A Starzipan Summary

Currently in Aloha, Oregon.

On Monday, December 29th, I will leave for Spokane, Washington by car.

Staying in Spokane until Saturday, December 3rd, when I will return to Aloha with Ben.

Being driven back to Olympia on Sunday, December 4th by one of my parents. 

Winter Quarter starts on Monday the 5th! :-D

Happy Holidays

I got some delightful gifties for Christmas. 

Specifically:

*from Ben:

-An adorable Hello Kitty t-shirt

-Settlers of Catan expansion pack

-a Postsecret book

*from my relatives in MA:

-Silly boot-like knit brown slippers

*from Steve and Wan:

-a Chiang Mai t-shirt

-a pink t-shirt with a pretty design with beads

*from Dad:

-Sorel waterproof snow boots

-a fleece Marmot jacket(very warm)

-chocolate

*from Kent and Lannie:

-a kit of things to make sushi with(fish not included)

And my best gift is that I've managed to borrow a car to drive to Spokane! I will leave on Monday morning :-). Ben and I will drive back together on Saturday the 3rd!

Snow Days

It's snowy as all get out here in the Portland Metro Area. I think this might be the most snow I've seen here at any one time. 

I drove home yesterday and it was intense. Ben and I borrowed Mom's car and drove home to Olympia on Friday. Then Saturday morning I drove him up to SeaTac and it was lovely and sunny and a beautiful sunrise and all that. We had some airport food for breakfast and then I left when he got into the security line, pulling out onto I-5 south around 10:15am. Got into Oly in about an hour and stopped by my house because I forgot my snow pants. Was back on the road by 11:15, took me about 15 minutes to get back on the freeway *grumble grumble should have taken 5 grumble grumble*. The road remained clear and easy for a while and then at some point the snow started really coming down and the temperature dropped to the point that the road was teh icy. Ended up doing a 180 while trying to switch lanes. The snowdrift in between the lanes caught me and spun me around on the icy road. Kept my hands on the steering wheel and my foot on the brake and waited until the car stopped and then turned myself back around and continued on. It mysteriously was just wet pavement around Longview but it got icy again. All in all, I drove for about 4 hours and finally got home to Mom's house around 2:30. Both my parents were worrying fiercely. I passed out in Mom's bed and only woke up once when Ben called to chastise me for not calling to let HIM know that I'd gotten home safely(I'd called him once during the drive to tell him about the 180). Slept until about 8. 

Now I'm here at Mom's house in Aloha having slept 10 more hours last night and I'm gonna go take a shower and continue to wonder what Essie and Ainsley and Candice and Tyler are up to on this lovely snow-filled day. Candice is pretty much off he hook as I imagine she can't safely get down the hill, but Ains and Essie are just down the street from me! Let's have some fun!

Bummer

Apparently Portland is all snowed in and there are only a couple of ice crystals on the cars and fence up here. This sucks.

Hannah isn't coming up to visit so the only way Ben and I are going to be able to make it down to Portland is on the train because my mom hates driving up here in good weather, much less snow, and Dad is working. 

And Hannah isn't visiting. That really sucks. 

The week!

This evening, Ben, Alex, Casey and I went on a date to the Iron Rabbit, which I definitely recommend if you want to go out to a nice meal(appetizers are all around 10 bucks, entrees 11 to 20 or so). I had a delicious cheeseburger, fries, and a Caesar salad, and we all shared the artichoke pesto dip. Yum!

Tonight Ben and I are going to the 11:30 pm improv show in Lecture Hall 1 on campus. It should be very good.

Tomorrow Ben and I will most likely be going to The Nutcracker, because a guy that Ben and I know from school is in it! His name is David Hunter and he has "TAKE ONME" on his knuckles and a hippogriff on his chest. Amazing. There are shoes at 2 and 7:30 and I think we're gonna do the 7:30. 

Sunday Hannah is coming up for a visit! We'll all go to "Book of Liz" at 7pm. It's a play written by Amy and David Sedaris and directed and performed by some of our beloved comedy people. It's also in Lecture Hall 1. 

After the weekend, Hannah is staying around until Tuesday afternoon, when she will drive Ben and I down to Portland with her. Ben and I will crash at my dad's place(he is staying at grandma's and I don't want to have to explain to her every five minute who Ben is nor have her terrified in the middle of the night by a strange man in her house, and Mom's air mattress popped and that was the only spare bed she had, so it's off to my empty house to sleep on my twin bed :-)). We'll stay until Friday when we'll borrow a car and drive back up to Olympia, stay here that night, and then I'll drive Ben to SeaTac on Saturday to catch a plane to Spokane. 

Wheee!

Star Vs. Babeland and Star wins!

I win, because I do this for FREE!!!

Babeland Party    

A Babeland Party is a lot like a Tupperware party, but with sex toys!  Our Babeland Party Presenter(s) will lead you and your guests on a fun-filled sex toy tour.  Our presentation will last for approximately one hour and will include sex tips, tricks and techniques, our favorite product selection (vibrators, games, books, oils, etc.), and additional time for you and your guests to make purchases.  The cost of a Babeland party starts at $150, depending on the location. Download and print theBabeland Parties brochure (pdf).

Events this weekend

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Riot To Follow Productions(run by mostly Sketch/Improv people) is putting on a play written by Amy and David Sedaris called "The Book of Liz". It's at 7 PM each of the three nights. 

Friday at 11:30 PM is the "almost midnight" improv show. They should both be delightful and I highly encourage you to attend.

Today was a day for fixing my computer

Well I took my computer to ResNet today and Evan installed the new fan and I am using it. It hasn't overheated yet, keep your fingers crossed.

Tomorrow I have my class potluck in the morning and I am bringing an apple pie that I'm going to make tonight. I make really good apple pie. My only qualm is that I will not be able to share it with Ben tonight, because I'll want a good presentation tomorrow. Alas! 

Also, why will no one respond to my pleas for Passion Party hosting? Is it because you have no real excuse and don't want to lie to me? That is lame. You should either host one or at least acknowledge that I exist and am trying to make my business work. I really need this to work and for that to happen, I need people to host parties and invite people that I don't already know. Then those people will see how fun your party is(because it will be fun) and then THEY book parties, and their parties will be ENTIRELY made up of people I don't know. Then I'll be able to book party upon party instead of sitting here like an idiot while my friends ignore me. Guilt-tripped, yet?

Hannah is amazing

So my friend, Hannah, creates the cutest most adorable little creatures and is a Goddess of the Fiber Arts.

She has outdone herself and made these chickens.



I stand in awe.

Holidays

Next week is Evaluation Week which means no classes and people start going home for Winter Break. Ben is staying around until the 21st(Saturday) and so shall I. Although there is a possibility of a mid-week visit to Portland.
Tomorrow I would like to bake a pie. Yesterday I made Pumpkin Scones and Pumpkin Muffins.
Oh, also tomorrow I shall make Smoky Pumpkin Soup. It will be a wholesome day.

Also, you should REALLY book a Passion Party with me ASAP. There's only a couple weeks left to order Christmas presents(I can just mail you a catalog if you don't want to do a party) and parties are the best way to earn hostess credits and discounts so you can get your stuff for CHEAP! Plus, I will give you free things, like a full size Spice Lubricating Massage Lotion, just for hosting a party. Please email me at star.bjorge@gmail.com. Do not call, my phone is turned off due to unpaid bills. I can't get a new account, because my mom's and my account was randomly put under my name, so the debt is in my name too. Le sigh. But certainly, email me.

Winter Quarter

Tomorrow I register for classes for next quarter. If all goes as planned, my schedule will include these two:
Evolutionary Ecology
Winter and Spring quarters
Faculty: Karen Hogan ecology
Academic web site: academic.evergreen.edu/curricular/biohe/evoeco.html

Major areas of study include evolution and ecology.
Class Standing: Sophomores or above; transfer students welcome.
Note: This 12-credit program will meet from 6 to 9:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. on five Saturdays each quarter (winter: Jan. 10, 24, Feb. 7, 21, Mar. 7; spring: Apr. 4, 18, May 2, 16, 30).
The year 2009 marks Darwin’s 200th birthday, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. In winter quarter, we’ll focus on Darwin’s contribution to our understanding of evolution. We will read works by and about Darwin, including The Voyage of the Beagle and The Origin of Species. We’ll also study some of the work by Darwin’s contemporaries, and learn about the scientific and cultural context of Darwin’s work. In spring quarter, we will study ecology from an evolutionary perspective. Fundamentally, this means that ecological interactions can be best understood by looking at how adaptations of the organism (form, physiology, behavior) interact with its environment (physical conditions, competition, predation, etc.) to influence the organism’s evolutionary fitness (reproductive success). We’ll investigate how the perspectives of evolutionary ecology can cast light on applied problems such as conservation biology, global change, and other issues.
Credits: 12 per quarter
Enrollment: 25

American Sign Language I
Credits: 4
CRN: 20173
Faculty: Anne Ellsworth
Days & Times: 3-5p Tue & Thu
Location: Lab II 2207
Enrollment: 30
In this course, students will learn basic finger-spelling, vocabulary, conversation sign and ASL grammar. Introduction to deaf culture includes invitations to participate in Deaf Coffee and other Deaf activities on campus and in the community.


For a total of 16 credits.
So that's
Monday: 6-9:45 pm
Tuesday: 3-5 pm
Wednesday: 6-9:45 pm
Thursday: 3-5 pm
And sometimes Saturday: 9 am-4:50 pm

Pumpkin Scones with Icing

Hannah sent me this recipe from
http://bread-and-honey.blogspot.com/2008/11/pumpkin-scones.html

Ingredients:
For the Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons half-and-half or milk
1 large egg
For the glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
2 tablespoons whole milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.

Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular pieces of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 14 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

To make glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a brush to paint the glaze over the top of each scone.


Thank you, Hannah!