And now, something actually relating to the name of this blog...

I really enjoy being a traditional Filipina dancer, but when I need to explain/put up with:

• I am not 'some random white girl'
• I am half filipino
• I am blonde, but it's dyed
• Why I'm so pale
• That I am not the choreographer's girlfriend, but his DAUGHTER
• Stares
• Why that white girl is wearing a Terno and dancing traditional dances
• Why, if I can dance so well, I can't speak Tagalog
• Why I dyed my hair
• etc

every time, it gets old fast.  Although I love dancing and experiencing part of my culture,  it is really shitty that I need to validate my identity to 'real Filipinos' every single time I want to share that part of my heritage with others.  While I cannot currently speak Tagalog, I do know how to cook the foods, dance the dances, I know the traditions and celebrations, and I have been involved in this culture since I was born, which is a lot more than many of the full-blooded 'real' Filipinos I know who were born here who speak the language.

No, I do not 'look Filipino' but that does not diminish the importance that my heritage has to me.  I'm truly sorry that my very 'mixed' appearance confuses or upsets you, but I know who I am and your close-minded opinion about what someone with Filipino heritage should look is not going to change that.


And this is not to say that I don't love the other cultures that make up my ancestry, but I usually do not gain flack for my enthusiasm for my enthusiasm for my English, Irish, etc. side. And I'm also not saying that all Filipinos are like this, but I have personally encountered many people who act this way when they see me dance and I speak to them later.

I apologize that my first post in a while is a large rant, but it's tragic how often I've come across people like this who feel it is their duty to interrogate anyone who isn't dark-skinned with black hair.

Many Hugs,
Zan

Rant

Now, I'm not one to be bitter.  I'm the one to usually look on the bright side of things and be positive about the situation, but I am past my limit.  Early this summer I submitted the information needed in order to get loans for school and living.  Thinking everything is going as it usually does, I forget about it except for the occasional stress-filled 'how am I going to pay for this?' moment.

Usually, this is where things just go smoothly, but this year, my senior year, Temple decides to be completely unreliable.  In early-to-mid august I started receiving email notices that if I didn't pay my tuition and fees that I would have my classes taken from me.  Seeing as schedules are tight and it's my senior year, I was worried so I contacted Wells Fargo who told me that Temple needed to accept the loans.  So what's my next mode of action? Call Temple of course!  Temple said that they would straighten everything out and my loans would go through.  After that all was good and the notices stopped.

A few weeks ago I checked my bill online to see how everything was and to be able to guess when I would get a check from Temple so that I could pay rent and other living costs.  When I saw that the Wells Fargo bill had not gone through I was irked, but not worried.  Temple was probably just busy with all the freshman.  Fast foward to today- no check, no change.  Angry now, I called them, was put on hold for over an hour, just to be told that my file was NOW put into the woman's pile and that I should check back in a week.

As a student, I need books, a place to live, and nutrition.  I didn't order books until this week (which is the fourth week of class), I'm going to need to pay utilities and rent out of my savings, and I haven't bought anything since my dad left me food.  Honestly Temple, you need to take into consideration the lives of the people who depend on these loans.  I understand you have thousands of students, but I submitted my papers months ago and you haven't processed my loan yet? If I weren't about to graduate you would have just lost some income.  Don't expect donations from me in the future.

A health update

Yet another health update, but this time I come bearing good news!  On the 14th of September I signed up to be a part of Temple's body composition program.  While it's not really involved (at all, seriously), it will provide me with accountability and a reason to work out!  What's required of TBC (as I shall now refer to it) is that you attend 'weigh ins' three times in a semester, and if you maintain or lower your body fat percentage you are entered into a raffle to win some sort of prize.  I'm not really in it for the prize, but I would like to lower my body fat percentage.

Now when I initially saw the numbers I thought it was measuring BMI, which is a total load of hooey, but then they handed me this neat little sheet explaining body fat percentage. TBC uses Bioelectrical Impedance to measure body fat percentage.  (Some other ways are using skinfold calipers and underwater weighing, but both require skill or resources that Temple does not have.)  Now, I'm not too learned on BEI, but I know it measures lean weight and fat weight, and gives you a percentage tat is a better measure of health than weight.

 

TBC provided a chart that says what body type you are according to your percentage, but this isn't adjusted for age.  Using this chart, however I am considered 'above average' which I think is completely understandable. According to the age-adjusted chart above I am 'average' which is just lovely.  With this chart also came a formula, and if you know me, you know I love formulas, even if I don't understand them.  So with this formula you can figure out your desired weight utilizing an ideal body fat percentage.  Much to my surprise when I plugged in my 'desired' body fat percentage (about 19) I came up with my current goal weight!


Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Weigh-In :: 167
Current Weight :: 166
Body Fat Percentage :: 27.1 
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)


Now, whether this is feasible on time is a different matter.  Not that I am lazy, but some people's bodies are meant to be in a certain range of weights, and I am currently unsure of what my range is.  I will be working hard to stay active this semester though!
So far to aid this I've taken up Zumba and recruited a new gym partner.  Now, he isn't the most focused individual but having him there provides me with motivation to keep going, because honestly I am competitive and I hate to be beaten.  Zumba is pretty fantastic as well, I can't leave the gym after that without feeling like I've accomplished so much!
Now all I need to do is continue on this path.  If I lose more weight, greatfantasticawesomesauce! If not, that's just my body telling me that I'm perfect the way I am.

A Week in Paradise

Early this past summer, mi familia and I went on a magnificent vacation to celebrate my sister's graduation, my father's 50th birthday, and (very early) my 21st birthday. We spent a week in the U.S. Virgin Islands, mainly St. John, and it was absolutely wonderful.  The people there were some of the nicest, most polite people that are on this planet, and the natural landscape and architecture are gorgeous.  The food was fantastic, and the local artists were amazing.  The only drawback to this magical ride was the bugs, although I ignored them most of the time they bothered my sister.  Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend this destination to anyone who is thinking about vacationing in the Caribbean.

Summer Health Update

Well, as I've mentioned before my summer was quite lackluster on the health factor side.  I set out to be very active and to do something physical each day.  That turned out to be a sad, sad failure.  The summer wasn't completely bust, however, because my friends and I did a number of physical things.  We also had a week where we baked and cooked and sat around and watched movies with the same people every day, but that's besides the point, right?  We did manage to take a few good bikes and hikes and play on some awesomesauce swings, though.  By some miracle, I managed to actually lose two pounds since the last weigh-in.  How that happened, I'm not sure because I'll be the first to admit that my eating while at home was not good at all.  While I was taking classes I was decent and I went to the gym (once xP), but at home I was a mess.  So here's the progress report!

Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Weigh-In :: 169
Current Weight :: 167
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)





Although I am through the roof pleased that I have not only not gained weight but actually lost weight, I know that it will take a lot for me to reach my goal on time.  I've decided not to start working out until next week, which is the second week of classes, so I can adjust to my schedule and figure the logistics out.  Also, it's hard getting back in the swing of gym-ing. So until next time!

Keep Healthy!
HEART
Zan

Well this is awkward

As you can probably tell by the time stamps it has been a while since I've posted here.  I could make a ton of excuses right now, but through this summer I've come to the conclusion that I'd like to make as little amount of excuses as possible. Honestly I was just lazy concerning keeping up with this.  I had time because, as you probably know, I don't have much of a life and I've been online pretty much consistently throughout the summer. So for my lazyness on this topic, I apologize.
Tomorrow starts my senior year, which is pretty scary.  I feel like I'm leagues behind my peers because I came into this school late, and even later into my chosen major.  And while others know what companies to work for or what they want to do, I have no idea.  I guess now is the time to figure this out.  I've finally gotten a suit tailored, so I suppose that is a step in the right direction considering the fact that I'm majoring in business-type things.  This summer I've realized that this path might not be the best for me though.  Now, I'm not saying I don't want to use what I've learned in these majors, but I do not think I would enjoy myself for very long at a strict corporate job.  I am confident that I will find my way, however.  Everyone does, and I'm young so my time will come.
On the matter of health.... Well I'd rather not update you on this but it's only fair seeing as you (all 2 of you) have waited so long for an update.  I did gain weight back, I'm not going to lie about that.  It's a lot less then I was expecting though, considering the fact that I did almost nothing this summer.  Sure, I hiked and biked a number of times, but nothing consistent, and consistency produces results, does it not? I plan to get back on the horse though and work out throughout the semester.  What that schedule will be, I'm not yet sure.  I have a few ideas for it though, and I'll update you as soon as possible.
I suppose that is it for the moment, so I'll leave you to actually go live your life while I sit in my anxiety corner.

Let's Kill Hitler
HEART
Zan

Second Summer Update

So this week has been a sort of fail, well on some fronts more than others. Physically and nutritionally, it was a huge fail. Well, not huge, but it was a setback of sorts.  I didn't really pay attention to what I ate, and physically I was not really good. I did a buttload of crunches, but my body needs more than that to maintain or lose weight.

Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
 Last Week :: 166
 Current Weight :: 169
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)

Yes, I gained some weight back.  It's not ideal, but it also isn't the end of the world.  This coming week I'll be on vacation, so I'll be able to take advantage of the hotel's gym.  And trust me, I WILL take advantage of it.  Truly, I miss the gym.  Not the exhausting mid-workout feel of it, but the afterwards feel of satisfaction.

Some other updates regarding my summer goals are a large amount of painting and drawing.  They kind of suck, but I'll probably post them up later.  I've also been taking a large amount of photographs and trying to improve. A lot of them are just self portraits I'll probably use for stock, or me being silly after watching America's Next Top Model.  Hey, if I can get down a bit more, I would try out for it. They're accepting short girls now after all.  Short girls don't win, but they're CONSIDERED. haha I probably wouldn't win.  My case of teh faces is much too severe.  Anywho, here's one of the photos I've taken:

Branches by ~zanbat0 on deviantART

Enjoy, Explore, and I'll see you later.

HEART
Zan

Discoveries

Having no real life affords me a lot of time to read articles on the Internet and generally explore and learn about the world. While there are MUCH better, healthier, more social things I could be doing with my time, there are worse things I could do as well.

For the past year or so I've been learning about the Slender man mythos and following various blogs and youtube channels.  Now, now, now, before you even start to think it, I am not going to make this a slenderblog.  My mind is not anywhere near as creative or twisted as it would need to be in order to start something like that. So keep that out of your minds!  Slender man, with Marble Hornets in particular (WARNING: Do not click that link if you get scared easily and/or it is almost night/foggy and you live near trees), provided a great introduction into Alternate Reality Games, or ARGs.  ARGs are hard to describe and undefinable, as they can take on so many different forms.  They can be blogs, videos, links, puzzles, networks of websites and people, and pretty much anything you can imagine.  Basically, they are non-linear games with interactive facets to them.

ARGs stand out to me for several reasons. One, they interest my inner nerd. I mean, what nerdlette wouldn't love a roleplay-cyber-real life fusion?  The possibilities that these platforms present are endless.  Another reason is that, after reading several *coughwaytoomanycough* articles I discovered that ARGs can and have been used by marketers in campaigns of all sizes.  As a (current) marketing major, I found this really intriguing, and I switched one of my marketing electives for the fall semester into a technology-based marketing class in hopes that I'll be able to learn more about the topic.  Well, actually I switched to that class for another reason as well, I had the professor in a previous course and she was spectacular, so this was just the push I needed to sign up.  Notice how I put Internet learnings over common sense? CLASSY, NO?

Until next time...
HEART
Zan

Some Family Bonding

Dance, like many art forms today, is severely under appreciated in many arenas of modern life.  Thankfully, wonderful organizations work to correct this, like New York Dance Parade.  In its 5th annual event, the New York Dance Parade's mission is "to promote dance as an expressive and unifying art form by showcasing all forms of dance, educating the general public about the opportunity to experience dance and celebrate the diversity of dance."  With 160 groups of 74 unique dancing styles, I'd say that they are well on their way to accomplishing this.  On May 21, 2011, over 9000 dancers hit the streets of New York, showing off their moves and inspiring all who watched them strut their stuff.  There were marching bands, ballroom dancers, pole dancers, cheerleaders, and many more parading down the streets towards Tompkins Square Park in the East Village where there were informational tents and even more performers all around.  The event itself was lovely, and the people all too enthusiastic about dance.  At times it was a little hard to walk through the crowds in Tompkins Square Park, but that's to be expected in such a large event.

After the exploring the event a bit, my family and I headed over to Little Italy for some Thai and Gelati, as we usually do when we're in that area of the city.  It was a good number blocks away, so we got a decent walk out of it. And best of all, the raptor and the cloverfield monster did not poke their heads out!

Now onto some pictures!

Summer Update Numero Uno

Now it's for another in a long line of health-related posts!  As I've mentioned before I'm extremely nervous about this summer and how I'll be able to handle my weight.  At school I'm pretty good at not eating emotionally or out of boredom or anything, but that changes when I'm at home.  This is possibly because I have food only for meals at Temple, whereas at home there are hundreds of snacks everywhere. Why? My sister is a snacker, and she needs to eat often or she'll faint. It's something medical that is way over my head, as many things are.  So needless to say, I am in a challenging situation. It doesn't help that I didn't really work out for the last week of the spring semester.  I went on a few adventures and was pretty active, but I missed the intensity of a legitimate workout.

My eating so far has been pretty bad, doughnuts and candies and such things, but I've been keeping pretty active.  Each day I walk my dog several times, I run around the house like a crazy person, I do butt exercises, and I do a disgusting amount of ab exercises.  By disgusting I mean upwards of 200 reps of various exercises. And amazingly, so far, it's worked out pretty well.

Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 169
Current Weight :: 166
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)

Now these results are probably due to not taking in enough food, but I'll take it for now.  I started eating better yesterday (hummus!!) and I hope to continue in this pattern.  I also need to up my exercise, so I'll probably ride my bike once the rain stops and it's less gross outside.

What about my other goals, you ask? So far, I've been checking out websites and blogs on real estate, and I've even arranged to shadow a commercial real estate agent soon!  Although it's quite a lot of information to take in, I've been reading a lot in order to try to let it sink in.  I've also been planning some art projects, and even begin some of the preliminary work.  From collages to water colours, to hopefully some secret customized projects, I hope to get a lot done this summer.  Some of the other goals have gone virtually untouched, but I hope to change that soon.

HEART
Zan

Self-Improvement Summer

Many people have plans for the summer, whether they be internships, jobs, classes, traveling, or whatnot.  What do I have planned? Apart from a week-long vacation and a 7-credit summer session -- nothing.  I had applied to various jobs and internships, but as of this moment, they've all fallen through (India! D:)  What does that mean for me? I have a long amount of time and not much to do.  Once classes start up my life will have a lot more direction of course, but until then my schedule is pretty much clear, and that is intensely frightening.

In the past, I have sort-of wasted my summers between the Internet and attempting small projects and ultimately failing at them.  Well, failing in my own eyes at least.  For this summer, I will change that.  Following is a list of things I hope to devote some time to over this break.

1. Learning more about real estate and becoming more familiar with the market in PA
2. Improve myself artistically through photography or other media
3. Play some music, or properly learn one of the instruments I have lying around
4. Improve my body through proper diet and exercise
5. Clean
6. Stay in touch with my friends and hang out with them
7. Learn more about technology whether it be use of software or general knowledge
8. Learn or re-learn a language

Now, to be realistic, I will might not hit all of these. In fact I probably won't do half of these, but I am going to at least try.  I know that number 4 will be much easier when I go back for school in July because at home I am so lax with my habits.  I will push myself to be better though and to look at my decisions before I regret them.

Although I wish I had an amazing internship to learn from this summer, I will use this time to improve myself nonetheless.  This summer is my last real time to be free and not have to worry about the real world (too much), so I need to use it to focus on myself so that when the time comes (in 12 months) I will be ready for the world.

HEART
Zan

Never Say Goodbye

There almost always comes a time where people transition from one phase into another.  Everyone experiences these changes, and they're a very normal step in everyones lives.  So, on this day of Graduation for so many of my friend, I would like to congratulate them and wish them well.  I will always remember what ridiculous shenanigans we caused, and I hope that we'll make many more in the future.  We'll be separated by many things (trees, towns, land, seas, time) but I know that we'll find a way back to each other some time in our lives.  Whether it be continuous contact online, an occasional meet-up, or me watching you through your window, we will find a way.

Being the endless geek master I am, I can't help but think of a song for this situation. Now, I know what you're thinking. "OMG She's thinking of that Vitamin C song rabble rabble izpooop" and, my friends, you are wrong.  Well, you would have been right last night for a short while, but there's a song that I find much more appropriate to the situation.  While the Vitamin C graduation song blabs about remembering back and is all sad and depressing and horrible, the song I'm thinking of gives promises of friendship and the future.  So what is this amazingly appropriate song? "Days of Summer" by Darren Criss from A Very Potter Sequel.  Yeah, I know, I'm a little obsessed with Starkid, but it's just so appropriate!  I know that for the past few days when I've heard it I've started to well up before I realized that it's not an end, it's just a change.  Now, this acceptance of change and the future will probably not stop me from crying my guts out, but it will help me to keep in contact with these people (a problem I have sometimes).

The real moral of the story is that while this is a huge gigantic milestone in their lives, I know one thing that will not change, and that's my love and support for them.  They are all fantastic, beautiful, talented people with amazing dreams for the future that I know that they will achieve and probably exceed.   So today is for them, for their families, and for their futures.  I may miss them terribly in my everyday life, but I know that they will be there for me when I need them, and I will do the same for them.  Goodbye is not an option for us.

RON:

We've got these days of summer

To remind us of each other...

HERMIONE:

The time we have to spend apart

Will keep us in each other's heart...

HARRY:

I'm hoping that the good ole' days are

Something I will dream about at night...

DRACO:

Don't matter if it's soon or later,

I know that it's gonna be alright!

HARRY, DRACO, RON, HERMIONE:

I don't wanna see you go,

But it's not forever, not forever!

Even it was,

You know that I would never let it get me down.

You're the part of me that makes me better,

Wherever I go!

So I will try

Not to cry--

But no one needs to say goodbye...

[DANCE BREAK]

ALL:

I don't wanna see you go,

But it's not forever, not forever!

Even it was,

You know that I would never let it get me down.

You're the part of me that makes me better,

Wherever I go!

So I will try

Not to cry--

But no one needs to say goodbye!

Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts

Listening to :: When You Believe - Mariah Carey

Art is an indescribable presence in our world.  From every blade of grass, to The Scream, to a child's smiling face, art is present.  This is why events like the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, or PIFA, is so critical.  It brings art in many of its forms to the limelight, which is something that is of utmost importance at a time where art and music programs in public schools are in jeopardy or already cut.  Reminding the general public that art is indeed important can only help in such situations.

This year, PIFA paid homage to French art, focusing on Paris from 1910-1920.  As a result, there were many French products, food, and acts to be seen at the street fair.  Within the Kimmel Center itself there was a large illuminated Eiffel Tower that was nothing less than beautiful to behold.  Although there were many incredible acts at this year's PIFA, the finale really stole the show. And my camera's memory.  The world renowned circus artists La Compagnie Transe Express performed Maudits Sonnants, an act where they are hoisted over 100 feet in the air.  This alone isn't impressive until you mention that while being lifted into the air, they are playing gorgeous percussive music with a mixture of drums, cymbals, and bells.  And to top it off, three extremely talented acrobats are performing amazing stunts on ropes in the air.  And all of this is happening over Philadelphia's beautifully paved Broad Street.  To try to describe the act in any further detail would do it no justice, especially with my lack of eloquence.  Therefore, following I have two videos as well as some photos.  I hope that you enjoy and decide to (or continue to) support the arts.

(If link doesn't work click here)

Day of Darkness, Day of Light

Today is a day that brings up many emotions.  Commercial America has decided that today is a day to celebrate Mother's and all the work they have done to take care of their children.  Fate has decided that this date is to be a year after the death of my own mother.  This first year without her has been a long, hard journey, and I know that it will not be getting easier any time soon.  I have cried, laughed, raged, loved, remembered, and tried to live a life my Mother would be proud of.  I try my best, knowing that she is watching me, and most likely laughing every time I do something ridiculous, which is pretty often.

My Mother and I. She loves babies and children the most.

After my Mother's passing, I went online, trying to find something to help me in any way.  Healthy thing to turn to the internet for comfort, isn't it? In any event, I didn't find much, but that could be contributed to my less-than-sparkling mental state at the time. I did, however, find a poem written by Mallissa A. Moore that I did relate to deeply.  I had thought about writing my own poem for my Mother, but if you know me, you know languages are NOT my forte. So here's the poem that I found:

"I just thought I’d say
I love you and goodbye
We will miss you dearly
I promise I won’t cry.

I will never forget our talks
Conversations on the phone
How happy you were to see me
When I finally came home.

You worried so much about me
I worried about you too
I know this is the hardest thing
We've ever had to do.

I know you'll always be with me
Wherever I will go
No one needs to show me
I will always know.

I don’t know what to do Mom
I never thought I’d lose you
Where I'll go from here
I still haven't got a clue.

I hope you'll watch over me
Be my guiding light
Giving me the strength I need
To win this endless fight.

You're my guardian angel Mom
Sitting on my shoulder
Whispering your words of wisdom
To use as I get older.

I don't want to say goodbye
But we'll meet again someday
We'll pick up where we left off
Before you went away."

So on this Mother's day, exactly one year from the death of my mother, I celebrate my Mother's life and her dedication to her family. Of course, I'll also selfishly cry here and there in between the reminiscing about the past, but I won't let that get in the way of my love for her.  I miss you, Mom, and I cannot wait to see you again one day.  Till then, every time I trip or mess up my words, it's for you, I hope you enjoy the show I put on for you. 

O God, who hast commanded us to honor our father and our mother; in Thy mercy have pity on the soul of my mother, and forgive her her trespasses; and make me to see her again in the joy of everlasting brightness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.  

May God bless you and your Mothers.  I hope that you appreciate what you have and that you let your loved ones know how you feel.  

Confusions Galore

Listening to : The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

So do you remember that plateau I talked about two weeks ago? Well last week I broke it, and then this week I lost one additional pound.  Exciting, yes?  I was especially surprised the first week when I lost three pounds, especially because that was Easter weekend and I didn't really exercise much or watch my caloric intake.  Then, the week when I get back into working out regularly, I only lose one pound.  My body is so odd, but it's what I have, so I love it. Following is the data:

Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 173
Current Weight :: 169
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)

With such positive results over the course of this semester, I am starting to get a little nervous about the future.  Next week is my last week at Temple till summer session 2 which means that I have no access to a gym until July.  I'm thinking I'll probably do calisthenics and try to do youtube videos, run, or videos my sister has.  Hopefully I'll stick to these plans or come up with some even better plans, or else when I step on that scale in July I'll be horribly disappointed.  I'm going to do my best to not let myself get to that point, but only time will tell what I'll be able to accomplish.

In other news, I recently went to Center City and my tummy had the rumbles that only human hands could satisfy.  In order to cure this horrid affliction, I experienced something I have never had experienced before. Chipotle.  I know, it's a big chain or something, but I'm a weird kid. I mean, I've never been to Qdoba or a bunch of other places either. So let's just say Chipotle was an experience.  When I walked in I had no idea where the line was supposed to be or how to order, so I just stood around awkwardly watching others order for a while.  And although I was very appreciative with the effort to inform their consumers about the caloric value of the foods that they eat, the format that the information is displayed in is quite confusing.  After much consideration and watching others order their meals, I ordered a chicken bowl.  Now, just because I successfully ordered food at this establishment doesn't mean that I didn't thoroughly embarrass myself in the process.  My inability to understand people served me well, to say the least.  The servers kept asking me about adding stuff and what I wanted, and I would just shake my head yes or no, or otherwise confuse myself and the servers.  However complicated and confusing the rest of the experience was, the food was pretty darn good. My chicken bowl had the hot salsa, and I added Tabasco sauce as well because nothing is ever hot enough.

So what am I really saying in this post? I'm kind of slow and easily confused. But it's entertaining for myself and for those around me, so I like myself just as I am. :)

HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"Anyone who isn't confused really doesn't understand the situation."

~ Edward R. Murrow"

Typical Experimental College Kid

Listening to :: The Way I Do - Starship

That's right, I admit it.  I like to experiment.  Now, before you think I've become some loose typical college stereotype, let me illuminate you on the meaning behind this.  When it comes to experimentation, food has been my most recent medium.  Whether it's trying out a new recipe, creating a recipe, or going out to a restaurant and trying out something new, I love it all.  Of course, being a poor/cheap college kid, the first two are the one I prefer at the moment.  There's no problem with that, my time will come when I can go out, but on a student's salary (negative dollars) I'd rather just save what I can.

Trying out different types of food and preparation are important in understanding what's good and bad, and what your palate likes.  This is why I am constantly on food websites, trying to see different combinations of flavors and which ones I like.  Sometimes, however, I just get bored with the recipes I find and I want to do my own thing.  That is when experimentation comes into play.  Over the past week or so, I have become incredibly bored with the food I've been making. So what do I do? I put random stuff together and hope it turns out well.  So far, I haven't really come up with anything that makes me want to vomit or anything.  That being said, I suppose I'd classify my experimentation as successful for the moment being.

Well, with all of this talk of food, you think I'd show some pictures by now, don't you?  No need to worry, they're coming right up.  First up is my most recent experiment, based loosely on this recipe.  I altered it, however, by using two boneless pork chops, a half a red onion, a half an orange, and plenty of curry powder and salt and pepper.  Not too odd, or experimental, but the taste is definitely worthy of a post.  Looking back, I could have used the entire orange, but I was worried about it being super-citrus-y.  Overall, it was a success, although, as I said, it could have used more orange, and I could have let the meat suck up the curry powder a little longer.  I coupled the pork with rice, of course, and corn as sides. Enjoy!

Now here is the more outlandish of the two experiments.  A little while back I made tilapia and coated it with a mixture of mayo, vanilla extract, curry powder, and cinnamon.  Yeah, sounds weird, huh? And to think, I was considering peanut butter as well. Perhaps next time...  In any event, after some time in the oven, out came a beautiful spectacle.  I have to admit, as I cut it up and went to take the first bite I was a little nervous.  Seriously, what was I thinking?!  Luckily it tasted alright.  It was still a little bland for my tastes, but it was edible, and most importantly, enjoyable.  While it will most likely take a while for me to perfect this recipe, I do not doubt that this will eventually become a favourite of mine.

Although I have made a few other things since I last posted about food, I am going to save them for sometime in the future as they aren't really experimental at all.

HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity."

~ Voltaire ~

Indigo Plateau

Listening to :: Guy Love - Scrubs

And I think I may have hit a snag in my plans.  Possibly. Let's show you the evidence:
Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 173
Current Weight :: 173
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)
That's right, I may have hit a weight plateau, this is the third week at 173. Normally I would just work myself harder, but for some reason the left side of my neck decided to feel like stabbing me with pain, so I did not get to exercise on friday. With it being Easter weekend as well, exercising at home was just a ridiculous dream.  I did manage to do a few planks, but nothing substantial. Needless to say, this coming week will probably be aggravating and stress-filled.  I'll make it work though, and it will be wonderful. I hope.  I'm starting to think getting a trainer or dietician would be nice.  Not that I want to be 'on a diet' because I don't. They don't work, and even if they do, once you're off it everything goes to poops.  I'll try and work it out on my own for now though, and I will keep you up to date on this topic.

Now for some food deliciousness.  This past week I made pasta, catfish, and asparagus. Let me tell you something, I am thoroughly obsessed with asparagus right now, and I don't know why.  Well, asparagus and bok choy, but I haven't been able to grab a hold of the latter for a few weeks now.  Steam or bake either of them and the result is so gooooood!  For the catfish I just seared it and then baked it for about a half hour with loads of spices on it, of course. Enjoyy!

I also had a mid-week meal at this place called Cheeburger Cheeburger, which is basically a throwback to diners of the 50s with amazing hamburgers and customizable shakes. So I thought I'd snap a quick picture of the burger I ordered.  Let me just say, this is the smallest burger they have and it was insanely filling.

HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

~ Albert Einstein ~

Like a Roller Coaster

Listening to :: Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Yet again I have failed to post for a week.  And I was doing so well!  Well, not really, but I did post twice in one week.  That counts right?!  No, I know it doesn't.  Since I last posted, life has been filled with a roller coaster of emotions and events.

Weight-wise, I was down to 173 last week ANNDDDD:
Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 173
Current Weight :: 173
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)
Yes!  I managed to maintain my weight! And, that means I'm still under the 10 lb loss mark.  Of course, it would be grand if I continued to lose weight, but my body, like myself, is stubborn, and won't go down without a fight!  Recently I've been shifting the weights I use up, and hopefully that will help without making me look all bulky. I'm not meant to be bulky with muscles, that'd be silly. I'm too short, and looking lady-like is fun. I just want to be able to defend myself against the evil ninja who come to try and kidnap me nightly.  I can tell it's been annoying my roommates to come to my assistance every night. I mean, I can take on two or three of them, but they always come in packs of like ten. RIDICULOUS.

Now, I'm sure you're skeptical with how busy I've really been these past weeks.  While I have been rolling around doing nothing much on the webs of the inter, I did accomplish some tasks!  I got together with one class group and completed a project, while accomplishing a good amount of work with another group. I went home, went to mass for the 11-month date from my mother's death, went to New York City.  I acted like a high-school girl in front of a boy, as per my normal behavior. And, because this list is much too long, I also picked out a new pair of glasses. Of course, I can't get them until May, but patience is a virtue, and it will be even sweeter when I pick them up then. Oh and when I get them, there WILL be pictures. Haha!

Of course, you probably just want me to get to the down and dirty, A.K.A. food pictures. Well, I have a couple meals to share with you! The first is from the teaser I added to my previous post, the second is a meal of tilapia, rice, and carrots, and the third is simple eggs and toast. Enjoy!

Accept Those Around You and Love Somebody!
HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

“I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous - everyone hasn't met me yet.”

~ Rodney Dangerfield ~ 

Obese rant from an "Obese" girl

Listening to :: Chocobo Theme Song - Final Fantasy VII

One of my classes this semester is a Business Ethics course, and I enjoy it very much.  We read articles, watch movies, and listen to speakers who can relate to the various topics within the course.  Now, although one of the days is lecture-based I keep pretty quiet, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it today.  The topic of the week is the Consumer as the Stakeholder, and it highlights the food and diet industries.  As you can probably guess from the content of my blog, this is a very sensitive topic for me. This is especially true when people start spouting out facts about how many Americans are obese and cite BMI statistics as their source. Now I'm sorry if I'm about to burst your bubble, but BMI is a load of horse poop. No, it's not even that good, it's like Miley Cyrus being Autotuned while clothed in horse manure.  That seems like a closer visualization.

So what is this pile of doo that is BMI?
BMI = Weight (lb) / (Height (in) x Height (in)) x 703
That's all it is folks. A simple equation incorporating your height and weight. (The 703 is there just because the original formula was in metric system. Like the rest of the world-but that's another topic altogether.)  So what about muscle mass, age, waist measurements, body composition, medical conditions, or many of the other things that effect a human's weight? Oh, according to BMI, it isn't worth a penny. Or a peso, or one yen. Nothing. And yet the media constantly harps on this many people are obese as categorized by BMI.  By taking this as an example, why don't we just throw together random variables and come up with equations that determine ability to think, or intelligence capacity? This equation doesn't even make sense scientifically, and yet it is as common as the sunshine.

This is all basically a big ruse to inspire fear and to encourage fat-phobia. People who toot the horn of BMI repeatedly have no idea what the physical well being of the people who are "obese" or "overweight" is actually.  These people could be body builders, or athletes, or just normal people. They just know that it's different, and different is bad, so why shouldn't they praise it?

While they're at it, while they are using this fantastic equation to determine who is and who is not healthy, why don't they tax those who are "obese?"  Take the proposed "fat tax" in Arizona for example. Any person who is considered overweight, has diabetes, or smokes will be taxed $50. Presumably the government officials will use BMI in order to determine who is "overweight" and who is not.  It doesn't matter if they have a genetic disorder, cancer, or physical limitations. They are "wrong," so they should be taxed.

Oh, and BMI doesn't just incorrectly classify those in the "obese" category.  People who are listed as "normal" under BMI could very unhealthy as well.  The lack of perspective and insight in this equation makes all the data that comes from it fall flat. And yet, so many people depend on it and cite it so that they may sell another diet plan or wonder pill.

Thank goodness for the myriad of sources on the internet that put this so much more eloquently and backed up than I could ever write. Due to the length of this monstrosity, I'll just post a few links rather than go on anymore, and trust me, I could.
Top 10 Reasons BMI is bogus
Backstory
There are, of course, fifteen bajillion other articles on the topic, but I think these two provide a good basis.

I truly hate to end on a sour note, so I will include a teaser from my latest food cookery!

Eat a Hamburger and Hug Somebody!
HEART
Zan

 :: A Quote To Leave You By ::

 "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."

~ Confucius ~ 

Owl-Husky Talk

Listening to :: Nothing (It's the day music died! Music Education Awareness Month, duh.)

I am Zan, and I am a huge fan of Uconn.  You must think I'm just another bandwagon-er, but you'd be sorely mistaken.  Ever since I was little, I remember going to Uconn basketball games, pep rallies, and other events with my family.  For as long as I can remember, Uconn was THE school that I wanted to go to.

Now, as I sit here typing in Philadelphia, you must be wondering 'How did this girl end up at Temple then?' Well, let's go back to a faraway time - senior year in high school.  Now I applied to several places, but my top two picks were Uconn, of course, and Temple. Uconn was amazing, the campus was beautiful, they had a good band, and the academics were great, but the prices was really high for out of state-ers.  Temple was a little dirty, just as good education, was known to have a good music program, AND the price was pretty good.  So when it came down to the wire,  I had my father choose for me, and he chose Temple because of the proximity to him, and because it'd be pretty easy to transfer if I didn't like it.  So ever since, I've been an owl who half-wished she were a husky.

Back to the present - this past Sunday and Tuesday Temple had the chance to hold the Women's Sweet Sixteen/Elite Eight games, so of course my family went! Uconn was in the first game, and boy was that a stressful game!  Georgetown was a great team and not intimidated at all by Uconn, and as a result they actually overtook Uconn several times.  Luckily though, Uconn pulled through and they passed onto the Elite Eight.  The second game on Sunday was a lot less hair raising.  It was Duke vs. DuPaul, and although it was pretty tight, Duke had a clear advantage over DuPaul.

Going into the Tuesday game, I was seriously worried that Uconn might lose to Duke.  When we got there and the two teams started to warm up, it was apparent that Duke was a bit shaken by their competition.  While Uconn would miss a few baskets here and there in their warm-ups, Duke wasn't doing too well.  I'm not saying that they're not a fantastic team-because they definitely are-but it seemed like they were intimidated by Uconn's previous performance.  As the game started, it was pretty tight, but with each basket Uconn made, the spread was further and further apart.  Even worse for Duke-every time that they would get possession, Uconn would snatch it right out of their hands and then make another basket like it was nothing.  Several times throughout the game, Uconn's score was double that of Dukes! And I'm not talking 10-5, I'm talking about like 50-25 and 66-33. It was insane, but highly pleasing.

Some fun little anecdotes from Tuesday that don't really matter, but I thought they were hilarious.  During the time outs, there was a huge rivalry between the Duke Devil and the Uconn Husky.  The Devil even had a piece of tape that read "UNCONNstitutional," which I thought was a little lackluster, honestly.  The real rivalry started before the game, when the Devil would taunt Uconn's mascot, team, etc. with various dismissing movements.  Uconn took it in stride, though, and at one point the Husky even wagged it's butt at the Devil's attempt to shake him.  Another fun-but-not-so-related story is every time Duke would try to score free throws, two Temple students would yell something to the effect of "T U!" or "LET'S GO TEMPLE" and, surprisingly, sometimes it worked! Oh the power of Temple. <3

Sunday!!

Of course, because I'm just a little off when it comes to Uconn, I decked myself out in Uconn wear. Little did I know that every single team's main colour was blue on Sunday! Luckily I had my Uconn hoodie to show my allegences, and all was right with the world.  I even did my make-up and hair in blue, and for Tuesday I had blue nail polish as well.  I think my team spirit lent itself pretty well to the victory. Haha, just kidding. Uconn's ladies are fantastic with or without my fandom.

Tuesday!!

So I think it's obvious what I'll be doing this weekend-following the Men's and Women's Final Four and Championships!

Be a Good Sport and Hug Somebody!
HEART
Zan

 :: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"You know, there are just as many Duke graduates waiting on tables as there is from any other school in the country. They may just be working at a better restaurant."

~ Geno Auriemma before Uconn's first game ever at Duke~

Time, where do you go?

Listening to :: A Way Back Into Love - Music and Lyrics

So, complete and utter fail on my part, I apologize.  I fully intended to post last week's post on time, but I just kept forgetting.  Instead, I'll combine the two week's in this post, and I'll do an extra post this week sometime.

So good news and bad news on the Fitness Front.
First the good news!
Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 177
Current Weight :: 174.5
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)
Last week I was officially ten pounds down from the start of the semester. Now, notice that horrible, evil, little past tense I used? Yes, it's true, I gained some back. Here's the update:
Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 174.5
Current Weight :: 176
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)
I gained a pound and a half back.  I'm pretty sure it had to do with the UCONN games this past Sunday and Tuesday and the fact that I am HORRIBLE at eating when I'm with my family. Therefore, I intend to continue on my routine and hopefully this will correct itself. If not, I suppose rolling around on the floor whining wouldn't be a bad option.

In other, slightly more upbeat news, I've been hacking away at Pokemon Black. My pokedex is coming along just fine and I'm progressing (slowly, thanks to school work and a slight social life) but that stupid subway battle thing is standing in my way of complete and utter success.  Now, I've never been good at the battle towers or anything like that, but this is just annoying.  I'll probably ignore it for a while or else I'll become obsessed with trying to defeat it.

Unfortunately, for this post there will be no make-up or food. Mainly because I haven't really put forth the effort to cook in a while. I'm planning on changing that tonight though, so expect an update on that! Also, as I mentioned before, UCONN women had games on Sunday and Tuesday, which I attended. Now I don't want to talk about UCONN and my fanaticism with them just yet, but that'll be another post I'll be sure to put out before the Final Four for men and women start!

I hope this wasn't too disappointing a post, and I promise to put up one, probably two, before the next weight check in! Hopefully this will make up for it:

Lololol Real Estate Joke

Fly a Kite and Hug Somebody!
HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"I have great faith in fools; self-confidence my friends call it."

~Edgar Allan Poe~ 

Excuses, Excuses

Listening to :: The Cave - Mumford and Sons

So I realize I'm a little late, especially since my weigh in is tomorrow and I haven't posted the stats for next week.  The main reason for this is the giant load of work that's been assigned since we got off from spring break.  While it is a lot, I feel like I'm doing pretty well in my subjects, so I'm thankful for that at the least.

Snivy! Although he's evolved now...

Another thing eating up my time is the new addition to my obsession - Pokemon Black.  Although a lot of the Pokemon in this generation are kind of hokey or just sad, really, I do love the graphics, the interface, and the plot-line.  I know other people don't really like the whole 'be a hero-save the world' thing and would rather just be Pokemon Masters, but I'm a fan.  My starter was Snivy, which I promptly named Severus. And once you start naming Pokemon names from Harry Potter, you can't just STOP. That's ridiculous.

Last week I went to a conference about design and technology, and it was very inspiring.  Each speaker had an amazing story to tell and such passion about what they do, that it was hard not to be enthralled by the whole thing. The panel discussions that they set up, especially the final one, were the most interesting because they interacted with the audience and it was informal but still very educating. :)

Now, I feel it's time to make up for my week of silence, so here are my stats!
Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 180
Current Weight :: 177
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)
So last week I went back down to my lowest weight! I was seriously surprised, I'm not going to lie.  Coming off of spring break and losing weight was pretty spectacular.  I hope I can continue this downward pattern consistently!

Of course I can't forget the make-up and food! My make-up was inspired by my shirt and my desire to be loud and colourful.

This is the corn-beef and cabbage and potatoes my sister and I made for Saint Patrick's day! Let me just say, I love this meal, so imagine my surprise when I brought it to my apartment and my roommates were like "Oh! What's that?" or "Ewww, you eat that?" Dear people, this dish is a glorious classic. Do not hate, LOVE. You never know how you'll really feel until you try something new!

Try Something New and Hug Somebody!
HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"The beat is everywhere, but every life has to find its own flow."

~Jay Z~ 

Spring Break or Spring Slumber?

Listening to:

Fears come true.
Fun Stats ::
Start Weight :: 185 (January 19)
Last Week :: 178
Current Weight :: 180
Goal Weight :: 150 (October 9)

So obviously I haven't been doing too well on keeping up on pretty much anything this past week.  I have been able to keep my calories in my range though! (1200-2000) So at least I don't have that as a fail.  My exercising at home has been lack luster, as has my work ethic or general will to not be asleep.  My, how I love sleep. I could do it all day! Really, I could!

In other news, as per my father's request, I made Jambalaya for Fat Tuesday.  It wasn't as spicy as the batch for the New Orleans party, but it was still pretty rocking!   I've also been cleaning a bit with my sister, which means throwing/donating stuff. D:  I'm so sentimental about things, so I took a few pictures of some of the things 'we' decided to donate. I know, I'm ridiculous, but someone has to send them off to their new homes with love!!

Looking into the future, tomorrow my dad is going to take us to a movie and concert! Rest assured, you will be hearing about this!  I hope to get some of my backed-up work done as well, although it looks as though sunday/monday/tuesday are going to be epically frightening and filled with rushed worries.  Oh and when I get back to school, the gym will be the pea to my pod. Or will I be the pea and it will be the pod? Either way, we'll be together forever! Or at least until some progress is made.  I'm sure the next check in will be no winner either, but I'll do my best!

Dance in the Rain and Love Somebody!
HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at."

~Bruce Lee~ 

Tattoo Time

I look bad, yes. But my tattoo looks awesome!

Listening to :: Get Your Hands Off My Woman - The Darkness

I'm a wimp. This is a generally accepted truth among friends and family.  This being said, when I told my friends that I was getting a tattoo, hilarity ensued.  Some of my friends were shocked that I would go through with it, others thought it was cool, and a few people I know gave me looks that I knew were questioning my sanity.  This tattoo wasn't for them really, and it was barely for me.  It was in memory and honor of my Mother.  She had a good amount of tattoos (5 or more? I'm not sure.) so I thought that would be one of the best ways to honor her.

Getting the tattoo was a huge experience in itself. Although it wasn't really painful, I did end up 90% fainting while she was outlining the tattoo.  After it was all done, I went to stand up and my foot was asleep just enough for me to fall down.  My sister said it was a bad fall, but I don't think so. I just hit my head on a mirror, no big deal. :P

Will I get another one? Not for a little while. Heh heh. I'm still a bit of a wimp, but I'll probably get another some day.

Original Design 

Do a Draco Roll and Hug Somebody!
HEART
Zan

:: A Quote To Leave You By ::

"The world is divided into two kinds of people: those who have tattoos, and those who are afraid of people with tattoos."

~Unknown~