Rainy day.

I love the rain.  I feel very peaceful and joyful in it.  Sometimes, I even feel as though the rain has the power of rinsing every evil thing from my body, diluting each foul thought and sickening worry until it is no longer potent.  I smile, sensing my troubles sliding off of my skin, and I laugh, watching them course down the sidewalk and out of my life.

The Annapolis Sound

http://www.annapolissound.com/culture/soundtracks-09271004-playlist-artist-spotlight-jesca-hoop/comment-page-1/#comment-5712

This is a really nice playlist, and not just because I suggested the first two songs, or because one of the artists I suggested is the featured artist of the week . . . well, it might have something to do with it.

But seriously, this is a fun collections of songs.  The Annapolis Sound in general is really taking off.  Their interviews, photo essays, musings on life, and recommendations for music and events really showcase a broad range of interests in and around our city.  No surprise that many of their staff writers are graduates or current students of Saint John's College--they ask their audience to think, respect all viewpoints, and tastefully refute that which doesn't seem plausible to them.  It's an impressive site, and I have become somewhat addicted to checking it for new updates.  Here's hoping they continue to grow and flourish!

The sweet things in life.

Okay, so, life is getting more interesting.

For example . . . I made a really damn good pie.

Here's how it went down:

Coconut Custard Pie (adapted from Cooks.com)

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 C granulated sugar (I used a little less than this, and sweetened coconut.)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
A dash of nutmeg (Maybe like 1/2 tsp?  I didn't really measure.  Just shook a little in.)
2 1/2 C scalded milk (Heat milk almost to boiling, while stirring to prevent scorching.)
1 3/4 C flaked coconut (The recipe suggested unsweetened.  Screw you, recipe!)
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust, chilled
2 tbsp soft butter
1/4 C brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Beat the eggs slightly, then stir in granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg.  Gradually stir in the milk (I started scalding the milk while working on the first few directions--don't forget to stir occasionally).  Add 1 1/4 C of the coconut to the custard, and reserve 1/2 C for later.  Pour the whole yummy, messy thing into the pie crust and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted halfway between the outside and the center of the pie comes out clean, or close to it.

Oh.  You may want to pre-bake the pie crust for just a couple minutes.  Also, if you notice that the outer edges of the crust are starting to burn, cover them with strips of aluminum foil before continuing to bake. Unless you like burned crust.  Some do.  I won't judge.

So, after the pie is cooked, let it cool a little while you are putting together the topping.  Mix together the rest of the coconut (1/2 C), the butter, and the brown sugar, using a knife and fork to blend the ingredients into a crumbly mixture.  Sprinkle it over the top of the pie, if you can resist putting it right into your mouth.  Broil the pie 3 to 4 inches from the heat source for 2 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Keep your eye on it while the broiler is on, because you don't want to mess the whole thing up at this point!

Ze finished product, although the picture does not do it justice:

Yeah, the computer screen gave it a weird, blue-green glow . . . my pie is not radioactive, I swear!

So, try it.  You'll like it.

Wow.

So many possibilities, and yet, I feel so frozen in place.

Foxy Fall . . . Alluring Autumn

Mmmm, I can't get enough of this weather.  It's refreshing.  It's seductive.  It's energizing.  It makes me feel like spending the day being productive non-stop . . . and then spending the evening curled up with a good book, a warm drink, and my sweetie.

Yessss.  Nothing like it.

Patience.

I have started three different entries in the last half-hour, and deleted all of them.  I'm trying to push myself to write, not let this "journal" fall by the wayside like I have always done with every other journal I've started.

Life just isn't that exciting right now, really.   I've been catching up with friends, which has been nice, and looking at schools, which makes me feel at least a little productive.  Mostly, I've been waiting to hear back about a job position . . . and I've never been good at waiting.  I've always been more panicked than patient, which is something I am trying to change about myself.

I can't even be patient enough to try to become patient.  Ugh.

Transitions.

When I stepped outside this morning, I was startled by a distinct change in the air.  It wasn't chilly, exactly, but it certainly wasn't as hot as it's been the past few months.  There was a certain briskness, and the faintest hint of a smell that made me think, it's going to get cold.

The discovery was exhilarating, because I love fall, the gentle transition from balmy to biting, the metamorphosis of the leaves, the rituals that everyone, even the animals, goes through while preparing for the chill to come.  It was also somewhat bittersweet, readying myself to say goodbye to a summer that has been so beautiful, and so good to me.

I've never adjusted well to change.  My mom says that when I was very little, I would notice small modifications in our house, such as a moved piece of furniture, and cry and fuss until everything was returned to the way it's always been.  Change doesn't make me as sad anymore, but I am still very sensitive to it.

I am definitely looking forward to wearing fall clothes again.  If I could live in a uniform of dresses, sweaters, stockings, and boots for the rest of my life, I'd be perfectly happy.  So, change can be good.

See, I'm learning.

Roscoe, the neighbors' cat, snuck up on me just as I finished this post, and scared the bejeezus out of me.  I forgive him, though, 'cause he's kind of adorable.

Sweet thing.

And before I fall asleep. . . .

A picture of my beautiful city at sunset:

An introduction.

Well, hello there, world.

I'm Shaina.  I just graduated in May from a beautiful little college on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  I have since moved back home to the Annapolis area, and am in the process of landing a job while selecting graduate schools to apply to this fall.  I received a BSc in Psychology with a concentration in Behavioral Neuroscience, and minored in French Studies.

A peek into my life this summer: Most mornings, I would wake before everyone else in the house and say good morning to Koko, the biggest Maine Coon I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  I'd then tiptoe outside, usually still in my pajamas.  Drinking a cup of chai tea, I would water the plants and decide which vegetables and herbs to pick and use in that day's lunch.  Sometimes, a friend would call, or my sister and I would get antsy sitting in the cabin, and we would make plans to go into Downtown Annapolis.  There, we would eat sushi, sit in City Dock Coffee and watch the hipsters, walk along the harbor and point out the sailboats we wanted when we got rich, and talk about life.

I talked about life a lot this summer, mainly because I am trying to figure out how to make my own the best it can possibly be.  My goals are innumerable, and that makes it difficult to pinpoint the ideal path to reach them.  I'm getting there, though, one step at a time.

True to form, I have a lot of goals for this blog.  I want to ponder society.  I want to talk about scientific progress.  I want to critique today's educational system.  I want to discuss politics.  I want to share good books, art, music, and recipes.  And I want to talk about me and this journey I'm taking through time, at least a little bit . . . indulge me, if you'd be so kind.

Koko