Bake Sale Blunder

Tomorrow (Tuesday, December 06, 2011) my senior class was supposed to have a bake sale. I was so giddy, I had bought all my materials, including a new mixer, mixing bowls, and some espresso powder from Williams-Sonoma. However, it was cancelled upon our principal's request.

But, I did not find out until I had finished baking 2/3 of my chocolate quake cake. I was whipping my chocolate frosting when I decided to check the recipe just in case I got it wrong. So, here I was, on the internet, surfing. Tempted, I logged in to Facebook and what do you know? Four notifications. One of which included my friend informing our class that the bake sale is cancelled.

What to do? I certainly couldn't waste all this chocolate. But, have no fear! Stephanie is giving away free cake! I cannot wait to share the cake with my friends tomorrow!

My Take on the Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake

 Last night, I was bored to death because I didn't have any homework to keep me busy and I had just finished my application to Berkeley. I had planned on making the famous Red Velvet cake for so long now but, I have been holding off because I felt that I needed more time and experience and resources.

This was because I didn't have a mixer or a big enough oven (my oven is a Black and Decker hand-me-down that is over a decade old that's 5"x7"). But, it's not like I have anything better to do. So, I took my chances and just made it with whatever materials I had.

I must say, the cocoa makes the batter so fragrant that my whole  house smelled like Willy Wonka's factory. Plus, it is bright red, unlike those brownish-red you usually see in grocery stores.

Go here to see the whole process! 

We Are Family :)

Hello, readers and welcome to my blog! Today, I would like to introduce to you my outstanding and very talented cousin, who is a budding artist. Give it up for Karel (his pseudonym is Melon).

Currently, he is working on a comic project.

And so far, I'm loving what I'm seeing.

One thing I know for sure, this saying rings true:
"Humans are endowed with unlimited potential." (Yeahh..that's one corny-wisdom saying that I came up with just now.)

Roobee: My Favourite Stationery

 

Aren't these a beaut? Yes, I found them while I was scrolling down the stationery aisle at Marshall's.  

I cannot wait to stick these colorful babies in my friends' and teachers' mailboxes! 

Two things I LOVE:

1.) Mail

2.) Making people happy :)

Re-post: "The Unknown History of Red Velvet Cake"

http://www.gilttaste.com/stories/2290-the-unknown-history-of-red-velvet-cake

Fact: I wish I was a trained pianist

It's true. Ever since I caught my eye on my cousin's shiny, maple-colored Baldwin piano when I visited her in '97(I was three years old), I longed to have lessons. And to this day, I still do. During my freshman year of high school, I taught myself to play but, because of my minimal access to the piano(I had none) I practiced infrequently. On top of that, I never had the proper training. Therefore, I am just an inaccurate amateur pianist(I don't even deserve to be called that).
Each year, I try my hardest to suppress my desire to play but whenever I watch an underclassmen play so beautifully and skillfully, I was a little jealous and I wanted to play even more.
But what can I do without resources, right? Nothing, really.

So, here it is. Every time I watch a friend of mine play(or even those talented YouTube stars), I get a little sad because there is no hope for me. There is not a chance in the world that I would ever be a piano prodigy.

Self-Evaluation: This Year is Bipolar

Senior year of high school has been a roller coaster of an adventure lately. I began applying to colleges and I thought I would feel somewhat elated but no, I just feel more and more frustrated and anxious. As a seventeen year old getting ready to face the cold, cruel world I feel unprepared. I do not know what is going to happen in the next couple of months; whether I will get accepted to a university or not.
I want everyone to be proud of me but, even now, I am not sure which college best suit me. My interests tends more towards Brown, Yale, and Arcadia. However, that goes beyond my limitations. To be able to feel that I know what I'm doing would be a great comfort yet I feel so lost. Everywhere I turn there is always a game of tug of war. Influences, good and bad, are everywhere.
But, this I know:
I am not good enough.
Straight A's and a perfect GPA will not go far.
What is a mere honor roll when there are other prestigious awards?
Having rank 7 does not compare to being Valedictorian or the first three.
Plus, I cannot think outside of the box.
And I am not creative enough.

I Love My Mom, Yes I Dooo

It's amazing! No matter how much I sometimes get mad at her, I love her a million times more. I'm glad that I have her and I wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks, Mama! So, in the future to come, my mission is to give her the life she never had. My wish is to never take her for granted.

Edge of Seventeen: Senioritis

 Edge of Seventeen, was, by the way, a great song by Stevie Nicks. 

Senior year of high school went off to a great start. I love my class schedule. I love my new teachers. My goals? I'm going to take this year more seriously than I have ever before. I'm taking two and a half AP classes and I want to do well in each and every one of them. That means I want to get a 4 or a 5 in the AP Exam. No more procrastinating. No more siestas. No more relaxing. It's hammer time!

New Haircut

 

New year, new me. Right? Wrong. I'm still the same person I was since last year and the year before and the year before. It's sad. I should have changed for the better.

Library In Progress

These are what I have currently added to my library:
- Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (finally!)
- Villette by Charlotte Bronte
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison (a mandatory summer reading book)
- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
-Anne of Green Gables Collection by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- The Story Girl and other tales by Lucy Maud Montgomery

What I Would Like:
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
- Ghostwritten by David Mitchell
- the whole Jane Austen set'
- The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
- Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
- etc., etc., the list goes on and on

Anyways, I am happy to be able to get my hands on these books, all thanks to my sister.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I have very few things to say about this book except that it has many good reviews, so far. I'm excited to get it, though! (Looking for this book has been my recent obsession.)

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

So, I have never read the actual book. However, when I saw the film on PBS, I just had to read it. You know what they say, the book is always better than the movies. But, I haven't been able to find the book lately. I went to all the book stores I know in the city and it seems that they are always "out of stock." I don't know. It's not like I'm old enough to own and manage a credit card. So, no online shopping for me. Despite the numerous setbacks, I WILL find my book!

Villette by Charlotte Bronte

So far, Villette is my favorite out of the other Bronte sisters' books. I feel as if I identify with the protagonist, Lucy Snowe, and I do. As I read through the book, Lucy begins to be very endearing to me. I don't know why but, I empathize her. Maybe it's because I had several similar experiences to Lucy's.

Green Eggs and Ham, Stephanie I Am

I am very diverse with my interests. As far as my personality goes, I could be very indecisive at times, which is sometimes bad. My passion truly lies with creative writing and literature. However, I fear that if I pursue it any higher I would soon lose interest in it. Writing, for me, is spontaneous. That's why I ramble on a lot about many things.
But, seriously, I love how rich words are. Human speech and the wide range of vocabularies and language all amaze me. When films based on Jane Austen's or Charles Dickens' books came out on PBS, I would feast myself on the rich nineteenth century language. I love the character's accent and the setting, all of which makes me feel at home.
If someone asks me what my favorite book is, I would not be able to say because I like pretty much all the books that I've read, excluding several mandatory school books.
Anyways, here I go chattering away. I won't take but a minute of your time. Tootles!

Fact

I love optimism. Do you?

Fact

I don't get mad when someone gives me false hopes but I do get disappointed.

Fact

I really miss my relatives back in my homeland.

Homesick

You know that feeling

when you recognize something.

A smell, a song, a picture, 

a voice, anything.

You remember a past-time memory.

It's happened to me lots of times.

I would smell something 

like sandalwood and

suddenly, I'm back to that time when

my grandmother would

bathe me in a pool of sandalwood soap.

Or maybe I would recognize

a certain song and

the lyrics would take me to 

that long ago time.

Entranced, I would dream a dream that's

already dreamed of.

Sitting in the park, I see a bunch of people

socializing, talking, having fun.

Here, I'm thinking about my distant

relatives and how much I miss them.

I would like to return to that place

I call my home. 

That is where I belong.

But, I know that I must face reality.

So, here I am, dreaming. 

Sweet Pretense

As a growing teenager,
I would like to be able to have more freedom.
I even set limits for myself.
Sometimes I would go to places
With just a friend, my best friend.
That means only me and her.
We do not stay out until 6 p.m.
We do not stir trouble
Or cause mishaps with others.
We just want to be like other teenagers.
Why can't I make memories for myself?
Why so many restrictions?
You should not be surprised that I would
like to go and shoot myself in the head right now.
Why live when I'm not really living?
It's very pointless to me.
Every decision I make always have to
revolve around you.
You never like anything I do, anyways.
See, the good thing about old people,
even though I don't really like them,
is that they die soon.
Or maybe they're dying already.
Why do I sound so cruel?
Because I have no more room for sweet pretense anymore.

I'd Like

I'd like to say that I'm unhappy,
But they'd say that I'm ungrateful.

I'd like to say I'm sad at times,
But they'd say that I'm emo or depressed.

I'd like to trust someone with my thoughts,
But I don't want to burden them.

I'd like to do many things,
But there's not enough possibilities.

Does that mean I'm a bad person?