New Years Resolutions Update.

OK.
If you happened to read my first two posts of 2013, you'll realize that I wrote down some of my New Years Resolutions to share with you. I came up with a few more that I wrote down later but as for the original ones I wrote to you all, I am going to give you an update on what I've achieved. Some good, some ... less than good.

1. Be more open towards people and stop caring so much. YES! I am suddenly, just this year, way more confident. Maybe it's because of my status at school? Maybe I'm finally realizing that there is more to life than caring what others think because, let's be honest, they don't really give a shit. Overall, check.
2. Stop watching The Bachelor. Uh... Let's just say that I have failed this one. But get this, out of like 30 seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, only like 2 couples have made it work. I guess I'm not surprised. They have like a month to choose who to marry out of like 30 people. No, just no. Anyway, overall status on number 2, not so check. (I apologize for using "like" so many times in that paragraph). 
3. Take more photos. No! I'm really annoyed because I feel like the cameras I have are lame and crappy so I feel like it won't even be worth it. Poo bum. Also, my life is kind of boring. What could I take pictures of when I'm at school all day? Overall, uncheck.
4. Dress nicer. Hell yeah! I've worn sandals and skirts and pretty bras... Nuff said, check.
5. Be happier with self. I think so. I hardly ever have days anymore where I feel sad and generally unhappy because I think that no one likes me or something silly like that. I'm cool. I'm awesome actually and people want to be my friend so I must be doing something right. CHECK.
6. Don't be embarrassed at silly things. Oh, dear. So many embarrassing things have happened to me this year. I feel like I should tell you to make you all feel way better about your lives. About a week ago, I was eating some nuts in the library when the Grinch-like librarian told me (quite loudly, I might add, so that everyone around could hear me getting yelled at for eating some nuts) to get out so as I left, I ended up spilling those nuts all over the floor. I had to pick them up with about 20 people watching. I thought I would pass out from embarrassment. I haven't even told anyone that story because I was too shamed. Moving on. Another was when I was walking down the hallway to my next class and a sort-of friend waved in my general direction. A normal person may have just smiled and moved on, but me, being ... well, me, waved back (enthusiastically (I was in an unusually chipper mood that day)) and realized that they were waving at someone else. No. Not just any someone else. Like the hottest being I have ever seen. Just imagine Nirvana in face and pecs and hair and... well, everything form and that's your guy. He looked at me like I was butt flavored soup... (see picture below). I then crawled into a hole and died. So, overall, no. I did not overcome this and probably never will if my life continues to suck. 

So I guess you win some, you lose some, eh?
It Could Be Better

Ummm... What?

OK.
I am a couple weeks into my last year of high school and I've got to say, I didn't realize it would be so ... slack. I mean, I knew people ditched class and all but Jesus. There's also this thing called Peer Support which means that people volunteer to show around the freshmen and generally support them with things like Athletics day and camp. I was starting to regret not doing it when I realized how much school they miss! I mean, I'm ahead in all of my classes because no one shows up. I'm feeling really confident grade-wise.
You would think that with it being the last year before the rest of your life, people would step up a bit but whatever, I guess it's their life. I am determined to make the most of it and try my very hardest.
Nerdy, I know, but I feel like I am only doing subjects that I can really excel at so bring it on expectations, I'm coming for you.

Happiness flows through my veins and fills my heart with warmth.

OK.
Today, I feel happy. I'm not quite sure why. I mean, a few things add up, just little things. Without even realizing it I guess. I love it when that happens.
It's usually on Sunday. Is that weird?
I can understand why others may have a mild hatred towards Sunday but I have always loved them. They are always (well with me anyway) relaxing and filled with exactly what I need to get me through a long week. I mentally prepare myself with what I need to do. Things such as notes and plans, goals even. Goals just for the week. They are essential to my survival. Planning the week is way more fun then actually living it...
I also find what I do during the week ... fun. I like the subjects I have chosen and find them truly interesting, addicting, inspiring. I want what I feel now, right at this moment to appear in the rest of my life. Maybe not all the time. That may be a bit much to ask. You also cannot live without sadness or rejection because then you would never grow and become stronger.
Every moment would be the same so no moment would be great compared to the next.
I still don't have much clue as to what I want to do...
I have ideas but I always feel as if I could never make it. Like only a few people make it and I could never be that or become that. Hmmm...
It Could Be Better

15 facts about ME.

OK.
Happy Valentine's day! I hope all you couples had a lovely time and just know, I hate you all and I hope all you singletons had a joyous time together, dissing the dreaded holiday. I know I did.
To get back into the spirit of normal day loneliness, I thought I would share with you, 15 facts about me, just me and only me...

1. I love the sound of seagulls.
2. I hate the feeling of the bottom of my feet.
3. My most self-conscious feature is my armpits...
4. My favorite animal is an elephant.
5. I was a 9 pound baby (and I was 2 weeks early).
6. I have size 11 feet. (Let Us Just clear up now that I'm not a giant, nor super fat).
7. One of my pet peeves is when people fish for compliments.
8. Another pet peeve is when people don't accept the compliments that they are given.
9. I would rather be cold than hot.
10. I love Pixar movies.
11. I think black and white photos are stunningly beautiful.
12. I do not tan, I freckle, which I have grown to love about myself.
13. I recently lost 22 pounds over the course of 2012.
14.  My favorite flowers are white lily's.
15. I love to read and could not live without my Kindle.

Well, if you are ever feeling down or sad about anything, just come here and I will probably make you feel better about yourself.
It Could Be Better

Life. Once again you bite me in the butt.

OK.
First of all, I have chosen to stay an anonymous blogger. Yay. Party for one. It seems a little too homey now to change it in any way. I also don't want anyone to make connections from rambling worry wart to me.
Next point has to do with me rambling on about life... again.
This time, I'm going to worry about becoming a grown up. As of four-ish days ago, I began my last year of high school. As fun as it is being a senior, it gets me thinking about what will happen in a year or 5 years. I mean, it seems like not to long ago I was starting high school and in less time it took to get here, to where I am now, I will be leaving and deciding what to spend the rest of my life doing and moving out and paying my own bills and supporting myself with money that I earn from a job that I will have to spend everyday doing, like school, but worse. AH! Geez Louise. I can't even say things like that because what grown up says things like that and is still taken seriously?
Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
I'm really trying to enjoy what's left of my easygoing life before I have to actually do any of that but it is kind of hard with that elephant looming around the corner.
I think I'm going to go to bed. With these wonderfully calming thoughts nesting in my brain, I'm gunna drift off nicely.
'till next time, It Could Be Better

I JUST DON'T KNOW.

OK.
Google +...
   Google +...
      Google +...
Is it really worth it?
I quite like the idea of staying anonymous but it does offer more opportunities right?
Everyone will know who I am.
Garrrr! What do I do?!!!
I mean, there's a reason why I haven't even considered it in months. I'm comfortable this way. I'm "It Could Be Better." That's just who I am on Blogger. The real me would be a completely different person. It Could Be Better would be lost. :( I don't want to lose my online persona.
It Could Be Better

Ask Me, Pro Baker.

OK.
So yesterday, I decided I would bake something. I was looking through some recipe's, trying to decide which option looked delicious enough for me to handle. I came across Cinnamon Buns!

Buns:
120g butter
4 cups self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of mixed dried fruit
1 tsp cinnamon
Glaze:
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 tsp gelatine

I have always loved these so I was super excited to make them. I figured, how bad could it be. They are basically rolls of bread filled with goodness. However, I was stupid enough not to look at the instructions beforehand, so when I started to prep, I realized that I was in a little over my head. I also realized that the 5 stars above the recipe didn't mean that it was really good (which I'm sure, if you did bake it right, it would be) but that it was in fact very hard and for super bakers, which, let's clear up now, I am not.

So I put all my ingredients on the counter and read the first instruction:

 "In a food processor, chop 60g of the butter with the flour and salt."

So this instruction set me up bad from the beginning. What do they mean? Do I put the butter in a bowl with the flour and salt and then chop it? Or since it's in a food processor, do I let that do the work. Wtf. I went with the chop it in a bowl with the flour and salt, which was hard and probably not the option they meant. Just to inform you now, they did not tell me to melt it in any way and it was rock hard. In addition to the dry ingredients sticking to it, it was like Mission Impossible 21.

"Mix to a firm dough with the milk."

 So I was mixing and mixing and it looked pretty OK until I looked over the ingredients and realized, like an idiot, that I had put regular flour in the mix. Go ahead. Look up at the list. Yeah. So I ran to my laptop and looked up what the ratio was with flour and baking powder in self-raising flour and I put what I thought was a good amount in my dough. Let us wait and see my friend...

"On a floured surface, roll dough out into a rectangle of about 1cm thickness."

If any of you have ever rolled out dough, you will know that its final shape is nothing like a rectangle. Maybe more of a mutant oval with tumors. So I had to go out of my way to cut and shape and make it seem like a rectangle. In the end, it was a vague rectangle shape but the thickness was not 1cm all around. I thought YOLO, and moved the heck on.

 "Cream the remaining 60g of butter with the brown sugar and spread this onto the dough. Sprinkle with the mixed dried fruit and cinnamon."

Learning from my previous butter mishap, I softened it slightly and it worked like a charm. Spreading it onto the dough was not so easy. It sounds like the sweetest step in the whole recipe but no. It kept lumping up and sticking to one part of the dough so if I happened to put some mixture onto one section, there was no getting it off without killing my dough. Let us just say that some buns will be more flavorful than others. Moving on.

"Roll lengthwise, so you have a long sausage. Cut into 14 or 15 slices and place on a greased or paper lined sponge-roll tin. Bake for 30 minuets at 180 degrees Celsius." 

Now, I wasn't quite sure what a "sponge-roll" tin was so I used an average baking tray and figured it would work pretty well. The picture supplied looked exactly like a baking tray. Maybe "sponge-roll" tins have special powers or something.
While it was baking, I made the glaze.

"Put all the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until dissolved. Brush over the cooked buns while still hot. Cool in the tin and pull apart when cool enough to handle."

I wasn't quite sure what type of gelatine they meant, so I used a lime flavored one because it was the only kind in my pantry...
When I took the buns out of the oven, I realized that I had become a mother. A mother to 15 mutant cinnamon buns. Seriously! They were ridiculously large. I guess I put to much baking powder in...

Anyway. That is my sad saga of baking. You now all know that I am truly gifted in the kitchen and if you ever want any tips, don't be shy to ask. :)
(They actually still tasted pretty good even though I was eating my monster babies.)
It Could Be Better