Val Bromann
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Posts from January, 2009



breaking all the rules



I have a steadfast rule against baking from boxes. I would much rather put in a little effort and bake from scratch. Mind you, I have NONE of the qualities a baker needs. I am a complete wreck and get flour all over and don’t measure properly and have no patience. But things usually turn out fine. I do have one major exception to that rule that is Jiffy muffins. Because Jiffy muffins (blueberry or corn) are both amazingly delicious. Anyways. So I wanted to bake for the Superbowl but don’t have a lot of time (or money) so I decided to try out this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies from Betty Crocker via Bakerella. They looked soooo yummy. And, well, I figure if you combine two different mixes it’s kind of equal to baking from scratch…right? (When I got to the store they actually had a one box mix for these exact brownies…so I get bonus points for not just buying that!)

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I forgot how easy and quick and clean baking from a box is. I mean, I still screwed everything up by forgetting to soften the butter and then melting it in the microwave and then using it anyways.

I had to make them tonight because I am totally busy the rest of the weekend. Hope they taste good come Sunday! (but you have no idea how much I just wanted to take spoonfuls of it right out of the oven!)

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done and done



Walter: “So where was everyone when they didn’t put a ♥ between my face and “MEN”?”

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glow little gloworm glow



chapter 1
Ruby drank wine like a kitten, short laps of her tongue so that the liquid absorbed right into her taste buds, bypassing her lips, her gums, her teeth. She had all kinds of theories like that it made her less drunk or that it cut down on cavities or that it was dietary. Really though I knew that she knew that it made her look sexy and innocent and demure all in one sip.

chapter 2
I blame the chicken pox. And my sister for giving me the chicken pox. And my mother for not letting me play with Birch in the second grade when he had the chicken pox. Because if I hadn’t gotten them or my sister hadn’t given them to me or I had had them long ago, before I even knew Ruby and Mike and Caitlin and had had them in second grade like a normal person and not during sophomore year homecoming none of this would have happened.

- Lovesnow

***

I would like to thank JoeJoe for being a consultant. Because otherwise I don’t think I could think of a career that keeps someone travelling so much.

***

As horrendously busy I have been over the last week, let’s just be glad I am not in charge of content on the state’s website!

***

Reason 5,897,938 I should never go into Target alone:
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Gloworm!


Hat!

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calming down



blah. my last week has been blah-y.

but starting Friday I will be crazy busy with tons of fun stuff for the next week!

Friday: Jen’s in Chicago? maybe something?
Saturday: Baby Shower Part 2 and then heading to champaign for Lindsay’s party
Sunday: Naperville for a Super Bowl Par-tay
Monday: Hopefully launching the site!
Tuesday: 24 night?
Wednesday: 5-hour opera
Friday: Fantasy of the Opera!
Saturday: Lighting class

Busy bee!

Since I haven’t been very fun over the last week, here are some more pics from my birthday that I stole from Emily’s facebook page:

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choose my adventure



1. I have worked 12-14 hour days every single day for the last week. And I don’t think I have gone to bed before 1am in a long time. I’m fucking tired so I came home at 5 today and plan to pretty much pass out after Idol. I still have a huge list to do but need a break. Plus looks like launch has been pushed back to Monday, and since I was scrambling to finish everything today, I can probably finish everything else no problem at work tomorrow.

2. Monday I took a semi-break by bringing my laptop to Joelina’s to work while watching 24. 24 night is now House/24 night so I guess I now watch House.

3. There were fur protestors outside the opera house yesterday.
My first thought: “Damn, where is the woman in the hat!”
My Second thought: “Hmm,, I am walking right behind two women in fur coats and another is walking towards me.”
My third thought: “Wait a minute…I am wearing fur too!”

4. It looks like JoeJoe is pushing back his big rafting trip until next 2010. That pretty much clears my travel schedule for the year. I am contemplating what I should do. I was planning on taking a long weekend out to Seattle to visit Scotty. I might extend that to a week now, becuase I love Scotty but I am sure we don’t have similar ideas of fun in Seattle so I would then get more time to visit with him AND explore on my own. Or I was considering driving to Austin. No reason. Or maybe I will go to surf camp in Mexico…but I need to learn to swim before I do that. Or…I dunno. Anyone have any thoughts? Or suggestions? Or anyone want to go anywhere for any amount of time?

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