My name is Sarah, and I am a germophobe.

Today I was using the restroom at school and noticed someone walk in use the restroom, and leave without washing their hands.  Ew.  It got me to thinking as I am trying my best to avoid getting sick, that no matter how many times you wash your hands, there is no guarantee that anyone else will do the same thing.  I think that people who choose not to wash their hands after using the restroom are incredibly selfish.  Maybe some people don't care whether or not they get sick, or they don't think that they will get sick from post bathroom germs.  But I do!  Those germy people are making that decision not to be clean for themselves and everyone else.  

Gross. 

In case people need a healthy reminder:

Flashback to freshman year.

I took this picture my freshman year in Boaz pre-fabulous remodel, and have always liked it. That is all.

Tortilla Soup

My family has a recipe for tortilla soup that someone clipped out of the Houston Chronicle at least a decade ago.  For as long as I can remember we had this soup at holidays.  It would sit on the stove and we would go back for mugs full of the delicious meal. 

It had a rich tomato broth that was just a little spicy, and was full of veggies and chicken.  The best part is when you crunch up tortilla chips in the bottom and put cheese on top that thickens the broth of the hearty soup.

I love making this soup with my mom in the kitchen, dutifully cleaning the veggies for her as she said that her mom made her do it so now its her turn to make me prep the veggies.  Until the day that I was home from college, and she was somewhere with my little brother, and asked me to put it together myself.  

I paid close attention to every detail second guessing myself the whole time, carefully checking the seasoning, and making sure the bottom didn't burn.  

I will never forget that night when we all curled up on the couch as it started to snow outside, and I watched my mom take a bite of the soup.  She turned to me and said, "it's even better than mine."  At that moment, my heart was warm, and I had never felt more proud. 

Who died and made you king?

At what point does a person become a master of their art?  I have been thinking about this question while at work.  I work at a bakery, and have been working in bakeries since I was fifteen years old.  Does that make me a baker?  A pastry chef?  Or just someone who happens to work at a bakery?  

What about photography?  I have also been doing photography for years, and done quite well with it.  Does that make me a photographer?  Who decides what is good and what isn't?  At what point  does a piece become artful?  

Take for instance, this picture that I took at the Rachovsky house.  Who decided that this piece was art that was worth a bundle of money?  

With this said, I don't know if these questions can be answered I think its up to your personal opinion, but I do think it's something to think twice about.

I refuse

I refuse to be different from you.  

I refuse to wither in our sameness.

I will not allow you to define my originality.

I will give you the thoughts I wish to share.

I will keep the thoughts I wish to keep.

I am not who or what you say I am.

I am myself regardless of you.

But your judgement?

I refuse.

Before Britney went bald on us...the 90's

If I had to say what my favorite music genre was, 90's would definitely top the list.  When I say this people instantly think, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls or N'Sync, while I'm no stranger to Spice up your life, there is a whole different side to 90's music that fills my Pandora station list.  I'm talking about Third Eye Blind, Sister Hazel, Barenaked Ladies.  One personal favorite being "Roll to Me" by Del Amitri.  

I couldn't find a copy of their music video that would embed but maybe this is better because you can sing along!

There is something about the heavy acoustics, upbeat tempos, and clever lyrics that I love about everything that came from the 90's. Even looking at some of the music video's I noticed that they are so different from music videos now. Watching MTV now sometimes I feel like I am looking at soft core porn. Music videos of the 90's were clever and witty, with crazy camera work.  

With that said, go look up one of your old c.d.s and load it into your iPod, or dust of that old discman for the real 90's experience and remember a the 90's.  

Things I miss about last year.

1. Having my own cozy room in my apartment.

2. Having my own kitchen in my apartment.

3. My best friend Missy.

4.  My old hard drive.

5.  Having weekends to myself. 

I think I am smarter than a fifth grader!

Working hourly wages, and the impending doom of graduation and being completely on my own has gotten me thinking of creative ways to get money.  There is always selling your plasma, or your eggs, or surogacy, but all of those things seemed a little too extreme.

While I was at our lovely Dedman Center watching one of the individual T.V.'s and burning some calories, I flipped to the show Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?  Country music singer Kellie Pickler was on the show answering this brain teaser: 

While I laughed at poor Kellie as she struggled to think of countries in Europe. I thought, I could do that! I think I am smarter than a fifth grader! I even went so far as to look up the application.

But they come up with some seriously obscure questions, its not all second grade arithmetic, and third grade geometry. You just hope you can get through it all and end up like this woman!

I'm going to hope for good luck and send in my application! If all goes well I will get on the show win one million dollars, and buy a studio apartment in highland park or a mansion in the country!

I do my best thinking while baking chocolate chip cookies.

I thought I would start this idea blog with what it is like for me when I get an idea. That moment when you come up with a solution that makes the whole world seem brighter, clearer, better.

I think everyone has a place that they go, or a thing that they do when searching for an answer. Maybe a relaxing walk in nature, or a climb to the top of a mountain, or running as fast as they can. For me, its baking chocolate chip cookies.

I have been working in bakeries since I was fifteen years old, and obsessed with cooking for as long as I can remember. I can't tell you how many hundreds of chocolate chip cookies I have made over the years, but I can tell you that I can make twelve dozen in an hour flat. Baking is where I am in my flow state as renowned psychologist Mihalyi Czikszentmihalyi puts it. The state of mind when you are completely in your element, unaware of time, sound, other people; just you, completely focused.

When I need to come up with an idea I write down some of my thoughts, put them away, then get my mise en pois, and get to work! By the time I am done my thoughts are fresh and organized, and I have a hot plate of cookies... This makes me really wish I found my flow in running.