the evolution of Leni

A Bubble Preview

I will post all the photos of the bubble fun next week. In the meantime, I can cross off #26 from the list!

Grocery list.

No. 12 from my 27 before 27 can now be crossed off the list. Off to the grocery store now ...

Crunch Time.

Lately, I have been studying for my CSET exam, so my free time is pretty limited. It's definitely crunch time, both in terms of my exam and my list. Today is May 4th. That means that I have 5 days left to do what I can to complete my 27 before 27 list. I already know that there will items that will not be crossed off. But considering all that I have been through this year, with losing my job and having to find a new one that is not exactly what I was hoping for, I have been able to cross out more things than I had originally expected. It's funny how some of the items left to complete on my list are fairly easy items to complete, but for some reason have remained undone. 

If I can get at least one or two of those items crossed off the list by the 9th, I will be content.

Photo taken by my mother.

Run within yourself.

The quote "run within yourself" is very personal. When you are running with/against other people, it is difficult to not compare yourself to the runners next to you. Instead of listening to your own body, you follow someone else's pace. It is easy to lose focus and become disheartened with yourself (especially if you fall behind). This quote, however, does not just refer to running. It's about living life in general. Not to get caught up with what other people are doing, but to go at everything in life at my own pace. To not follow the crowd and do what is popular, but to be true to myself.

I ordered this ring from Etsy and had it engraved "run within yourself". I chose to engrave the outside of the ring rather than the inside. If I could afford it, I would have gone with a custom engraved Jeanine Payer ring, but it is out of my budget. I am now able to cross of #1 and #27 off my 27 before 27 list. I better get working on the ones that are left; I have less than 3 weeks to finish my list!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Surprise!

I didn't want to ruin the surprise so I had to keep quiet last week when I mentioned M's birthday. I invited a few of M's closest friends to The Brass Monkey [M's favorite karaoke bar] for a little surprise party. 

M makes this face every time I kiss his cheek -- it's as if it's his first kiss ever. I think it's cute.

And believe it or not, I actually sang a song (with some help, of course!)

I managed to convince M that if I sang, he had to as well.

I must say that I honestly did not think that I would be able to cross off #21 from my 27 before 27 list. And it probably would not have happened if M's friend hadn't signed me up to sing a song! [Thank god the DJ let me change it to a song I actually knew the lyrics to!] But nevertheless, I did it and I'm closer to completing my list.

On a separate note, I have finally caught up with all my daily blog reads. I'm not sure how long it will last, but it's nice to know that there is not 1000+ posts waiting for me.

Self-Taught Art History Lesson

As you might recall, last month I went to the LACMA for an art fix. While I was there, I chose three paintings that moved me in one way or another and took down their names so that I could do research on the artists that painted them. [This was #11 from my 27 before 27 list.] I purposely chose two paintings that I liked and one that I wasn't so sure about. Here are the three pieces and artists that I chose:

Paul Klee

Georges Rouault


Robert Motherwell

I must admit that I like each of the paintings more now than I did when I originally saw them -- even the one I wasn't so sure about. [Which was the first painting by Klee, in case you were wondering.] After spending hours reading about these artists, I have more of an appreciation for them and their various works.

Happy Feet

I have had every intention of walking to work, but I did not want the weather, tardiness or laziness to change my mind. So, yesterday at orientation, I made the decision not to submit my parking information. That means that my license plate will not be registered, which means there is NO WAY I can drive to work. According to Map My Run [one of my favorite sites!], I live 1.5 miles from work and have decided that it would be better for me, my wallet and my car's engine to walk to work. Rain or shine, I must walk. 3 miles a day, 5 days a week. Hopefully this will be just the thing I need to finally help me cross off #2 from my 27 before 27 list!

Did I mention that it is supposed to rain today?

Image Source: Astragalus.

Made With Love.

My sisters and I made a cake yesterday. I have never baked a cake from scratch before, so I figured it would be in my best interest to enlist some help from my sisters so that I would not completely ruin it. 

We used this cake recipe and this chocolate ganache recipe. It was delicious. The cake is super moise and delicious. The frosting is just perfect. The ganache is very rich. I'm not a big chocolate fan, so next time I will try something different for the center filling.

One thing I learned and will remember for the next time:

The cake must be fully cooled before being frosted, otherwise the frosting will slowly melt.

In case you don't remember, baking a cake from scratch was #24 on my 27 before 27 list . Now I'm one step closer to completing it.

Thanks Lex and Timmy for helping me make this cake and cross it off my list!

One Foot In Front Of The Other

I have been doing by best to cross off items from my 27 before 27 list. You can follow my progress here.

I am determined to cross off "2. Lose that last bit of poundage" from the list once and for all! (It was one of the items that I never accomplished on my 26 before 26 list.) I bought a one year subscription for my BodyBugg to help me keep track of my daily food consumption and daily calorie expenditure. Hopefully it's just want I need to lose that last bit of weight.

Keep in mind that this list was made before I lost my job and moved out of my apartment. Because of my current situation, some numbers will be more difficult to achieve, like:

5. Save money for ROTH IRA.

15. Make my apartment into an "art gallery" for a night and invite people over for the exhibit; provide wine and munchies.

 Despite the unexpected changes in my life, I am determined to complete the entire list.

The bright side of not having a job is that I have more time to complete some of the other items on the list:

6. Figure out the best career for myself. Find my passion.

18. Start selling my paintings.

My 27 before 27

This should have been posted a long time ago, but somehow I never did it. Well, wait no longer, here it is. The first few items are ones that were not completed last year on my 26 before 26 list.

My 27 Before 27 List:

1. Get a ring that is engraved with "Run within Yourself".
2. Lose that last bit of poundage.
3. Get up to date with my "special project".
4. Get a better time on running a 5k.
5. Save money for ROTH IRA.
6. Figure out the best career for myself. Find my passion. (I will post about this one later.)
7. Find my perfect/dream engagement ring.
8. Donate all old clothes that don't fit or shouldn't wear. (See also #23.)
9. Go through boxes of old stuff in my room and donate most of it.
10. Reread Pale Fire by Nabokov (and maybe find the treasure this time).
11. Expose myself to 3 new artists and journal about my interpretation of their art. (Ex: what moves me about their art, what I think about the artist, their work, etc.)
12. Instead of writing down my grocery list, illustrate it.
13. Draw the same object every day for a week.
14. Research Cuban culture.
15. Make my apartment into an "art gallery" for a night and invite people over for the "exhibit"; provide wine and munchies.
16. Send an anonymous gift.
17. Pay it forward. Do a random act of kindness for someone I don't know at least 3 times. [1, 2, 3] 
18. Start selling my paintings.
19. Journal using drawings instead of words.
20. Send more snail mail.
21. Actually get up and sing a song at the Brass Monkey. (This will most likely include consuming a few alcoholic drinks before singing.)
22. Learn calligraphy (that way I can personally address my own wedding invitations!)
23. Revamp my wardrobe by getting rid of old "college clothes" and buying more professional and "adult" outfits. (like the t.v.show "what not to wear").
24. Bake a cake from scratch.
25. Check out books from the local library instead of buying them.
26. Have fun with some balloons or bubbles (or both) and take pictures. Photos here and here.
27. Buy something for myself from Etsy.

 

Note: I will "cross off" the items as I complete them. The deadline to complete this list is May 9th, 2010 [my birthday] at midnight.