Daffodils

It's two weeks until the bar exam, and I'm feeling a lot more at peace with it than I was at this point over the summer.  I've been very focused on practice exams for the MBE (the multiple choice section), which was where I fell short in July.  I have plenty more studying to do before the real deal, but I think my attitude is making a difference this time around.  I've been letting myself take breaks, setting realistic study schedules, and don't have to deal with the fear of the unknown (since I've taken it before).

My dear Georgetown Law friend Maya sent me a wonderful book of Daily Reflections for Bar Exam Study, which I've been reading each morning.  It has contained a lot of helpful reminders, including that the exam is not a measure of me as a person, that worrying is not productive, that it's okay to take breaks, and that I have many blessings in my life.  It's been nice to set the tone for my day with those reflections, and I will definitely be passing this book along to friends taking the exam in future years.

I haven't blogged about dating before, but with Valentine's Day around the corner, I wanted to share that I've been trying out online dating.  For a while, I've had negative views of online dating.  I felt like meeting someone online would be akin to giving up on "real" dating.  But, after watching several friends try out OkCupid and other sites, I began to realize that online dating doesn't mean you aren't still meeting people through more traditional channels.  Rather, it gives you the opportunity to meet people you might not otherwise encounter--and, that's good!

So, I set up a profile, answered a ton of questions about myself, and started receiving (and sending) messages!  So far, I've been on a couple dates with one guy who was very sweet, intelligent, and entertaining, but I didn't feel a romantic attraction, so we decided to just be friends.  I've been messaging some other interesting guys, and am excited to go on more dates.  Now that I'm back in the Bay Area, I finally feel like I don't have school or an impending cross-country move to stop me from pursuing a long-term relationship.  We'll see what happens!

Speaking of being back in California, I am really enjoying our spring weather in February.  This morning, I spotted some wild daffodils growing in our side yard, so I dug up the bulbs and potted them.  The yellow flowers add a refreshing splash of color to my desk!  Here's Alibi, being a good kitten who doesn't dig up plants (we'll see how long that lasts...):

For My Money

Being unemployed, it is a fun little form of escapism to think about how I want to spend money when I have some.  I'm not all that wrapped up in consumerism, but I do have some desires.  Here are a few big-ticket items on my wish list, in no particular order:

• A car.  As I was just discussing with Shauna, as long as I remain in suburbia, I think this has to be my next big purchase.  It doesn't have to be big, or fast, or even all that pretty.  Decent fuel efficiency would be nice.  It cannot be red.
• A DSLR.  I have a lot of fun with my little Canon PowerShot SD1300IS, and even with my iPhone in a pinch, but I know my photography will never reach its full potential until I have a better camera.
• A KitchenAid stand mixer.  My mom has one, and it makes baking magical.  Perhaps some day she'll upgrade to the larger model, and I will inherit her old cobalt blue one?  If not, majestic yellow and boysenberry are happy colors.
• A kitty condo.  The kittens quickly outgrew their 2-foot tall scratching post/hammock.  I cannot wait to have the room for a 6-foot tall tower for them to climb (hopefully in lieu of my bookcases).
• An iMac and an iPad.  These will be my next major technology purchases.  I think I'd like to transition from a laptop to a desktop computer, because the big screen is so fantastic, and I don't need to lug a laptop all over the place now that I'm done with school.  Plus, by supplementing it with an iPad, I would still have the option of mobility for basic computing needs.

Actually, now that I look at this list, I realize that I forgot to mention travel.  Perhaps I'll do a different post about the places I want to visit.  In addition, here are some smaller splurges that I would enjoy on occasion:

• Things I don't need from Etsy.  Oh, there are so many things.  Stationery, art, decorations, jewelry, cat collars, bags...
• Cultural enrichment.  I miss D.C.'s free museums and $10 tickets to the National Symphony Orchestra a lot.  Alas, the San Francisco Symphony is far more expensive.  I'd also like to attend more plays, musicals, and museums.
• Random ingredients.  I would love to have a fully stocked pantry of obscure spices.  There are dozens of new recipes that I want to try.
• Throwing dinner parties.  I really enjoy having friends over for a home-cooked meal, some good wine, and hilarious conversations.
• Books for my Kindle.  There is so much reading that I want to do.

I also like to think about where my charitable contributions will go when I have an income.  My heart always sinks when I am not able to give very much to:

• The Paulist Fathers.  Newman Hall at Berkeley was a place of profound formation for me as a Catholic.  I would love to do more to support their ministries.
• The Leadership Award.  I received this scholarship from the Cal Alumni Association three times, and it was a huge help.  I have donated time by grading application essays and interviewing applicants, but I want to help out financially as well.
• The Alzheimer's Association.  My grandmother passed away last year after suffering from Alzheimer's for years.  I intend to fight this disease by supporting the research and programs of the Alzheimer's Association.
• The Equal Justice Foundation.  EJF funded all of my summer internships while at Georgetown Law.  I want to support the next generation of public interest law students.
• All of the non-profits where I've worked/volunteered.  It will be great to give back to HomeBase, the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, and the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies.

What is on your wish list?  Which charities do you like to support?

SOPA

Hey, who turned out the lights?

Bible in a Year

I have one more resolution to add to my list: read the Bible and the Catechism in one year.  Despite working on my prayer life and finding fellowship, the reality is that scripture was somewhat absent from my life last year.  Plus, 2012 is a leap year, so that gives me plenty of extra time, right?

I started poking around for schedules for reading the entire Bible over the course of a year.  Being Catholic (and, okay, perhaps a bit of an overachiever), I wanted a schedule that included the Deuterocanonical books.  Google led me to this guide published by the Coming Home Network, which also includes a schedule to read the entire Catechism in a year!  It had not occurred to me to include the Catechism, but I love the idea.  So, I will be reading the entire Bible and Catechism this year.  Who's with me?!*

In a similar vein of long-term objectives, I will also mention that I've started a new journaling project: the One Line a Day five-year memory book.  The concept is simple: everyone has time to jot down one or two sentences of reflection about their day, no excuses.  Each page is devoted to a single day, with space for five years' worth of reflections.  So, as you continue to use the journal year after year, you get to compare what you were thinking on the same day in previous years.  I heard about the journal from Monica, and I am enjoying it so far!

* Alternately, if you don't have time to read the Bible in a year, perhaps you at least have time for Bible in a Minute?

EDIT: I modified the CHN guide to include the dates for 2012, available here.

The 2011 Eleven

2011 was a significant year for me.  Both joyful and challenging, the following eleven events sum up the most consequential moments of the year.

Resolute Reflection

Throughout law school, my list of New Year's Resolutions has been short and sweet:

• Keep in touch with friends
• Get to know D.C. like a local
• Read for pleasure
• Use my time wisely
• Pray without ceasing
• Make healthy choices

Overall, I have done pretty well with the list this year.  2011 has been a year of reconnecting with old friends, especially since moving back to California.  And, I am very pleased to be staying in touch with my D.C. friends, all of whom I miss so much.  Indeed, writing Christmas cards each year is always an exercise in counting my blessings.

I definitely got to know D.C. like a local these past three years, and this year wrapped up my D.C. to-do list.  Much was accomplished during Chris' visit on Presidents' Day Weekend.  We went to the top of the Old Post Office Tower, saw the Ghost Clock at the Renwick Gallery, watched money being made at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and went to the National Building Museum.  I also checked off some big to-do's during my family's visit for my graduation: a tour of the White House, and a visit to the Franciscan Monastery.  And, that's to say nothing of the recurring D.C. adventures I went on, including Mount Vernon, walking the monuments at night with Jess, many trips to the various Smithsonians, and quiet afternoons at the Basilica of the National Shrine.  I miss D.C., and hope that I'll have the opportunity to visit this spring.

I am happy to report that reading for pleasure has picked up this year.  Still Thinking, the virtual book club, has been a great source of accountability for reading.  This year, we read Machine of Death, Shakespeare's Kitchen, A Time to Kill, Across the Universe, Devil in the White City, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Hunger Games trilogy, and are currently reading The House of God.  I think my favorite was Machine of Death, which is an anthology of short stories inspired by this comic.  It was at once macabre, hilarious, and thought-provoking.  Plus, you can read the book online for free!  My reading also experienced a sharp uptick after I received a Kindle as a graduation present from my parents.  I was a bit hesitant about using an e-reader at first, but now I love it.  In addition to my book club books, I also read Bossypants by Tina Fey, Packing for Mars, The Pun also Rises, and am in the middle of the second book of A Song of Ice and Fire (the Game of Thrones series).  Still not nearly as many books as I used to read pre-law school, but a step in the right direction.

Using my time wisely is always a difficult resolution.  There are so many distractions in this world, and the Internet is the biggest temptation for me.  I can easily whittle away hours reading online.  However, especially in light of my upcoming bar exam at the end of February, maintaining this resolution will be of the utmost importance.

I would not go so far as to characterize my prayer life as "praying without ceasing," but there has been progress in this area of my life, most significantly this autumn as I began to meet up regularly with Monica, Ariana, and Shauna for conversations about The Holy Longing, by Ronald Rolheiser.  I am so blessed to have people in my life who challenge me to grow, and support me when I am struggling.

Making healthy choices waxes and wanes.  To be honest, it's been more difficult since I've moved home, because there is less walking in the suburbs, I don't have access to a gym, and I don't have as much control over food selection (and, keeping temptations out of reach).  However, I have been doing more cooking using healthy recipes, and my bicycle has gotten a lot of use.  Still, some room for improvement.

Accordingly, these are my resolutions for 2012:

• Keep in touch with friends
• Read for pleasure
• Use my time wisely
• Pray without ceasing
• Make healthy choices
• Try new recipes
• Do more photography
• Study Spanish

2011 was a momentous year for me in so many ways (a retrospective is forthcoming), and I cannot wait to see what 2012 will bring.  In the meantime, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Amanda's Apple Butter

My mom has a deep love for apple butter, but the stores stopped carrying her favorite brand, Mary Ellen, a long time ago.  So, back in October, I tried my hand at making my own apple butter.  The one caveat: my mom does not like apple cider--she finds it too tart--which is a common ingredient in the apple butter recipes that I found.  After reading dozens of variations on the recipe, I decided on a simple combination of apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves.  My mom loved it, and I knew I had to make more.

My mom was in heaven!

You may be wondering what one can do with apple butter.  It is very versatile.  Apple butter is great on toast in the morning, as a peanut butter and apple butter sandwich, in an apple and brie sandwich, as a glaze for pork or chicken, on vanilla ice cream, as a filling for jelly rolls, as a base layer for apple tarts, as a dip for graham crackers...  Creativity is encouraged!

This Christmas, I have decided to learn how to properly can my apple butter to give it away as gifts.  To ensure that I wasn't giving people botulism for Christmas, I did some research online, and even checked out some canning books from the library. I learned that apple butter--indeed, all fruits with sufficient acidity--can be safely processed in a water bath, rather than going through the hassle of using a pressure canner.  Boiling temperature will destroy most bacteria, yeasts, and molds in acidic foods like apple butter, and the pH level is low enough to prevent spore growth.  If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to safe canning, the USDA has a fantastic PDF, the Complete Guide to Home Canning.

In order to prepare and can the apple butter, you will need the following supplies:

Crock pot
Immersion blender (or blender)
Mason jars (I used 4 ounce jars)
Wide mouth funnel
Large pot (for the water bath)
Dish towels
Jar lifter tongs

Including chopping up all the apples, and canning, this recipe takes 19 hours from start to finish.  I recommend getting up before dawn to get started, so that you aren't up too late canning.  Or, start in the evening right before bed, so that you can wake up and add the spices in the morning.  Just don't time things poorly like I did my first time: I had to set an alarm for two o'clock in the morning to blend and jar my apple butter!