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I’ve Gone Pro…

Oh no, I didn’t…

…or did I?

I did!

My graduation from Villanova is on Sunday and I do not care. Jamie from “Mythbusters” is the commencement speaker and I do not care (although Todd is disappointed that I don’t want to go). I received my diploma in the mail last December…that was the only thing I cared about. You see, I celebrate in things in other ways. When I got my B.A., I bought a new car. I am rewarding myself for finishing my M.A. by upgrading to a MacBook Pro. It’s been on my mind for a while, but I broke down over the weekend and did it. The same guy that sold me my first Mac also sold me this one…I am loyal. He is a nice guy too…likes me because I just go in and point to what I want and he has a nice little commission with no effort. Still, I only bought the 13 inch model, as I have a nice leather Kenneth Cole bag that it will fit in perfectly. I am happy now.

Simply Devino

It’s Tuesday, so I had a “me day.” I took dogger to the vet this morning for her 6 month blood test. She is on Deramaxx everyday for her pain due to hip displaysia and has been doing wonderfully with it. I hardly know she has displaysia. However, she is tested 2 times a year to make sure that she is tolerating the meds well. Hopefully, she can stay on it. That was the only really “un-mellow” part of my day…the rest of the day I just sat and watched tv. It was nice. I watch too much tv.

The question remains: What did I cook today? Well, there is a story here…sort of. Todd and I love this little restaurant called Revivals. It’s a great little place where the owner cooks the food and roams around chatting with customers. The staff knows us and they know that Todd wants a Black and Tan (Bass and Murphy’s) and I want a Stoli and Cranberry. Todd almost always gets the fajitas and I usually get the Pasta Devino. I was craving the Pasta Devino tonight, but Todd is at a dinner meeting in Philly and I am stuck dining alone. I felt up to the challenge of recreating my favorite dish:

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Three cheese tri-color tortellini (because I like lots of color…especially in my pasta)

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This is the experimental part. Sauteed chicken breast in olive oil (I only ever sautee in olive oil…I hate all other oils), then I added 2 cans of artichoke hearts, some roasted peppers (from a jar…I wasn’t THAT ambitious!), and chopped fresh parsley and about 6 garlic cloves. Oh did I mention the butter? Yep, one whole stick (next time I may use 1/2 – 3/4 of a stick). I added a bit more olive oil and a splash of white wine.  When everything was fully cooked, I threw it all in a giant mixing bowl.

Here’s my dinner:

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Success!! On my first try, I have successfully recreated my favorite dish. So I skipped the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, I didn’t miss them. Perhaps now I can branch out and try something else at Revivals.

Oh Snap(per)!

In honor of David Hasselhoff’s return to “The Young and the Restless” (my not-so-guilty pleasure), I give you this:

Don’t say I never gave you anything!

Ode to my Coffee Table

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I could be posting a love poem to my iPad, but I’m not. Not today. Count yourself lucky, as I can’t write poetry to save my life. Not that I ever tried…I really don’t like poetry. I remember sitting in one of my numerous history classes as an undergrad ranting about poetry. “Why don’t they just say what they mean!?!?” I am far too factual for my own good. I had a professor in grad school who told me that I had “the gift of clarity and succinctness”…I took that as a compliment, since most grad students are the complete opposite. It’s what irked me about grad school.

(Note: the above paragraph was not meant to demonstrate said “clarity and succinctness”)

Instead, I will wax poetic about my coffee table. Why? Because I love that stupid coffee table. It doesn’t have a shelf to store things, no drawers to clutter up. The clutter stays on top which means it gets cleaned off more often. My kitty Julie (sweet little Julie…I so miss her) used to take it upon herself and clean it off all the time…knocking books and papers off almost every evening. Much to Zoey’s dismay, the books and papers would fall on her as she slept next to the table. Speaking of Zoey, see the scratches on the table top? They are her doing. When she was a puppy, she would run through the living room, up and over the table, then back out of the room. It was quite funny to watch, as she did this a few times a day. By the time she outgrew this phase, the coffee table was worse for wear. I’ve thought about refinishing it, but those scratches have memories attached to them. They remind me of what a naughty puppy she was and what a good dog she grew up to be. She can’t jump on the table anymore since she has hip displaysia, but she tries when the kitty is having her evening treats there.

I think I paid $50 for this thing about 12 years ago at Sears Home Life. I never had a coffee table of my own before this and I found it on clearance and made Todd bring it home in his truck (It was fully assembled). I don’t like the little carving on the front facade and the whole thing almost bit the dust a couple of months ago when I thought all the legs were falling off. Todd fixed it and I called off the trip to Ikea for a new one (Trip? Haha…it’s only in Conshohocken!). Turns out the legs came loose because we sit on the coffee table sometimes. Yeah, that’s how I go…you can sit on my coffee table, put your feet on it, spill your Stoli and Cranberry on it…whatever. I think I stood on it once, but I don’t remember why.

That’s my coffee table…it will survive the apocalypse.

Is it coincidence that Apple is releasing the Jesus Tablet the day before Easter?

My iPad is set to arrive next Saturday and needless to say, I am very excited. I’ve been waiting for this since I “watched” the live unveiling by Steve Jobs at the January 27th Special Event (I say “watched” because it was not streamed live, but instead unveiled through live blogging via sites such as Engadget). However, you can watch it online now. It’s a long video, but still…  Anyway, so I am psyched because this thing is even more than I expected. But what I think I am most excited about is the e-reader app that it will run. This week, it was announced that a featured item in it’s iBookstore is the public domain books on Project Gutenberg. This is where you can read all the classics that are no longer bound by copyright. Apple had enough foresight to snap them up and offer them for free before the greedy masses try to charge to download them to the iPad. Awesome, no?

Rest assured, I will be blogging about this and posting many pictures…perhaps (likely) from the iPad itself. Aren’t you excited? In the meantime, here’s a funny video that Doritos has mocking Apple’s Special Event unveiling of the Jesus Tablet.

Zen Tuesday

My Lord, I have not blogged in forever! This was pointed out to me by my aunt a while back and well, Auntie (or as they say “ontee” in her neck of the woods), I am back to blogging…at least for now.

Grad school = DONE! It’s a good thing. I thought I’d be all sad and nostalgic, but really I am not. I don’t miss all the work, all the stress, and all the other annoying grad students who like to hear themselves talk. But the question remains: what do I do now that I have this?

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Well kids, I guess I will share my wisdom with a fresh batch of undergrads next semester. I was asked to teach Western Civ (through 1500 CE) at my alma mater DeSales University. It really is a complement to be asked to come back to where it all started and I am more than a little excited. I am also more than a little nervous. But nothing good comes from sitting still and not challenging oneself, right? I’m set to teach two classes, as long as there is enough students enrolled. Registration is next month, so keep your finger crossed for me.

In the meantime, I wrote three pieces to be published at some point this year. Two are book reviews for the Historical Journal of Massachusetts and the third is a piece for “Landmarks in Feminist Writings.” My piece is on Isabella Tod, an Irish woman who fought for Irish women’s right to higher education. So far, I have not heard that any of these pieces are scrapped, so I guess no news is good news. I’ll keep you posted.

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of being a judge in the Bucks-Mont regional competition for National History Day. I judged middle school kids’ (grades 6-8) exhibits and let me tell you, these kids are amazing. The theme was “Innovations in History” and the kids were pretty creative. Whether it was the pointe shoe, the toilet, the Beatles, or even Julia Child, these kids did some great work. Too bad that only 3 of the 80-some entries in this category could go to states. Honestly, I can’t wait until next year’s competition!

Other than that, I’ve been working a job at a bank and I hate it very much. Very, very much. I finished my master’s degree and am working a job I had before I earned my BA. I have a severe chip on my shoulder about this and am working hard to make peace with it and find something good about it. So far…Nothing. In the meantime, I am off on Tuesdays and they have become what I call my “Zen Tuesdays.” I do exactly what I feel like doing, and nothing else. If I want to go shopping, I do. If I want to wash the kitchen floor, I do. More often than not, I find myself in the kitchen cooking. I love to cook and while I was in college, I never had the time to do any hardcore cooking. It was frozen food, canned food, and take-out. Now I am having a blast learning new recipes and becoming downright experimental in that kitchen of mine. Today, I attempted homemade spaghetti sauce for the very first time. Until now, I thought switching from Ragu to Bertolli was pushing the envelope. Not this time! Here’s what’s simmering on my stove as we speak:

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Those are my homemade meatballs swimming in there. I tasted half of one and it was good. I think it was cooked all the way, I have no idea. Still, it was impressive for my first go…and I’m not even a little bit Italian!

The Waiting is the Hardest Part…

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Tomorrow at 1:00 PM EST, the Truth will be revealed…

Grad School is Over!

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No Vodka for Ewoks?

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So Jon Gosselin broke up with his 22-year-old girlfriend. No wonder he raised hell when he visited the “Today” show a few days ago. WATCH IT HERE

El Día de los Muertos

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Mayan Ball Court - Xcaret, Mexico

Happy Halloween

I realize that I obsess about grad school…the evidence is right here in my blog. Truth is, it takes up a better part of my life, and rightly so if I intend on making it worth my while. So, here is yet another grad school-themed post.

Yesterday, I visited my mailbox in the History Department (I do this every now and then, but not often) and found a nice little envelope with my name on it. I knew it was going to be there, so I made the special trip up to the 4th floor of the St. Augustine Center (haha…yeah right…you know I use the elevator). Inside the envelope was this:

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Yep, my application for the comprehensive exam was processed and my fate is in the hands of these three professors. Honestly, I requested them and am very lucky to have that request honored. So, this is what I’ll be busy preparing for during the next three weeks. Keep your fingers crossed and I will see you in November (who is up for a party on Nov. 10th?).

Food for thought…

This is how the Allies won the war (I know these things, I’m a historian!):

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Courtesy of “The Chive“…via Dave

The End of the Line…

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Two years ago, I posted my thoughts as I was about to embark on my first semester as a grad student at Villanova. I expressed my trepidation as I entered a new school where I knew no one, only to find a group of (mostly) friendly, intelligent, and competitive students. The workload has been heavy, but quite rewarding. Tomorrow, I will be submitting the paperwork for my comprehensive exam and graduation. I am hoping that the comps board I requested is honored and I am hoping that I pass this stupid exam. My God, I haven’t taken an exam since my GRE! Graduate school has been good for me…I’ve certainly grown as a person. Here are some of the things I have learned in my 2 years in the program:
  • I am not the BEST writer, nor do I have the highest grades in the program (unlike when I was an undergrad), but I am average. I am on par most of the others…better than some, not quite as good as others.
  • It’s ok that I am not the best. I can live with that. But I am good!
  • When I set my mind to it, I can knock out a decent paper, while researching a second and keep up with the assigned readings all in one weekend. It’s all about discipline…and locking yourself away from the rest of the world for a few days.
  • Coffee is still my best friend and Starbucks is my enabler.
  • Diet Coke is NOT a substitute for coffee when the coffee shop in the library is closed. I must learn to pay attention to their hours of operation and plan ahead.
  • It pays to keep your undergrad contacts…they can get you a job when you graduate (or so they tell me…we’ll see)
  • Not all established historians can write well and not everything they write is worth reading. They are not gods and it’s ok to rip them apart on a regular basis.
  • Criticisms of my writing are not criticisms of me as a person. The way I react to the criticism is a reflection of my character, however. Listen to what people are telling you, weed out the bad advice and incorporate the good.
  • Your critics don’t know everything either.
  • You don’t have to know everything. But if you try, you can make people think you do. My advisor taught me that one.
  • Make sure you love what you are doing. It’s what will keep you going when you’re in the thick of the semester.

While I feel that I have grown academically, I think I have grown just as much (if not more) as a person. I’ve met a lot of nice people at Villanova, but no one that will become a lifelong friend. It’s just not that kind of atmosphere, but that’s not what I was there for. I was there for the excellent grad program and the stellar professors. I will have fond memories of Villanova, but I am ready for the next phase of my life.

My Memory of Ted Kennedy

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I never imagined the Senate without Ted Kennedy. Until about 15 months ago, I never even imagined him to be a mortal man. The Lion of the Senate, he was politically present for so much of our late 20th century history. I happily included a quote from him in my paper on the Sino-American rapprochement, as he urged the American government to take a softer approach to our Communist rival. A bit out of context, but it went like this:


In March 1969, Senator Edward Kennedy went as far as calling for “recognition, admission to the United Nations, opening of consular offices, withdrawal of US military forces from Taiwan, the elimination of restrictions on travel and trade, and attempts to involve China in arms control talks.


Kennedy’s statement embodied the evolving opinion toward the People’s Republic of China, one that Nixon latched on to and won himself two elections. So as not to bore you further, I will stop with the history lesson. Suffice to say, I loved Ted and will miss him greatly.

But my favorite memory of Ted is a personal one. I had the honor of meeting him when I was about 12 and living outside of Boston. My father, as most of you know, loved airplanes. That’s probably the understatement of the year. We would often drive into Boston and park at the top of a parking garage at Logan airport and sit for a couple of hours watching the planes land and take off, as he tried to teach me how to tell the difference between the models of jets. My dad also liked to take Sunday drives. We’d get in the car and just drive, not knowing where we’d end up. One day as we were out on a drive, we stopped at Plum Island airport to see if anything was going on. A small airport with only 2 runways, there was not much to look at. Then suddenly this helicopter approached. As it landed, I remember how I thought it was really cool looking…purple and black, not very large. A couple of important looking people got out, I had no idea who they were.  My father commented that one of the men was Ted Kennedy. I knew the name, but I was 12…I hardly knew what a senator was. So here we are, a guy and his kid hanging out at an airport minding our own business. Ted stopped and walked toward us. He looked right at me and said (I can still hear his voice), “Come here and shake hands with your senator.” I did…I reached over the fence and shook his hand. Not comprehending who he really was…again, I was 12…I smiled and said hi. He greeted my dad and left us be. So many years later, this is my personal memory of Ted Kennedy: a kid growing up in Massachusetts, out for a Sunday drive…he could have just walked past us and not bothered to stop. But he went out of his way to walk over and say hello to a kid and her dad. It’s not much, but it’s personal. Now, the historian in me recalls this memory every time his name comes up. It brings a smile to my face. But today, it brings tears to my eyes.

A latte by another name…

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That’s us, at a Starbucks in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Hey fellow Starbucks-aholics, would you go to a stealth Starbucks? Apparently, Starbucks is trying to compete on the local level by opening stores with more localized names.  The argument is, and it is a valid one, that many people prefer small, local, non-chain coffee shops rather than the behemoth Starbucks.  So now you have the giant, evil chain store coming in under a new name, attempting to fool you into thinking it’s also a small shop.  It kinda reminds me of the Pepsi challenge…will you like it better if you don’t know it’s Starbucks?

Personally, I stay away from small, independent coffee shops if I can for one simple reason: consistency. I am picky about my coffee and I love what Starbucks serves. I found something that works and if I didn’t know a shop was a “Starbucks in disguise”, I doubt I’d go into it out of fear of paying money for sub-par coffee. You can walk into any Starbucks and order your usual drink…it will taste the same every time. My mocha frappuccino in Mexico tasted exactly like the one I got in North Carolina, which tasted exactly like the one I get at my local Starbucks. I like predictability, not a crap-shoot. That’s just my take. Comments?