*Tap Tap Tap* Anybody out There?

Let me introduce myself. I am Brasilliant. I started a blog a while back to document my day-to-day life. Toward the end of 2009 my efforts were, well, lackluster. I promise to do better in 2010. Holy crap! It's 2010!

So, what's been going on since the calendar rolled over? Well, I turned 30. It wasn't as scary or traumatizing as I thought. Like previous years (for various reasons this time around), I've officially postponed any birthday celebrations for a month. Maybe around Feb. 6th I'll freak out, but I doubt it -- I have bigger fish to fry and honestly, unemployment sucks a lot more than starting another decade in life. Besides, 30 is the new 20 right?

After a two-week break from school, I started up classes again last week. I'm taking two courses this quarter toward a graduate certificate in sustainability. I have to say, it's going to be quite a bit of work, but I really am enjoying the readings and discussions so far. I plan on taking two more this spring and one in early summer, which will leave me only one more course to go this fall. I'm trying to ride out the unemployment wave as best I can, which will probably mean applying for a student loan to help with tuition payments in the spring and summer. No biggie, especially compared to the exorbitant tuition fees we paid at GW!

I've been trying to get back into cooking. It took a little while to get the kitchen unpacked and learn my way around our new ginormous space. I made my first batch of red beans of the new year and I think they're going to be awesome. I used two links of Cheesy Bavarian sausage this time instead of just one. Also on the cooking agenda? Apple cake. I've been loving anything with apples lately, so round two of delicious, dense, cinnamon-y apple cake will happen this evening!

As for this afternoon, Jesse is going running with our friend Brian out in his neck of the woods. I'm going to tag along at their place to hang out with my favorite little dude, Elliot. Actually, I might not get to see much of Elliot, since it will be right around his nap time, but it'll give me a good reason to get some reading done for class tomorrow. It's really nice to have a fixed schedule again with deadlines!