Now that I'm out of the dorms and in an apartment, I have the luxury of a kitchen! Cooking for myself is so much better than cafeteria food. Sure the meal plan is convenient, but I much prefer making my meals. Aside from breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the most fun in a kitchen for me is when I'm baking. I haven't had the chance yet in my apartment since starting school, and tonight I'll finally get my baking fix!
Baked goods not only taste great, they're my way of showing people I care. I'd say four out of five times I bake it's with the intention of giving it to someone. One of the reasons I do this is for birthdays. I never want a birthday to go unnoticed. When I was growing up, my birthday ALWAYS fell on my school district's "mid winter break". That one week always contained my birthday. People would remark, "Meagan, why would you ever want your birthday on a school day? You get a day free from classes instead of having to sit through them!". A valid argument, but here is my rebuttal: since my birthday didn't take place on a school day, it wasn't paid attention to by my peers. My friends would say, "Oh your birthday is in February right?" Yeah, that leaves a month of 28/29 days of possibility, not so narrow. And in my middle and high school years, it was typical for everyone to know it was your birthday because you would have your locker decorated by your friends, and balloons, flowers, cards, or treats given to you. Some of your classes may sing to you as well. While some found this embarrasing, I never got that recognition. So, birthdays always mean baking for me.
Other occasions are cause for baking as well, like accomplishments. Got a new job? You get brownies! We survived finals? Cookies for everyone! I can make anything into a celebration; my senior year in high school my friends and I ate on campus and at the end of each week we would rotate baking to have "Cake Day Fridays". Anyways, baking is a favorite hobby of mine. While I've been worn out with work and school, I have been sleeping and watching TV with my free time instead. Baking is a productive use of time, you create something! And that something is delicious! So, tonight I'll be in baking mode, it is long overdue!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
The day is approaching...
Election day that is, today marks just seven weeks until votes are cast all over the country. November 6th will reveal who will become, or remain, president. As the most high profile race in American government, since this office is the only one that is nationally decided, the presidential race should be on everyone's mind. If you haven't started paying attention to the candidates, incumbent Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney, I urge you to start now at the seven week mark.
This is the first presidential race I'm able to vote in (for 2008 I was a junior in high school). Voting for your first president should be a special day. Voting in general is special, it is executing your right to participate in respresentative democracy. The point of this post is this: vote and be an informed voter. Deciding who has power in this country, those who run the government, impacts everyone and you should know what each candidate, and ballot measure, means for you. Presidential races bring out the most voter turnout, and please be part of the electorate for the executive branch of America's three.
Yet aside from picking between Obama and Romney as commander in chief, I wholeheartedly hope you vote for other offices of all levels- local, state, and federal- and vote consistently. Get a position on issues, keep up with the news, know what candidates are saying and doing. "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the rest". Yes Churchill got it right, but by voting you can make democracy better and closer to its ideal than not voting. So, cast your vote, make your voice matter. Seven weeks until decision day.
This is the first presidential race I'm able to vote in (for 2008 I was a junior in high school). Voting for your first president should be a special day. Voting in general is special, it is executing your right to participate in respresentative democracy. The point of this post is this: vote and be an informed voter. Deciding who has power in this country, those who run the government, impacts everyone and you should know what each candidate, and ballot measure, means for you. Presidential races bring out the most voter turnout, and please be part of the electorate for the executive branch of America's three.
Yet aside from picking between Obama and Romney as commander in chief, I wholeheartedly hope you vote for other offices of all levels- local, state, and federal- and vote consistently. Get a position on issues, keep up with the news, know what candidates are saying and doing. "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the rest". Yes Churchill got it right, but by voting you can make democracy better and closer to its ideal than not voting. So, cast your vote, make your voice matter. Seven weeks until decision day.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
My First Storify Adventure
I'm sitting in my journalism class and have a gem of Internet creativity to share. Here's the link: <script src="http://storify.com/mmcuthill/a-woman-in-news-jana-katsuyama.js"></script><noscript>[<a href="http://storify.com/mmcuthill/a-woman-in-news-jana-katsuyama" target="_blank">View the story "A Woman in News: Jana Katsuyama" on Storify</a>]</noscript>
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
College fashion: Thrifty finds from bins
Hey Internet peeps, happy Monday! I don't know about you all, but my university has some very stylish folk; I am very prone to get what I call "outfit envy" walking to class. Anyways, outfit envy sounds negative, but it is simply clothing appreciation for my peers. From hipsters to young professionals to those who can even look good after working out (how?!?!?!), my fellow college goers at my small liberal arts school know how to dress.
As for my style, I'll call it classy fun with a splash of (dare I say) comfort. Today's post was inspired by my outfit I'm currently wearing. It's chilly out so my look includes a wool dress, vest, and boots. Walking to my first class, I realized something: the actual clothing portion of my ensemble (meaning my dress and vest, boots aren't clothing!) cost me close to nothing. With that light bulb moment, this post was born.
So, how did my outfit today cost me almost nothing? Resourcefulness my friends. First, almost nothing means about a dollar. Yes, a dollar. And that only counts for my vest, my dress was free. "Now Meagan, econ class has thought me that nothing is free", but alas in this case my dress was monetarily free so ha! I laugh at your econ, I'm the one with a free dress! (*In reality I truly appreciate those who work in economics and their skill with numbers is something that I will never achieve). Anyways, here's how I got a dollar outfit, and now you can too!
1. My vest came from a magical place known as Goodwill Bins in lovely Portland, Oregon. Goodwill Bins is the place where items donated to Goodwill go before the stores; it is a warehouse of wonder. At the Bins, clothing is sold like produce in a grocery store: BY THE POUND. The more you buy, the cheaper the weight is. When I went there with friends, three of us bought just over 25 pounds of clothing for 89 cents/lb. That is why my vest cost less than a dollar. Go to the warehouse that is Goodwill Bins, you will find a bounty for a few bucks.
2. My dress was also found in a bin, a donation bin in my dorm building's laundry room last year. The donation bins there, as in all residence halls on campus, are labeled "for charity"... not sure what particular charity the sign refers to, but I'm a poor college student with loans to pay back after graduation, some I'm kind of like a small charity case right? Bin digging became a social event with my hall mates every so often or just a casual look through while a did laundry and this dress is one of the best finds I've had. Others include a great euro chic sweatshirt originally from H&M, a black going out top, and more.
Being thrifty is the way to go for fashion finds. On a budget? Check out a bin/ establishment of bins, there's bound to be a treasure or two. And an economical (yay econ!) outfit is a one that looks good, with outfit envy potential, and gets you automatic brownie points in my book. What is a thrifty find you are proud of? Any other tips on how to have a sense of style without breaking the bank? Share your thoughts in the comments!
As for my style, I'll call it classy fun with a splash of (dare I say) comfort. Today's post was inspired by my outfit I'm currently wearing. It's chilly out so my look includes a wool dress, vest, and boots. Walking to my first class, I realized something: the actual clothing portion of my ensemble (meaning my dress and vest, boots aren't clothing!) cost me close to nothing. With that light bulb moment, this post was born.
So, how did my outfit today cost me almost nothing? Resourcefulness my friends. First, almost nothing means about a dollar. Yes, a dollar. And that only counts for my vest, my dress was free. "Now Meagan, econ class has thought me that nothing is free", but alas in this case my dress was monetarily free so ha! I laugh at your econ, I'm the one with a free dress! (*In reality I truly appreciate those who work in economics and their skill with numbers is something that I will never achieve). Anyways, here's how I got a dollar outfit, and now you can too!
1. My vest came from a magical place known as Goodwill Bins in lovely Portland, Oregon. Goodwill Bins is the place where items donated to Goodwill go before the stores; it is a warehouse of wonder. At the Bins, clothing is sold like produce in a grocery store: BY THE POUND. The more you buy, the cheaper the weight is. When I went there with friends, three of us bought just over 25 pounds of clothing for 89 cents/lb. That is why my vest cost less than a dollar. Go to the warehouse that is Goodwill Bins, you will find a bounty for a few bucks.
2. My dress was also found in a bin, a donation bin in my dorm building's laundry room last year. The donation bins there, as in all residence halls on campus, are labeled "for charity"... not sure what particular charity the sign refers to, but I'm a poor college student with loans to pay back after graduation, some I'm kind of like a small charity case right? Bin digging became a social event with my hall mates every so often or just a casual look through while a did laundry and this dress is one of the best finds I've had. Others include a great euro chic sweatshirt originally from H&M, a black going out top, and more.
Being thrifty is the way to go for fashion finds. On a budget? Check out a bin/ establishment of bins, there's bound to be a treasure or two. And an economical (yay econ!) outfit is a one that looks good, with outfit envy potential, and gets you automatic brownie points in my book. What is a thrifty find you are proud of? Any other tips on how to have a sense of style without breaking the bank? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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