money. It is an obsession that has been accept through society, because society is based on the dollar bill. Yet, it worries people just as much as their body weight, or word count.
That is why, I am going to try to limit my time spend thinking about my finances. Limit my time online looking at my bank account, and planning and replanning how much I can spend a week. I am well aware that I have enough for my trip to China, and that I have parents who will help me if I am in a financial hole.

So why worry so much?
Why would society pollute my mind with something like that?

Because society tells me that grown-ups worry about money. And I am a grown-up now, so I must worry.
Screw that. Society, I am a rebel. You ain't getting me.

Failnance

Remember that post a couple of days ago?

Okay, it was yesterday.

Remember it?

It is right under that post. Well, I was obviously not cut out for it, as I have already failed myself. Yes. I did go and spend money on frivolous things, such as food.

What's with me and spending millions on food? I have no idea, but everyday I must have lunch somewhere, and it must be good.

Now, I am determined to kick that bad habit... but maybe sometime after NaNoWriMo.

A happy Ally is a happy writer.

PS: I am going to have a long a philosophical post coming up. About Money. :P In honor to my failure.

This has been the reason of my failure. Let's boycott it together.

Just kidding. I need my salad daily. They must have put some drug in it.

I don't care, it is delicious. GO OVER PRICED SALAD!

Finances

Some of you are going to be "Told you sooo", while some will weep with me.

My bank account is drastically going down, and I know exactly why. I have too much money.

I know I know, call me crazy, but as soon as my bank account as tons of money, i need to spend it all, and in the most ridiculous, pointless way possible.

Yes. I am official insane and that's why I am doing an even more insane thing today. I am taking a vow. A vow of not spending any money (Other than gas for my car) for the rest of the two weeks (until I get my pay check in my bank account).

I saw this on another blog, and always wanted to try it, but never really had the guts. I think this is the perfect opportunity as I am trying to save my money for the next month to come (and China spendings?) Therefore, we will see how much money I can save by not spending money this next two weeks.

PS: NanoWrimo is still going strong!

Praxis Update

I thought I should let you know of how smart your blogger is.

So before you read more, you can realize that I might have been dropped on the head as a child. I registered for the Praxis awhile ago, and today was the exam. I showed up at the testing center, and found at that I signed up for the wrong test.

Therefore, I still have to take the Praxis at a certain point in life.

4th anniversary

I know we fight. I know we scream at each other. I know we roll our eyes.

But in the end, we do love each other in a silly strange way. And therefore, on Thursday, Kevin and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary together.

It was amazing. We went to Moshulu restaurant. A boat restaurant on Penn's landing.

The food was delicious, but expensive. But no matter the amount of money, everything was just way too delicious. The atmosphere was romantic, and our conversation was so upbeat.

I ordered the wild mushroom Mahi mahi.

And Kevin ordered the Scallops.

We had a side of Mac N Cheese (the child in me will never die) and by far, it was the best dish.

And for dessert, we got the cheesecake, which was also way too good to be true.

Now that I made your mouth water, I can tell you that it was not on my NanoDiet. That's for sure. But screw the NanoDiet. I have been feeling better. I am no longer coughing up a storm and feeling sluggish, so it has already worked it's magic!

Now, today, I am off during the morning. I need to take the Praxis! :D (A test for future teachers. If I don't pass it, I won't be able to be a teacher :[ So, I better get cracking!)

NaNoEasy

I clearly remember last year, NaNoWriMo was impossible to finish. After the first week, I had given up already. My old novel "My New Prison" had about 10,000 words in it, but I do not think that I wrote all those words daily, but at moments.

Now that I passed the first week, and soon it will be the half way mark, I feel like I can finish this. I can totally win NaNoWrimo. I just have to keep on track, and I will be done within days. It is amazing how fast time goes, or how easy projects are if you take it one day at a time, in baby steps.

I am pleased with everyone who is doing NaNoWriMo and is doing amazing. And even people who are having difficulties. I was there, last year. I was there, two years ago. I trust in all of you who started your novel to finish it, if not this month, then next month or next year.

For now, LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL GRAPH!

Obsseessiooon

Yes. You heard right. I might have a little itty bitty obsession with a song right now...

And by right now, I mean for a month.

I have been listening to this :

Since I discovered it. Lyrics wise, I have no idea what it says, but the video is so funny, and the song is so danceable that I am forced to listen to it while I do homework or do anything really. It is my new go-to song.

It puts me in a good mood, and believe it or not, makes me do my homework faster. Let's see if it does wonder with my word count?

Book Cover

So, I was messing around on Photoshop (and I have been sucking at photoshop so far. But! Practice makes perfect!!) and I came up with a cute first draft book cover forPerfect Little Me.

I stole the model from online, so I have no idea who she is, but she has nice hair, so she will be my model now! (I am so evil)

Anyway, here is the book cover for PLM!

NaNo companions?

I am still on track with NaNo and if anyone wants to friend me on NaNoWrimo --> ally-chan.

Don't hesitate to look me up, I love new writing buddies :P
Plus, it is great to see other people doing great also! :D and I love to read what other people think of, sooo... please please, friend me ;]

NaNoWriMo

I am still doing impressively well. I have been following the graph that NaNoWriMo provided us.

Little Lexi's story is unraveling beautifully, and even though I have 16 pages, I still haven't introduce the problem which needs to happen soon.

I guess we will see if tomorrow is a better day for all < 3

Good night, and sweet dream

I say I can't get distracted...

Yet, it seems like life is crumbling around me.

This post is about my boyfriend. Kevin. Some of you might have seen his picture in some of my previous entry.

He is a handsome man, with a heart of gold... for anyone else but me.

We have been dating for almost 4 years (Nov 10th 2006). Lately, I have been depressed (wait. What?).

I am hid it to everyone, but him. I am still hiding it from everyone. No one looks past my excuses for not hanging out with them, no one questions my seclusion or my strange eating habits. Kevin didn't even really notice until I had to spell it out for him.

Still after then, nothing changed. I told him I just needed to feel love. I need to know that my life has a point, and that I am not just another carbon body wasting energy and ruining others' lives.

I really expect Kevin to stop up from being a regular boyfriend, to an amazing boyfriend. Like in those dramas where the boy does everything in his power to make sure that the girl smiles again. Instead, I got the opposite. He turned on himself, and looked on how much I hurt him, how much I ditched him, and how much I had done to him.

Instead of feeling loved and worth a damn, I sank deeper in my feeling of loneliness, and of failure. I have been trying to hide it for 2 months, and still no one has noticed. Still Kevin has done very little. The one date we have gone on was alright. I felt like I saw the little light at the end of the tunnel, that everything was going to be okay. My tears were going to stop, but instead, we went back to his bare naked room, and I ended up crying in silence again.

His room has nothing of me. No one would know I existed if they walked in his room. It hurt so bad to know that he can put everything I gave him into a drawer and never bother to look at it. I couldn't help but cry in silence. Kevin took notice, and now is using it against me.

In five days it is our 4th anniversary, and I am not as excited as a 20 year old should be. To anyone in the world, it means happiness, love and cherished memories, while for me, it will mean more fighting and sinking deeper and deeper in the depression.

I am hoping NaNowrimo is keeping me afloat. I am hoping it will save me, because so far no one has wanted to jump in the water to pull me out. Not even the man who supposedly loves me more than anything in the world.

NaNoDiet

I am doing fine with NaNoWriMo. Getting my words in. Enjoying my time. Not going out anymore.

The usual!

My only problem now is my diet. I haven't been paying attention, and I have been eating quite unhealthy. An Angus Burger there, a slice of pizza there, some frozen microwavable dinner there. Not a good idea, my body doesn't enjoy that.

I am thinking of going back on the 300,400,500 calories diet.

Breakfast: 300

Snack: 100

Lunch: 400

Snack: 100

Dinner: 500

Total: 1400 Calories.

I always ate healthier when I watch my calories.

We will see, I can't get distracted from NaNoWriMo because of some stupid diet.

NaNoWriMo ! 1st Day.

So far, so good!

I reached my first word goal (1684) and I am going to have to surpass today's word goal (1667) in order to feel complete satisfied with myself!

Diet Update:
I ate an Angus Burger from McDonalds yesterday. Grrr on being healthy! But I hate my tomatoes for dinner :P So, I was only half bad!

My prologue for Little Perfect Me: (for those who want to read it)

I packed my bag with my colorful notebooks and my multiple textbooks. Today was a Thursday, a day filled with college courses and my boring job. I shoved my uniform, consisting of a navy blue shirt, red scarf and Marriot pin into the bag, trying my best to get everything to fit properly. I looked at my clock, as it flashed 11:00 AM. I was going to be late to my first class.

I looked at myself in the mirror, quickly passing my hand over my hair, hoping to flatten it out a little bit and ran out of my dorms room. My roommate muttered a “good bye” while I slammed the door as a response. The elevator shut as I arrived in the lounge, and I ran for the stairs. It felt as if I was going to skip a step and crack my skull open on the next step, but, miraculously, I made it to the bottom of the staircase without injury. I waved at the building clerk and ran to my car.

I had 15 minutes to get to class and I would make it. I dug my keys into the side of my car and turned it. I heard the engine roar and put my car in reverse. I looked behind me, an accident was the last thing I needed and sped through the parking lot. Once out, I drove on the back rounds leading to my classroom. I waited at every stop sign and every light, while looking at my clock anxiously.

It was now 11:10 AM. I had five minutes to find a parking spot in the already too crowded parking lot and run to class. As I skimmed through rows of cars I quickly noticed a tiny empty space. I would have to squeeze Meem, my bright red Honda, but it will have to do now. Once parked, I realize how difficult it was to get myself out of my own car. I pulled on my backpack’s strap angrily. I didn’t have time for this kind of problems. Finally Meem let go of my backpack and I was able to shuffle my way out of between the two cars. I locked her and ran to my classroom.

The cold air burnt my lungs, as I along the numerous cars. Good thing I was a softball player, otherwise I would have probably given up on running and accepted my fate as being a tardy student. I wasn’t a tardy student, never have been, and never will be. Not on my watch, not in my book. I wasn’t about to start today, just because a little bit of cold air was hurting my lungs. I am not a quitter.

I hope you enjoyed it, because that's all you're getting :P!!
- I know, I am cruel -

More trips? Really?

Yes. Yes. More trips!

This winter for 3 weeks I will be going to China... AGAIN! I am the most excited!

This time I will be in Guangxi province. In Guizhou University, I will be studying Mandarin, and I will also be studying the culture of China.

Guizhou is a lot more rural. It is in the south of China (think Texas in the USA, Guangxi province is in the same location, but in China), so it isn't as populated as Shanghai or Beijing (there is still a LOT of people. No worries).

I am really not sure what to expect, but here is two photos I pulled from the internet.

Kevin will not be joining me on my trip this time. He has to study for his MCATS and what not. So, I know he is raging about that. He really doesn't want me to go, but he understands that if I don't go I will be even more upset at him. I am hoping he will accept to have more Skype dates from now on :]

Hopefully, I will have a proxy, so I can still update you about my trip this time! If not, I will have Kevin upload it for me. Hopefully!!

Anyway, I feel like the luckiest person in the world about this trip!

NaNoWriMo

So, it is that time of the year again! National Novel Writing Month. I am partaking in this crazy world of writing 1667 words a day!

I asked you all to vote on the novel I will be writing, and you all chose... Perfect Little Me!

So that is it. Perfect Little Me won. I already have the timeline mapped out for it, and my main character is ready to be thrown into action. Right, Lexi?

(Lexi says yes.)

Expect a lot of crazy this year. Seeing as I am back to being obsessed with Asian Dramas (Boys over Flowers :] )>

- She doesn't like the fact that she is going to be very stressed out over the next couple days. -

No. I am not insane. I promise :D