You can dance if you want to...

I've seen many Nutcrackers in my time and still love the story! I love Clara's battle with the Rat King, I love the Spanish dance and the Russian dance..oh and the Chinese...oh oh and the Arabian! The whole second act is amazing, and so is the first. The Snowflakes are always beautiful, and even if they aren't the music is stunning. I even love the Fantasia versions, who couldn't love the little mushrooms or be entranced by the angel fish.

Each production is different and offers a new take on a timeless classic with endless fantastic interpretations. This is traditionally the biggest show of the season gets the most financial and creative attention. Each production reflects the talents and focus of each company, so no two Nutcrackers will ever be the same making it fun to see over and over again. The choreography of the Texas Ballet is incredible, the Austin Ballet is...awful actually, and the Denver Ballet is hilarious.

This was the funniest version I have ever seen. The mice were hilarious, the Russians were amusing, and the highlight was the Chinese dragon that had every kid in the audience laughing.

Alex liked it too!

Now for the harsh part, their focus on comedy was apparent. Clearly this was meant as a family event. However, I do not think that kid-friendly conflicts with challenging choreography. The Spanish dance was forgettable, as was the Marzipan. Dances that are traditionally duets were trios, and the additional dancer was never beneficial. The Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier were disappointing at best. Actually no, the were even more awful then their terrible choreography. They first had a two minute dance, then the Fairy danced for a minute, then the Cavalier, and the two of them again. I was surprised by the Cavalier's sloppy performance since his bio boasted his training with the Kirov Ballet Academy. The only greater waste of time was the female dancer in the Russian trio who was literally wearing heels and did no dancing whatsoever. And yet the greatest annoyance was this, they called him the Mouse King! He is the Rat King, has always been, will always be, can only ever be The Rat King. Having been a mouse with rats and a rat king, I have a big ole soft spot for these guys. And despite this terrible faux-pas, it is because of them that I can wholeheartedly recommend this show.

I would absolutely recommend this as a family outing. The mice/rat are hilarious! The Dragon was fun! This is a great first ballet for anyone, and a perfect first experience for any kid to be introduced one of the most beautiful art forms.  

Also they had a photographer available to take Christmas photos, so that was fun.

The eyes of Texas are upon your debt: Collegiate Cost Analysis

Today I read and reposted an article entitled, 'Don't Even Get Me Started Mythical Bootstraps Student' that proposed it was not possible, or at least extremely implausible, for a student without familial support to graduate from college debt free. The article was challenged on having too high of expected tuition and board, the author used the one in their city (University of Washington in Seattle). The author also concluded that anyone that graduated ten years ago could not relate because the numbers had changed too greatly- this was also challenged. So, I decided to do my own research.

I wanted to find out for myself the numbers behind today’s higher education landscape. So, I have pulled information for both flagship and satellite schools in both metropolitans and small towns. I have focused on one state to eliminate the policy differences between states, and I chose Texas because it is the greatest of all the states. University of Texas at Austin will represent a flagship university in a metropolitan; Texas A&M at College Station represents a flagship university in a small town; University of Texas at Dallas represents a satellite in a metropolitan; and Stephen F. Austin (SFA) represents a small university in the middle of nowhere.

I expected UT-Austin and UT-Dallas to have higher living costs, A&M and SFA to have higher transportation cost, and for tuition to be highest at UT-Austin and A&M because these are the larger universities. All of these numbers are from CollegeBoard.

	UT-Austin	A&M	UTD	SFA
Tuition & Fees	$9,794	$8,424	$11,168	$7,344
Books	$874	$1,340	$1,200	$1,107
Room and Board	$10,422	$8,200	$8,364	$8,186
Transport	$1,200	$500	$1,400	$2,800
Personal Expenses	$2,424	$2,262	$1,936	$1,729
Total	$24,714	$20,726	$24,068	$21,166

The most and least expensive schools are the two flagship schools. There may be wiggle room in the bottom three categories, but CollegeBoard has more time, resources, and man power to do that research so I’ll let it slide.

I'll also note that UT-Austin and A&M have significantly more opportunities for their students with a tie of 108 majors. SFA offers a respectable 70 majors, however has no engineering department. UT-Dallas comes in at fourth with 43 majors, however has no civil or chemical engineering despite generally being seen as an "engineering school." 

From my experience of living in Austin near campus I can attest that rent has skyrocketed in a very short time. In the span of one year my friend’s 300 sq ft studio’s rent went from $400 to $700, while my 400 sq ft studio went from $550 to $900. Neither one us could afford to stay. So I tried to live in student housing in East Austin for $400 a month including bills. Turned out it wasn’t really student housing. My roommates include a forty-year old woman who frequently entertained young gentleman and a drug dealer. In my complex, which was near several just like it, there was one murder I knew about, several beatings, and daily drug deals.

In addition to having the lowest yearly cost, College Station also has the lowest unemployment rate, at just above 5% it is great, and it is significantly better than Dallas and Richardson, 8.6% and 7.1% respectively. Nacogdoches and Austin round out the unemployment rates at 6.5% and 6.3%- all lower than the national rate of 9.1%. So, if a student is hoping to find a job during college A&M is the best job environment. However, the data does not include the salary or educational requirements of the available jobs. So, those numbers may not be as bleak or as hopeful as they seem.

I saw a commenter detail how they had put them self through college ten years ago and would only allow the concession that some people don’t have her work ethic. Someone else said there would be some increased difficulty, but did not seem to think the increase was significant. So how much has tuition increased in the past ten years at UT Austin? Try 134%! In an article written in UT Austin’s campus paper ‘The Daily Texan’ Collin Eaton wrote the article entitled, ‘ U. Texas tuition rates increased 134% in last decade.’ To the point and easy to find when googling, “Texas tuition increase over past decade” thank you Mr. Easton. In 1999 tuition to UT-Austin was $4020, in 2010 incoming freshman paid $9418. From 1990 to 2003 the yearly increase was 13% and from 2003 to 2009 there was an 8% increase.

Then there’s community college. Room and board, books, and personal expenses would stay nearly the same, transportation would increase in most cases as a car would likely be necessary, but tuition would decrease. The national average tuition for a full-time student at a community college is $2713- a $4631 savings. But the question a student has to ask is, will attending community college affect my chances of being accepted into a 4-year university, and my research answers yes.

An entering freshman has a 47% chance of being accepted to UT-Austin compared to the 41% chance on a transfer student. UT-Dallas, however, has a 15% increased chanced from the 50% acceptance rate of freshman. At Texas A&M, the least expensive of the four, the school that ties for available majors, decreases from an acceptance rate of freshman at 69% to a 48% acceptance of transfer students.

New York Times reported that two-thirds of 2008 graduates left school with debt, a significant increase from the less than half of graduates in 1993. Of the students in debt in 2008, most had at least $24 000 in debt.

Location and college size does not make a difference among the four four-year universities, and attending a community college may make it difficult to be accepted to a four-year university to complete a degree. Lack of willpower, diligence, or work ethic is not enough to explain two thirds of students graduating in tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt. It is far more likely that the debt is due to the drastic increase in tuition over the past decade.   

Yeah, Eh, Nah: Lip Gloss

Yeah

Yes to Carrots

6.49, Target

I love this lip gloss! Its hydrating, pigmented, and long lasting. There are not too many colors, but they are all worth having...although I personally have only bought 'Playful Nude.'

Eh

Origins Liquid Lip Color

15, Origins Retail Stores

I actually really like this product and have used it for years. It has a minty, tingly feeling that is refreshing during a Texas summer. The pigmentation varies with the colors but is generally pretty good. My favorites are 'Soft Sizzle' and 'Prim and Copper.' However, it gets an 'Eh' because the price is ridiculous, especially with 'Yes to Carrots' lip gloss on the market. 

Nah

NYX

 source
5.49, Ulta

This lip gloss seems to have a cult following, people absolutely swear by this product and I do not know why. The pigmentation is decent for the thirty seconds you'll be willing to have this stickiness on your lips.

Now we come to bring thee honor...

Graduation season has come and gone, another year of young minds eager to learn from their own mistakes unleashed onto the world. My high school graduation was long, I didn't know most of the people, and I spent most of the time reading 'Dante's Inferno' which I had hidden under my robe.

The principal began the ceremony by letting us know that "As [he] was working out at the gym this morning, [he] thought of all of [us]...."

The salutatorian mocking that great man by reminding us we were "world class mavs" (a phrase thrown at us at every morning announcements, football game, soccer game, and chess meet), and mentioning a local radio morning show because "they said they would give me 50 bucks if I did." And then our rather red and irritated principal got back up to wag his finger and tell him to "take this more seriously."

Some people, however, had pretty awesome speeches...and I have gathered my three favorites here. I would suggest to any principal or valedictorian to use a large projector and play one of these at their next event...you could even voice over whenever they mention the school name and get the computer class to photoshoot the school mascot and colors into the video. If nothing else steal the transcript outright and you too can be as brilliant as these three comedians.

Coming in at number 3 is Ellen Degeneres at Tulane.

Second, but not first, is Eugene Mirman at Lexington High School.

At least make it to 2:45 on this one...gold, comedic gold.

And always the greatest, at number 1 is Conan O'Brien at Dartmouth.

What's the deal with this Pop life?

A&W Root Beer and Cantaloupe have been my two favorite things since I was really little.

By the way, just so you're warned, root beer does not exist on the British Isles..there's only ginger beer. So when I traveled to Scotland, on a red-eye 6-hour train from London, I saw the most beautiful thing- an 'A&W' restaurant sign. I ran in my high heels, waited patiently in line, ordered my elixir, and was told "the root beer machine is broken." What?! What does that even mean? A root beer machine? I'll gladly mix the syrup and carbonated water myself. Alas, it would be many more months before I and my love would be reunited in holy thirst-quenching matrimony.

For now I can visit it at the store whenever I want. And visit only I shall because Alex and I have kicked the corn syrup habit. I'll have to post later about the details of why and how, but for a year now we have eaten Organic and Fair Trade. When we go out to eat we focus on going to Chipotle and Grazing Cow (an all grass feed beef burger joint in Plano).

In the interest of full disclosure we did learn that it was necessary to have a corn syrup item on occasion, because when we went out to eat with other people or out to dinner parties we got sick. Our bodies were not used to the processed foods anymore and rejected it. So after a few tummy aches we found a balance...Pineapple soda and Slurpees :)

Root beer, however, and the search for the one, true perfect blend has become my hobby for the past few months. I have not found it yet, but I can review a few that I have tried.

First up: Boylan

Overall, I like this one. It has a strong caramel undertone and after taste, so much so that I would predict if you did not like caramel you would not like this root beer. It is not too sweet, but I have found that cane sugar versions usually aren't.

World Market, Individually $1.99

Next: Thomas Kemper

The honey is apparent, so if you do not like honey, skip this one. However, if you enjoy honey in your tea or on a warm biscuit you will love this. In fact, I would suggest pairing this with a honey biscuit just to highlight the unique undertone.

Whole Foods, 4-Pack $4.99

Last: Oogave

Using Agave as a sweetener is the latest trend in the anti-corn syrup world, but after trying this I'll gladly sign an "Agave for Tequila Only" petition. To say it was awful is not enough, scarring, torturous, doubting my own sanity. Avoid. There are those who do not consume sugar, and for those people this may be their only option. To those people I say, drink water.

Whole Foods, 4-Pack $4.99

You can be my hero...

I met Stephan Pastis.

Comics are even more hilarious when read by the creator.

Signing my calendar on the "wonderful day we met"

Witty. Handsome. Creative. Dreamy.

I met my hero.

Relax, just do it..

Ways to fix a bad day:

1. Blast KC and the Sunshine band...at midnight or late afternoon, its never too soon
2. Put up the blinds and throw open/ slide up the windows, let the sunshine pour in!
3. Bake cookies..chocolate, chocolate-chip, chocolate-chip with oatmeal..so many options
4. Eat the products of #3, preferably with vanilla ice cream

5. Lie outside, like a starfish, in the grass
6. Put on make-up and put on a favorite outfit- sometimes a girl just needs to feel pretty.
7. Vintage day! listen to Frank on vinyl and watch a Jimmy Stewart film
8. Hot showers, also see: how to cure any ailment  (including toothaches)
9. Play with pets, watching Toby get so excited about me throwing a stick or Hugh and Fitz chase after string can make me smile in an instant
10. Cuddle, I prefer with my hubby, but Toby makes a good substitute

 This is how Alex found me after I found out about a terrible test grade.

....And if none of that works..have a margarita

..lots of margaritas

Love means never having to say you're sari...

...and I will never apologize for my love of Indian culture. My favorite drink is Chai, my favorite movies include Davidas; Jodhaa Akbar; and B-L-A-C-K; I know that Aishwarya Rai is the most beautiful women in the world; and I'm on the look out for a single Hindu girl for my friend so that I can wear a sari to his wedding...by the way if you know anyone please let me know...or directly contact Chinmay Patel (you'll find him at Medical School and /or helping old people across the street, as he does everyday on his way to volunteer work).

And, I made my very own Potato and Pea Samosas!

Dough:
2c flour
6T water
4T oil

Filling:
2 medium russet potatoes
1 medium onion
1c green peas
7 shakes of garam marsala
5 shakes of chili powder
4 shakes of ginger powder
2 dashes of salt

Mix the dough ingredients and set aside.

Boil the potatoes, let them cool, then dice them into roughly 1/4 in cubes.

Chop and saute the onion. 

Mix the onion, potatoes, peas and all the spices in a large bowl. Sample the mixture until you get the spices just how you like them.

Press out a 3-4in circle of dough. Add 1-2T of filling to the center. Fold the dough over and pinch the ends to make a semicircle shape.

Fry the soon-to-be-samosas in an inch of vegetable oil. Roughly 2 minutes on each side.

And Voila! Beautiful golden brown homemade Samosas!!

Oh and this is Chinmay....

If music be the food of love...

We finally made it to the Dallas Symphony. Alex, Doug, his girlfriend, and I made out way downtown to pick up our tickets.

oops..we forgot to double-check that our seats were next to each other ::Hello Katie::

Try to find Doug.

We got to sit together! 

Excited for the performance!

The first half was good, Mozarts last great Concerto No. 25. The pianist was really into the performance. He had a towel on the piano to wiped his forehead after the complicated bits. At the end of the performance, he flapped his coat and abruptly got up. It was like, "oh..wha..oh..its over?..ok well ok."

Fear not, the love-birds were not parted for long, at intermission they moved to the two free seats next to us...And quickly proceeded to play on their phones..kids these days.

Katie just had oral surgery, and felt a little self-conscious about her smile..so I leveled the playing field.

During the intermission...and occasionally during the performances, it was highly entertaining to people-watch. Note to self: if I force a kid to sit through an hour of classical music, do not sit him where the entire audience can watch him fidget. Highly distracting, yet highly entertaining.

Stravinsky has got some serious game. 'The Rite of Spring' was an extremely well written piece, and the Dallas Symphony did it justice. The bassonist was incredible, I never knew a bassonist could be incredible.This particular musician had been the lead bassonist for twenty years!

Although there is no photographic evidence, I will admit that we ended our evening with wings at Hooters. Eh, I prefer Buffalo Wild Wings.

Pretty, Witty, and Gay...well Pretty at least

I originally wrote most of this to a friend, with whom I disagree on the subject of homosexuality. This became way too long for a facebook message, so I decided to post it here. It is not important what their position is, but that I can call them a friend because I trust their heart is good and respect that they are trying to do what is best and right. I abhor that society discourages discussing topics of contention by calling it "rude," and think such lack of practice leads to so many people confusing discussion and debate for arguing and yelling matches. So here it is, my point:

Although I was proud when the Catholic Church, along with the Church of Latter Day Saints and half of the Lutheran Church, declared that they do not believe it is a choice- but that people are born gay and lesbian. They and I diverge, of course, beyond that point as I do not believe that love can be a sin and they do not believe that homosexual love is real. But I am excited by the progress.

I have spent my childhood around homosexuality- anyone who grew up in ballet did.

                                                   Five years old as a Mouse in the Nutcracker.
I was exposed to the people, the culture, and the love at such an early age it always seems odd to doubt the beauty in any of it. Those people, and the homosexuals I have met since, knew love-I know because they loved me. They loved me as a friend and I trust their hearts and minds to discern the difference between a positive love and a negative lust.

Having experienced love and lust, which I recognize as something most people could claim but will only assign to myself, and knowing the stark difference between the two helps me trust that gays and lesbians can also recognize the difference. The guilt, heaviness, and doubt of sinful lust can not be confused with the utter happiness, confidence and lightness that true love brings. Love is confusing and difficult, but there is a large chasm between the trials of grounded love and the shiftiness of sin. Sin surrounds sin, Satan doesn't want one relationship he wants it all. So when I see the love and compassion and trust, when I see the positive friendships that surround these couples I can not believe that the relationships were ordained by evil.

                                                 Maybe nine, just before I left the house for a recital.

I am comfortable with trusting that some parts of the bible were the wisest wisdom of its time, but by any modern standard are just wrong. I do not believe in slavery, or that a disobedient child should be stoned, and for the sake of football I don't believe it is a sin to touch pigs' skin- oh and I really like shrimp too. I am comforted by knowing that societal change takes time, and if a book was written saying that women should vote, that no person is the property of someone else, or that all people deserve the same opportunities to better themselves, the bible would not have gotten off the ground--it simply would not have been listened to by anyone. That resolve is based off of my study of history and the constant "wait, be patient, these things things take time" slogan of the civil rights movement, the anti-slavery movement, women's rights movement, and the lets-not-burn-each-other-at-the-stake movement.

I am also comforted by the reality that some parts of the bible require a historical context, and that the contexts were not always considered. Today, Christians tend to pride themselves in considering the bible's contemporary culture, and the ancient Greek, that they forget that Christians, just as strongly, believed they were right when using the bible to silence women and separate races. We were wrong then, we're going to be wrong in the future, we're wrong about some things now- we are men. We sin, because we can not fully accept and give grace and love.

The imperfection of our world is heightened when as a collective we choose groups to blame our troubles on. Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, women, the Japanese, all of these groups have been blamed for America's problems and subsequently rejected and subjected to discrimination. Society seems to learn that they were wrong about that group, because it was this other group that really causes the trouble. Only in modern day would I argue that this is utterly pathetic due to our legally required education that is supposed to familiarize us with history and its patterns.

Please feel free to ask any question; make any comment; or, request clarification about any of my points. If there is anything that I hate it is people assigning me motives; especially without asking for clarification. I have read enough Victorian novels and Shakespearean plays to know that negative assumptions can lead to a life without friends, love, and sometimes to calling your fiance a whore at the alter and leaving her there to sort of die- No Claudio, don't listen to Don John he's a bastard!

                                           I couldn't choose between these three pics, so I'll end 
                                                            with this one of me before a jazz recital. I think I was eight.

Pretty, Witty, and Gay...well Pretty at least

I originally wrote most of this to a friend, with whom I disagree on the subject of homosexuality. This became way too long for a facebook message, so I decided to post it here. It is not important what their position is, but that I can call them a friend because I trust their heart is good and respect that they are trying to do what is best and right. I abhor that society discourages discussing topics of contention by calling it "rude," and think such lack of practice leads to so many people confusing discussion and debate for arguing and yelling matches. So here it is, my point:

Although I was proud when the Catholic Church, along with the Church of Latter Day Saints and half of the Lutheran Church, declared that they do not believe it is a choice- but that people are born gay and lesbian. They and I diverge, of course, beyond that point as I do not believe that love can be a sin and they do not believe that homosexual love is real. But I am excited by the progress.

I have spent my childhood around homosexuality- anyone who grew up in ballet did.

                                                   Five years old as a Mouse in the Nutcracker.
I was exposed to the people, the culture, and the love at such an early age it always seems odd to doubt the beauty in any of it. Those people, and the gays and lesbians I have met since, knew love-I know because many of them showed love to me. They loved me as a friend and I trust their hearts and minds to discern the difference between a positive love and a negative lust.

Having experienced love and lust, which I recognize as something most people could claim but will only assign to myself, and knowing the stark difference between the two helps me trust that gays and lesbians can also recognize the difference. The guilt, heaviness, and doubt of sinful lust can not be confused with the utter happiness, confidence and lightness that true love brings. Love is confusing and difficult, but there is a large chasm between the trials of grounded love and the shiftiness of sin. Sin surrounds sin, Satan doesn't want one relationship he wants it all. So when I see the love and compassion and trust, when I see the positive friendships that surround these couples I can not believe that the relationships were ordained by evil.

                                                 Maybe nine, just before I left the house for a recital.

I am comfortable with trusting that some parts of the bible were the wisest wisdom of its time, but by any modern standard are just wrong. I do not believe in slavery, or that a disobedient child should be stoned, and for the sake of football I don't believe it is a sin to touch pigs' skin- oh and I really like shrimp too. I am comforted by knowing that societal change takes time, and if a book was written saying that women should vote, that no person is the property of someone else, or that all people deserve the same opportunities to better themselves, the bible would not have gotten off the ground--it simply would not have been listened to by anyone. That resolve is based off of my study of history and the constant "wait, be patient, these things things take time" slogan of the civil rights movement, the anti-slavery movement, women's rights movement, and the lets-not-burn-each-other-at-the-stake movement.

I am also comforted by the reality that some parts of the bible require a historical context, and that the contexts were not always considered. Today, Christians tend to pride themselves in considering the bible's contemporary culture, and the ancient Greek, that they forget that Christians, just as strongly, believed they were right when using the bible to silence women and separate races. We were wrong then, we're going to be wrong in the future, we're wrong about some things now- we are men. We sin, because we can not fully accept and give grace and love.

The imperfection of our world is heightened when as a collective we choose groups to blame our troubles on. Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, women, the Japanese, all of these groups have been blamed for America's problems and subsequently rejected and subjected to discrimination. Society seems to learn that they were wrong about that group, because it was this other group that really causes the trouble. Only in modern day would I argue that this is utterly pathetic due to our legally required education that is supposed to familiarize us with history and its patterns.

Please feel free to ask any question; make any comment; or, request clarification about any of my points. If there is anything that I hate it is people assigning me motives; especially without asking for clarification. I have read enough Victorian novels and Shakespearean plays to know that negative assumptions can lead to a life without friends, love, and sometimes to calling your fiance a whore at the alter and leaving her there to sort of die- No Claudio, don't listen to Don John he's a bastard!

                                           I couldn't choose between these three pics, so I'll end 
                                                            with this one of me before a jazz recital. I think I was eight.

I am 16, going on...24?

If when reading the title you hummed along to the Sound of Music soundtrack, stand-up and applaud yourself. Full bow, too.

My woes of being mistaken for a much younger woman have long since been recorded...by me...in my head...and now right here. Instances like:
In a Doctor's office::
    Nurse:"We need your father's insurance forms...your father... ::looks at my paperwork::...Alex"

In Target:
    ::I go to try a cracker/cheese sample::
     Cracker/Cheese Lady: "I'm sorry, but you'll have to get your mom to try a sample."

At the Russell Stover Factory:
    Teller: "Would you like to sign up for the Rewards Club?"
    Me: "Sure."
    Teller: "Wait, are you over 18?"
    Me: "How old do you think I am?"
    Teller: "16, maybe 17."

And my personal favorite...

Meeting Alex's Co-Volunteers at an Animal Shelter:
    Lady: "Are you [Alex's] sister, you're not quite young enough to be his daughter?"
Apparently the lady had not met with the nurse, because she would argue differently.

In my humble, yet always correct, opinion I have looked the same since the 9th grade, so I cannot entirely blame these ridiculous people who do not notice the diamond rings conveniently place on my left hand, symbolizing the current co-habitation co-love-sharing state of matrimony, recognized in most industrial countries. It is also not only my ageless, timeless, classic good looks to blame. No! There is also Hollywood.


Yes, gone are the days when a sex symbol was curvy, womanly, and above all of-age. Marilyn, Audrey, and Ava these women were in there late twenties/early thirties during their prime. Some Like it Hot was made when Marilyn was 33! Have you seen stills from her last, unfinished film?

Flawless!

Above all she looked like a sexy woman, because she was a sexy woman...stress on woman. She was not 16, she was not barely 18. Today young girls, no need to name the "starlets", are dressing to look like a woman who knew how to handle the attention she got, and undersood the consequences of that attention. Monroe knew that she was typecasted, she knew it would be difficult to ever break the "sex kitten" image; she knew the delicacy of a reputation. No, this isn't the 1800s and people should be allowed to express themselves; but the reality is that a reputation is even more likely to be damaged, spread, and irreversible in the limited environment of a high school than the "real world" where there is mobility and a multitude of possible friends.

There is nothing wrong with being a teen, it's great and everyone should be allowed to explore fashion...if they want to...I personally can only shop for 10 minutes before wanting to chuck a mannequin out a window, just to know fresh air once more.  However, when you can no longer tell the difference between a top for a 24 year old or a 14 year old there is a problem. It is no wonder why I, and so many of my friends, are thought to be so young! We're all dressed the same.

I also understand we have limited options, and that stores like Express and J.Crew will also advertise to teens because they have more buying power then the twenty-somethings. Read, they have their parents cards, we have our starting salaries. But there in lies the rub, parents are buying these clothes. I have never been one, and it will be a long time before I am one to a teen; but surely parents can at least check their childrens' purchases. 

Boys find sex sexy, girls want to look like what the boys want, hollywood provides the images for the boys and role models for the girls. That is, if you do not intercede. And even if you can't convince an 18 year old boy that a brain is sexy, or a girl that being a sex kitten has consequences, then bite the bullet, don't be the friend and only buy your child age appropriate clothing. Let only us twenty-somethings look like twenty-somethings.

If for no other reason then so it is obvious that I am 23!

Dessert: Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
2 eggs
2 c heavy whipping cream

1 c milk
3/4 c sugar
2 t vanilla
1/2 tube of chocolate chip cookie dough


I've had this recipe for ages, but I think it originated from a Ben & Jerry's recipe book.

Gather your ingredients.

Roll the cookie dough into little balls, and put then into the freezer to get hard.

One at a time, add eggs to the bowl while using the whisk attachment. If you don't have a Kitchen Aid then don't worry a good ole whisk or hand-held mixer will do the trick.

Carefully add the milk, whipping cream,  sugar and the vanilla.

Transfer the mix to your ice cream machine. I am using the Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Attachment, which I love- thank you wedding registry!

Once the ice cream reaches the desired texture, it took me 30 minutes, add the cookie dough balls one at a time.

Transfer the ice cream to an air tight container and let it freeze for up to 6 hours. Put some scoops in a bowl and top with your favorite crushin's (I used Oreos!)

This is a Super Easy Ice Cream recipe, because it doesn't have a custard base. No sauce pan to clean! The cost of not starting with a custard is that it is a very light cream, so if you're looking for a rich texture then I would recommend my next recipe- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.