projectjen.com

Big Pmp-ing

2009-08-21T19:58:00.001-05:00

Yes, I have been gone for a while. I have been regrouping (...more on that later)

So this last week I attended the Ultimate PMP Exam prep Course. A one week intensive geared towards learning the oh-so-complicated PMBOK and taking (and passing) the PMP exam.

Why, you ask? Well, I have long debated going back to school to get an MBA with a focus on Planning vs getting a PMP from the Project Management Institute.

PMP won! After 4 years of keeping my seat warm I have accrued enough project management hours to fill out the application. Work paid for the training and the test (BTW I highly recommend the training provider of the course I attended).

I will be in study mode for the next week. I am scheduled to take the exam on Friday.

Stay tuned...

May already

2009-05-11T18:55:00.002-05:00

So it's been a month since I last checked in. Nothing exciting going on.

I am working on making Louis an indoor cat. Cage training seems to be working now.
I've confirmed that ATA has the cheapest vaccinations and office visits
I made a vat of pasta salad and gave most of it away. I am blaming the mass quantities on the asparagus. In order to get the pasta to grilled asparagus ratio right I needed a lot of pasta. I also added grilled cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella.
I purchased my concert tix (I didn't spend the whole tax return either)
I made chocolate cake without milk or eggs. I added chocolate chips and walnuts to it.
I helped M cater a wedding. I have several pounds of mushroom filling for wontons.
I bought an adapter to hook my computer to the tv.
I've been renting a lot of DVDs from the library. Almost like netflix, but free, and I have to actually pick up and return them.
I finished my SXSW blogging.

What's next?

Louis seems lonely. I am thinking it is time to get the other cat.
More cooking.

Waiting for the plague

2009-04-05T21:30:00.002-05:00

Every year after SXSW I come down with the plague. I had a soar throat and a little allergy episode but other than that, no signs of ear infection. Maybe its because I got more sleep this year.

So what have I been up to since then?

I've been doing a lot of writing (in the hopes that someone out there is getting some enjoyment out of it).
I have cleaned the house. Having an indoor cat has been cause for cleaning the floors more often.
I made veggie frittata the other day for a potluck.
I am still trying to convince Louis that he is an indoor cat. Not much luck yet.

Stuff to do in the future:

See what bands are coming to town so I can buy tickets with my tax return (no, I don't plan on spending it all in one place)
Figure out what to do with the patio. It is pretty depressing.
Spend more time riding the bike before it gets too hot.

SXSW 2009 Recap

2009-03-28T15:13:00.001-05:00

This was year 5 of volunteering my way to platinum. I have been on vacation for the past week and a half. I didn't even think about the day job until today when I was trying to figure out if I had to go back tomorrow (sadly, I do. It keeps the lights on.).

Total # of bands: ~35 (Flosstradamus, Asobi Seksu, Titus Andronicus, Chairlift, the DJs from the Hood Internet, Kanye West, Big Sean, GLC Consequence, Really Do, Tony Williams, Mr. Hudson, Kid Cudi, Common, Erykah Badu, Buck65, B.Dolan, Sleep, Sage Francis, the Obits, Handsome Furs, American Analog Set, the Rosebuds , Bishop Allen, Au Revoir Simone, These Arms are Snakes, Cursive, Passion Pit, the Soft Pack, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Matt and Kim, Amplive, Franki Chan and Curt from Flosstradamus, and Echo and the Bunnymen.)

Total # of movies: 7 (RIP: A Remix Manifesto, 500 days of Summer, Died Young, Stayed Pretty, The Time of Their Lives, Yes Men Fix the World, Alexander the Last, and I Love You, Man.)

Total $ spent: ~$21.25. In comparison to last year, I spent less money but came home with less loot.

Things that vastly improved the SXSW experience:

Being a shiftleader: (Thanks to the Real Jew) You get time and a half for a little added responsibility. I only had to volunteer from Thursday night - Tuesday evening. The downside was that I didn't get to see as many panels as I had in the past. I had many rooms to look after.

Living in Mexico- I could save on gas and cabs by riding my bike or walking. M and I bought groceries to save $$.

New bike- super light. I didn't have to walk any hills this year. Everything is bolt on so I didn't have to pop off a tire to lock it up. Thanks once again to the dudes at The Peddler.

MSI Wind Netbook: just a good thing to have around as a blogger and it helps to stay on top of all the social networking business. Mexico has wireless internet now so there were more reasons to have a computer.

sched.org- for all of my sxsw scheduling needs (and Showlist Austin for making the .pdf version of the day party schedule.)

lost cats and gnocchi

2009-02-20T23:56:00.003-06:00

Since I last checked in:

My elusive cat returned today. More about that later. Still debating new kitten since the situation has changed.
I bought my netbook. I went with the MSI wind.
I made butternut squash gnocchi with sage brown butter sauce, parmesan and toasted walnuts for a dinner party today. Prepping the pasta on Wednesday and freezing it was a good idea.
I have purchased 5 pairs of shoes and all of them are slated to go back to the online merchant.
I made the project linus blankets a tag team effort with mom. I did the tops and she finished them.

Stuff to do in the future:

Scavenge for the following bike parts at Yellow Bike, Frankenbike, or Cl: reflectors, a rack for the back of the bike.
Test out new computer
Buy new shoes for SXSW
Go through the list of 2000 bands coming to SXSW

Box Wine, Birthdays, and 3 bands

2009-02-04T21:43:00.002-06:00

Since I last checked in:

I had a little bike accident. The bike is fine. My forehead has a nice little scar on it though.
I had a party at my house. Box wine tasting/b-day party. I am now 32 and the proud owner of a fridge full o box wine. I also managed to get 2 free brunches and a dinner out of friends and family.
I went to the sxsw volunteer call. I am all signed up for another year with tech crew.
I've been researching netbooks. the hp mini 2140 is currently winning.
I decided to skip the dumplings. I stuffed the wonton wrappers with filling and baked them in mini muffin tins.
I made veggie lasagna with tofu instead of ricotta.
I have decided to get a new cat. a kitten actually. I have been cat proofing the house.
I made some amazing brownies. I used the Baker's chocolate "one bowl brownie" recipe and subbed out vanilla whiskey for vanilla.
M and I saw Tapes n' Tapes, Broken Social Scene, and the Submarines in the last week.

Stuff to do in the future:

Scavenge for the following bike parts at Yellow Bike, Frankenbike, or Cl: reflectors, a rack for the back of the bike.
Buy new computer
Buy new shoes for SXSW
Finish my blanket for project linus

This fish made a bicycle

2009-01-06T22:01:00.001-06:00

After almost a year (and almost $600) my bike is done!
The frame was purchased on Craigslist. I took it apart. I stripped it and repainted it lavender. I was able to salvage a lot of parts. I did my best to get used parts before I got new ones ( Yellow Bike, Frankenbike, and CL). When I bought new stuff I went local (Thank you guys at the Peddler).

Here is the before...

...and the after!

Check out the flickr page for more pics...

and now for the specs

Frame:
1970? Niitaka Mixte
Handlebars and Brakes:
Mavi Bullhorns with Diacompe Brake handles, original diacompe brakes with new cables and housings
Fork and Headset:
original
Front wheel:
Sun 27x1 1/4 CR18
Rear wheel:
Sun 27x1 1/4 CR18 with flip/flop hub
Tires:
Panaracer Pasela
Crankset and Bottom bracket
Stronglight Track crank and bb 48t chainring. 170mm arms.
Saddle :
Terry Butterfly
Pedals:
BMX
Cog/Gearing et cetera:
17t freewheel/Singlespeed

Bikes, Cars, and Pie

2008-12-28T21:12:00.003-06:00

Since I last checked in:

My new bike has brakes. I was able to figure out how to get the handlbars on and the brake cables.housings installed. Thank you internet.
I went to a dinner party on Wednesday. I made Chocolate Tofu pie. This time I did it the low-budget way. If you want to go all out get the expensive chocolate ( 75% is good) and use raw cocoa nibs and almonds in the crust instead of cookies.
My car is back after a week of being stuck with the rental. The total damage, front and rear $1400. Hopefully I will get some of that back when my insurance company either declares this an uninsured driver case or finds the loser that ran off.
I finished the Xmas presents. I made wish boxes. Unfortunately we had a shift in weather and the spray paint didn't cure for as long as I hoped.
Pet sitting: Giant dog and hefty cat. After a few days of hair and dander, my allergies couldn't take it any more. I was sick for 2 days. Lucky for me, the owner of the hefty cat had a ton of dvds to me to watch while I was couch bound (Batman Begins, O Brother Where Art Thou, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Ratatouille)
I made a dress. Today I was feeling better so I made yet another black dress to sit in my closet.

Stuff to do in the future:

Scavenge for the following bike parts at Yellow Bike, Frankenbike, or Cl: ss crankset, bottom bracket, those brake line threaders that screw into the bike frame, reflectors, a rack for the back of the bike.
Make more dumplings. This time with roasted pumpkin seeds and chevre.
Write up my review of the year. 2008 is almost over.

Chocolate Tofu Pie Recipe

 Crust (cookies, nuts,...anything that can be crumbled and spread into a
pie pan...)
1 cup chopped almonds (toasted)
3 chocolate almond oatmeal cookies

Filling
2 containers silken tofu
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
3tbs cocoa powder

Preparation
(crust)Pulse cookies and toasted almonds in food processor
Press mixture into the bottom of a greased pie pan

(filling) Melt chocolate and let cool.  Place tofu and cocoa powder in
blender or food processor and blend until  uniform.  Add melted chocolate.
Blend until uniform.  Pour into crust and chill until firm.

Bikes, BFFs, etc...

2008-12-20T14:44:00.002-06:00

Since I last checked in:

Yet another trip to the peddler (you guys rock). My wheels were in so I brought in my mixte so it could be assembled. I also brought the working bike to ask which parts could be salvaged. I could use the handlebar stem and some of the misc. hardware. The rest will go to Yellow Bike or will be sold on Craigslist. I was hoping to leave with tires, tubes, a seatpost, brake line, and a freewheel. Unfortunately, the tires and freewheel were out of stock. I will need to make another trip.
M and I went to fancy dinner last night. Atleast a few times a year we go out and splurge on an expensive meal (appetizers, wine, entree, and sometimes dessert). We went to the Good Knight. French comfort food (yes, there were veggie friendly options). The stuff that should have been on the menu at Bess when M worked there.
More baking.
Boot returning. My skinny ankles are hard to fit.
I took my car to the shop to have the hit-and-run damage fixed. Since they have to keep the car for 2 weeks I decided to have the dent on the rear bumper addressed. All of this for a grand total of $1400.
Meg and I saw my cat in the backyard on Sunday. He has been MIA since May and he suddenly reappeared. He ran off again though. Hopefully he's happy wherever he ended up.
I saw Milk. If you get the chance you should check it out.

Stuff to do in the future:

Scavenge for the following bike parts at Yellow Bike, Frankenbike, or Cl: ss crankset, bottom bracket, those brake line threaders that screw into the bike frame, reflectors, a rack for the back of the bike.
Finish making xmas presents.
Make more dumplings. This time with roasted pumpkin seeds and chevre.

December already?

2008-12-13T14:06:00.004-06:00

Since I last checked in:

I did t-day with my some of my best friends ever.
I ordered wheels for my bike yesterday. The guys at the peddler were extremely helpful.
Afro-asian experiment for potluck: I made dumplings for the first time. Shitake mushrooms for the filling. Marinaded in merlot and vegetable stock for a day. I boiled them until the liquid was reduced to half. Then I drained them (I saved the stock) and ran them through the food processor instead of chopping them. I added some garlic that was sauteed in sesame oil and fresh ginger. I left the filling over night. The next day I assembled and steamed all 50 dumplings. The key is more than one steamer basket or you will be there all night. I also had a dumpling press. I made "gravy" out of the stock. I reduced the stock first then added some teryaki sauce and some red pepper flake/oil. It was super earthy and spicy.
Work holiday parties: The day job party was lame. Two words, Motivational Speaker. Next year I will be busy). The studio gig had a low key afternoon craft gathering, a much better party.
Baking: I made chocolate oatmeal cookies. Another food experiment. I didn't have much flour left so I nixed the plan for regular oatmeal cookies and decided to substitute cocoa for flour. I added extra oats to insure that they wouldn't be completely flat.
I am still hunting for shoes. Boots this time. The return/exchange saga continues.

Stuff to do in the near future:

Make Xmas presents and maybe put up my xmas tree. I also need to get crackin' on the cookie baking.
Shop for a faster camera (mine is not quick enough for models on the runway)
Finish the bicycle. See if the crankset and handlebar stem from the current bike can be transfered to the mixte.
READ: the reading list keeps getting longer.
Have my car checked out. The damage from the hit and run appears minimal but I want to be sure.

Christmas Letter

2008-12-05T16:44:00.002-06:00

So my mom sent me an email asking if I had any contributions for the Family Xmas letter. I wonder if I can get away with a bulleted list. If so, here is what happened since the last letter...

I started the bicycle project (I have reached the reassembly phase)

Another year of volunteering at SXSW
Still teaching classes as FirstSamples
Louis (my cat) is gone. He disappeared in May and hasn't returned.
I participated in the Little Black Dress Contest
I survived my first Fashion Show
Volunteered at the Swap-o-rama-rama at Maker Faire.

I will leave out the part about my grandma-style car accident, the tree eating my house and the hit-and-run/semi-high-speed chase.

Festivals and Hipster Bandits

2008-11-15T11:33:00.002-06:00

Since I last checked in:

I went to Fun^3 Fest. The highlights were seeing Frightened Rabbit, Bishop Allen, and Spinto Band.
I finished taking Defensive Driving online (only $25)
No Halloween stories for this year. I voted and hid out in the house. I was sick.
I am thinking about getting a new kitty.
Despite M's comments I am working on a cape.
I figured out how to migrate the blog from blogger to wordpress with a little help from the interwebs. Not sure if I am moving projectjen but I have moved everything else.

Stuff to do in the near future:

Make Xmas presents. I don't know what I am giving out this year.
Shop for a faster camera (mine is not quick enough for models on the runway)
Finish the bicycle. I started putting it back together. It needs wheels and maybe a new crank.

Music and Dorks

2008-10-26T21:31:00.002-05:00

This will be quick. I was up late. It was M's birthday party last night and I got home around 3ish.

Since I last checked in:

I volunteered at Maker Faire. I saw the Mentos and Diet Coke fountains. I road the cool bicycles from Yahoo.

I saw Weezer. It was weird seeing a show at the Erwin Center but it was totally worth it.
I saw Girl Talk in Dallas. Dallas hipsters are weird.
I attended the EPA QA Conference and took a great class on Verification and Validation of Data. (yes, I am a geek).

I have no Halloween plans just yet. I am not feeling it this year.

Austin Fashion Month?

2008-10-11T23:16:00.002-05:00

I am still coming down from a fashion overdose.

The Little Black Dress contest is over. I finally got around to posting the details of my dress here... My dress is available for sale at Blackmail.
Treasure City Fashion Show was last night. The details will go up on the blog once I get the pictures.
It's not over yet kiddies. I will be participating in Maker Faire next week. Come check out the Swap-o-rama-rama area and the Fashion Show.

In other news:

I saw a few shows at ACL. I managed to get a ticket to David Byrne at the Paramount Thursday. I saw Cool Kids and Voxtrot Friday night, Saturday was icing on the cake. I saw Band of Horses.
I hit a parked car backing out of my driveway on Wednesday. M jokes about this but after this I think I really do drive like a grandma. I can either pay $400 to fix the flaw or cover it with a sticker. I am going with the sticker.
I have been playing the purchase and return game with PlanetShoes.com. I have ordered 6 pairs of Earth shoes to find 1 pair that I will actually keep (Earth Express in black leather).
I have been following the debates. It's rather depressing. I can laugh at Jon Stewart and SNL but in the end it is more depressing.

A slave to fashion

2008-09-22T20:50:00.002-05:00

So, I've been a little busy. Unless you are Tim Gunn, I have little need for you right now. I have been eating, sleeping, working fashion for the last month.

The recap:
Prepping for LBD contest
Prepping for Treasure City Fashion Show
Ratatat
Vein sticking out of my leg and a need for old lady comfort shoes
I finished the Sexual Politics of Meat
I finished the quilt
I went to a clothing swap and got a ton of "new" clothes

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach

2008-08-22T19:17:00.003-05:00

So I have gone a little crazy with the music ticket purchasing. Pre-sales require me to buy tickets now for concerts in November. This means that I need to forecast what will sell out and what could be sold on Craigslist if I need to be out of town for work or if something better comes along.

Ratatat - September 15

Girl Talk - I have tix for the show in Austin and Dallas. I bought the Austin ones first then they moved the show date to the 20th. Which is the same night as Weezer. Luckily I will be going to Dallas for work on the 21st and can catch the Girl Talk show there.

Weezer - October 20. I missed them the last time they came through with the Foo Fighters. This time they are coming with Tokyo Police Club

Fun Fun Fun Fest-November 8 - 9. The lineup was too good to pass up.

Things to do (in the near future):

Prepare for the Treasure City Recycled Fashion Show
Finish reading the Sexual Politics of Meat
Cook new things
Acquire a basil plant
Research Screened in porches.
Find 27" wheels for bike
Research scooters (I think I want one).
Plan road trip to Seattle.

Items of note from the last few weeks:

I am making a quilt out of my old swing dance t-shirts.
I've been stocking up on wine.
I made a jacket and a dress for Meg.
I am back to watching Project Runway with my sewing peeps at Sidebar (or Cafe Mundi)

August already

2008-08-10T10:15:00.002-05:00

2008 is disappearing rapidly. So much to do and so little time.

Things to do (in the near future):

Prepare for the Treasure City Recycled Fashion Show
Finish reading the Sexual Politics of Meat
Cook new things
Acquire a basil plant
Research Screened in porches.
Find 27" wheels for bike
Research scooters (I think I want one).
Plan road trip to Seattle.

Items of note from the last few weeks:

FirstSamples had their everything must go moving sale. I bought another sewing machine.
I read Tropic of Cancer
I saw Thao and the Get down Stay down at Emo's
I am finally caught up on Project Runway episodes.

Who moved my cheese?

2008-07-29T22:08:00.003-05:00

Reorg time once again. I had predicted this long ago with my mad Nostradamus skills. Few believed me. There have been many repeat performances of my "I was right" dance (I should patent that thing and make some work out videos based on it). I am also predicting that this is a reorg in 2 parts. Stay tuned kiddies.

Things to do (in the near future):

Cook new things
Acquire a basil plant
Find new online scrabble source
Research Screened in porches.
Find 27" wheels for bike
Research scooters (I think I want one).
Plan road trip to Seattle.

Items of note from the last few weeks:

I went to the sewing meetup at FirstSamples
I went on a book buying spree.
I made Meg more pants
I made it through airport security in Texarkana (Barney Fife runs a tight ship).

Hot and steamy

2008-07-15T21:22:00.003-05:00

Mosquito season approaches.

Things to do (in the near future):

Cook new things
Buy a basil plant
The bike is still not done.
The siding on the house is still grungy.
Research Screened in porches.
Plan trip to Seattle.

Items of note from the last few weeks:

I made an awesome dinner on Friday. Portabella mushrooms stuffed with spinach and goat cheese, roasted asparagus with garlic, and dark chocolate raspberry cupcakes with whipped cream.
I went to the sewing meetup at FirstSamples
I saw Wanted
I made Meg 2 pairs of black pants.
I read "Reflections"

July is here.

2008-07-09T21:37:00.002-05:00

Things to do (in the near future):

Cook new things
Buy a basil plant
Make black pants for Meg.
The bike is still not done.
The siding on the house is still grungy.
Cat M.I.A. I doubt he will be back.
Research Screened in porches.

Items of note from the last few weeks:

I saw Wall-e. As always Pixar doesn't disappoint.
I hemmed a few pairs of pants
Updated a few websites.
Discovered a new restaurant. Zocalo.
My allergy cough has returned.
Houseguests have come and gone.
I finished "Strip City"

It's too damned hot.

2008-06-21T15:19:00.002-05:00

Austin is experiencing a heat wave. I am not happy. The plus side of the heat is that I am finally wearing all of the sundresses I made.

Things to do (in the near future):

The bike is still not done.
The siding on the house is still grungy.
Cat M.I.A
Finish reading "Strip City"

Items of note from the last few weeks:

I finished reading "HEAT"
I made a few sundresses.
M recommended some really good wine 2001 Zumaya Reserva
I finally found new shoes. I bought 3 pairs (on sale)

Back at the Ranch

2008-06-09T21:29:00.002-05:00

After a week of training at a Dude Ranch, it is good to be back home.

Things to do (in the near future):

Finish the new bike. I need new wheels.
Power wash the house.
Get my cat microchipped. If he ever reappears (it has been 2 weeks)
Pay my library fine.
Finish reading "Heat"

Items of note from the last few weeks:

I finished reading "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay"
I taught a jeans class at FirstSamples
I attended Meg's graduation.
I moved my compost bin in the backyard. I also raked leaves.

Spring Cleaning

2008-05-13T19:31:00.002-05:00

I've been cleaning the house a lot lately. The often overlooked areas. Baseboards, ceiling fans, etc... Part of it has to do with the fact that work is driving me crazy. I can't create order there but I am in complete control over my house.

Things to do (in the near future):

Finish the new bike. I need new wheels.
Power wash the house.
Cut down the time it takes to bike to Megan's house and back.
Get my cat microchipped.
Pay my library fine.
Finish reading "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay"

Items of note from the last few weeks:

I found new handlebars at Frankenbike
I found a better way to update my itunes library http://itlu.ownz.ch/wordpress/
I am still spring cleaning
I saw Tapes n' Tapes at Emo's
I have been traveling a lot for work. During April I hit Nacogdoches, Hughes Springs, Corpus Christi and Dallas.

Creating order amongst disorder

2008-04-21T14:12:00.002-05:00

It is spring and I am tearing up my backyard again. I started by moving all of the rocks that are the border for my flower beds. I put newspaper, junk mail, magazines down to prevent grass and weeds from moving from the yard to the flower bed (who needs that expensive landscaping fabric and edging?).

I was going to buy mulch but I decided to check out Craigslist first. No luck. I did some research and the City of Austin Landfill gives away free mulch. Needless to say, I was up at 7:30 this morning to meet my co-worker for our adventure to the landfill. I think that we ended up with the equivalent of 15 bags of mulch. Had we gone to HomeDepot we would have spent about $50. I could probably use 2 more tubs of mulch. I had just enough to fill in one side of the flower bed and cover the paper under the rocks.

Part II of today's project involved saving my house from being taken over by Asian Jasmine . It is currently growing between the house and the greenhouse (it's in there amongst the little trees). My co-worker brought me some carpet to lay over it in the hopes of killing it. I had just enough carpet to cover it all (once I cut down the trees) and I started pulling runners of jasmine out of the siding.

Things to do (in the near future):

Finish the new bike. I need to wet sand it one more time. I need new handle bars and a back wheel with a flip/flop hub.
Power wash the house.
Cut down the time it takes to bike to Megan's house and back.
Get my cat microchipped.
Pay my library fine.

Items of note from the last few weeks:

Still clearcoating the bike.
I started reading "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay"
I am still spring cleaning
I went to the Zilker Botanical Gardens on Saturday.
I saw Ra Ra Riot and the Little Ones at Stubbs
I cheered my friends on as they crossed the MS150 finish line.

Atleast I've got my health

2008-04-10T22:13:00.002-05:00

That's right. The plague is gone and the lingering cough seems to be exiting.

Things to do (in the near future):

Finish the new bike. I have a coat or 2 of clear coat to go on the frame. I need new handle bars and a back wheel with a flip/flop hub.
Power wash the house.
Cut down the time it takes to bike to Megan's house and back.
Get my cat microchipped.
Pay my library fine.

Items of note from the last few weeks:

Still clearcoating the bike.
I had the light fixture installed in my kitchen.
I had the trees in the yard trimmed back/up.
I reorganized the music on my hard drive and on my ipod.
I read Freakonomics, The Game, and 21.
I did some spring cleaning (I couldn't remember the last time I cleaned the baseboards).
I took my cat to the vet.
I got my tax return.