Cheese Cake

Thanks to Alec's mom, Catherine, I learned how to make a cheese cake for my sister's belated birthday yesterday.
Today, I'll be making coconut oat meal cookies.
Yes..I am having a cooking fest lately, and let me tell you, it has been great!
Quite a few chores to catch up with today. Home cleaning, laundry, arranging, organizing and work.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Cabbage Wabbage

Feng Shui

I've been considering to have a feng shui cure in my room soon. So I decided to google "feng shui" up and this is what I've learned.

Wiki:

Feng shui (traditional Chinese: 風水; simplified Chinese: 风水; pinyin: fēng shuǐ; pronounced /ˌfʌŋˈʃweɪ/ fung-shway or sometimes /ˌfʌŋˈʃwiː/ fung-shwee in English) is an ancient Chinese practice believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy) and earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive Qi. ^[1] The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu (traditional Chinese: 堪輿; simplified Chinese: 堪舆; pinyin: kānyú; literally: heaven and earth)^[2].

The words 'feng shui' literally translate as "wind-water"in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the following passage of the Zhangshu (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu of the Jin Dynasty:^[3]

Qi rides the wind and scatters, but is retained when encountering water. ^[3]

Many modern enthusiasts claim that feng shui is the practice of arranging objects (such as furniture) to help people achieve their goals. More traditionally, feng shui is important in choosing a place to live and finding a burial site, along with agricultural planning.

Proponents claim that feng shui has an effect on health, wealth and personal relationships. Critics consider it a pseudoscience, even sorcery.

To attract the best feng shui energy for your creative studio apply these basic feng shui tips:

• Have elements from nature (plants, natural light, rocks from the beach, etc.)
• Bring strong blocks of color and movement (art, music, small fountain, etc.)
• Display representation of your successful projects.
• Clearly organize all the tools you need.
• Create a clearly defined "no-rules" area. Make it as big or as small as your space allows and let it contain various items you deem necessary with no restrictions. The only rule, though, is to revise and clean this area at regular intervals that work for you - be it every week, every day or every month.

METAL - CLARITY AND PRECISENESS
Feng Shui Metal element brings the qualities of sharpness, precision, clarity and efficiency; its balanced presence will help you live with clarity and lightness.

WATER - EASE, FRESHNESS AND ABUNDANCE
A harmonious Feng Shui Water element will bring a refreshing energy of calm, ease, purity and freshness. Water is also the ancient symbol of abundance, thus a potent Feng Shui cure.

WOOD - HEALTH AND VITALITY
Lush and healing, the Feng Shui Wood element will bring the energy of health, vitality and growth. It is also an expression of abundance, thus an ancient Feng Shui cure for wealth and prosperity.

1. Let go of the TV, computer or exercise equipment in your bedroom. The good feng shui energy in your bedroom is destroyed when these items are present in your bedroom.
   
   Watch the feng shui bedroom tips free video (2 min)



2. Open the windows often or use a good quality air-purifier to keep the air fresh and full of oxygen . Be mindful of the quality of air in your bedroom. You cannot have good feng shui in your bedroom if the air you breathe in is stale and full of pollutants. Please note that plants in the bedroom are not good feng shui, unless your bedroom is fairly large and the plants are located far from the bed.



3. Have several levels of lighting in your bedroom, or use a dimmer switch to adjust the energy accordingly. Good, appropriate lighting is very important, as light is our # 1 nutrient and one of the strongest manifestation of energy. Candles are the best feng shui bedroom lighting, but be sure to buy candles with no toxins.



4. Use soothing colors to achieve a good feng shui balance in your bedroom. Feng Shui bedroom decor is a balanced decor that promotes the best flow of energy for restorative sleep, as well as sexual healing. Best feng shui colors for the bedroom are considered the so-called "skin colors", and we know the colors of human skin vary from pale white to rich chocolate brown. Choose colors within this range that will work best for your bedroom decor.
   
   Watch the feng shui color tips free video (2 min)



5. Choose the images for your bedroom wisely, as images carry powerful feng shui energy. Best feng shui advice for the bedroom art is to choose images that you want to see happening in your life. Unless you enjoy being sad and lonely, do not use sad and lonely images in your bedroom.



6. Follow the basic feng shui guidelines for your Bed, which are:
   • have your bed easily approachable from both sides,
   • have two bedside tables (one on each side)
   and
   • avoid having the bed in a direct line with the door.
   A "good looking" and well-balanced bed is very important in creating a perfect feng shui bedroom. Good mattress, solid headboard and high quality sheets from natural fibers are also very important in creating harmonious feng shui energy.



7. Keep all the bedroom doors closed at night, be it the closet doors, the en-suite bathroom door or the bedroom door. This will allow for the best and most nourishing flow of energy to strengthen your health, as well as the health of your relationship.

...Wow...this is more info than I expected. So much to think about...so much to arrange...so much to buy.

Maybe I should just continue living in my dorm space like a normal college student would.

Cabbage Wabbage

Philosophy

If you've never met a student from the University of Chicago, I'll describe him to you. If you give him a glass of water, he says, "This is a glass of water. But is it a glass of water? And if it is a glass of water, why is it a glass of water?" And eventually he dies of thirst. ~Shelley Berman

Is it worth questioning about everything?
Sometimes I do question beyond what's necessary and I get caught up in my questions.
Then I begin doubting about everything because I see how little I know and how little I've done.
I may also come to some dissatisfying conclusion in my session of questioning. I settle with my dissatisfaction...because I question the possibilities--I question the ideals.
It's more comfortable that way.
Successful and revolutionary men begin with imaginations.
They choose to do things that are yet possible, and they question the impossibilities--they question the reality. It's more uncomfortable and they love it that way.

Cabbage Wabbage

People to contact this week

• Future Roomies
• Kate for updates
  
• Future Interviewees
• Jim
• Jesse about Sunday
• Faculties to host orientation dinners
• Dan Jorgeson to edit my paper
• Luis to plan for BBQ
  

Cabbage Wabbage

Weekend Task List

• Return library books
• Check out Debussy's Petite Suite
• Grocery Shopping
• Finish the cheesecake at Alec's
• Make incoming international students' name labels
  
• Finish the folders for orientation
• Get phone cards
  
• Create Facebook Group for incoming international students
  
• Practice Practice Practice!!!
• Work out

Cabbage Wabbage

I'm only mean to people I like

I don't get it. Recently, a guy I know said that to me.
He's very responsible, has great work ethic, wonderful person....in the inside*I hope* said that to me.
I'm only mean to people I like, and I'm super nice to people I hate *which is most people*.
Why?
Why do people choose to be mean to their friends? Why is it funny to make their lives miserable? Why would you ever wanna put in the extra effort to be nice to people who you hate? I know a few others who love to do that. But why? Why waste the time? Why send the confusing message?
People like that worries me. People like that make it hard for others to trust them.

Cabbage Wabbage

My Chicken Curry Recipe

• 4 potatoes
• 2 large onions
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp olive oil
  
• 2 tsp pepper
• 6 hot green pepper
  
• 1/4 cup of curry powder
• 4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
  
• 4 tsp tamarind/ mango paste
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
  
• 8 pieces of chicken thighs
  

Marinade Chicken:

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4-1/6 cup of soy sauce (Approximate to your own taste)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp of curry powder

1. Boil diced potatoes for 15 minutes (Partially Cooked)
2. Slice onions and mince garlics and peppers.
   
3. On a hot skillet, pour olive oil. Then, mix onions, garlic, green pepper, tamarind/mango paste, salt, sugar, curry powder. Mix well.
   
4. When onions begin to look cooked, move the mix into a hot pot.
   
5. Pour water and potatoes into the mix.
   
6. Then add the soy sauce.
7. Once water is boiling, add the chicken thighs. Stir.
   
8. Cover the pot, and set the fire on medium heat for 20 minutes.
9. Add the cinnamon stick.
10. Finally, add the yogurt. Stir.
    

Cabbage Wabbage