Oh! Miss Piggy!

Finding Motivation to get to the final product

miss0piggy — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:45:40 +0000

It’s hard sometimes to motivate yourself at work. My boss probably shakes his head sometimes when he catches me on other news websites or on my phone. I’ve even been caught staring at the walls of my cubicle as I daydream. So what does motivate me to continue to work and to push myself? I’m not exactly sure. I know that part of me doesn’t want to disappoint my boss. Another part of me wants to create a great product, and another part of me wants to be busy. If I don’t work, I daydream. Sometimes, it’s great not to daydream and reflect on my actions.

So, all of that was just meant to sum up how hard it is for me to motivate myself and what I do to find inspiration and motivation to get myself going. I wish I had a supplement that helped assist my body in staying on task and focused, but I don’t. So what I do is really menial. I constantly make lists. I write over and over again sometimes the tasks that I need to do. I also re-list the list over and over again. Finding the time in the morning to recreate my list from yesterday also helps lull me into a work mindset. You have to remind yourself what you need to do, don’t you?

All this list-making to motivate myself is just meant to solidify my work ethic. By solidifying my work ethic, I can then work. By working, I can transfer this skill set to my dream and get my book out faster. I think that everything is transferable and that miraculously, as I get older, I’ve been finding the time to write and to sit and motivate myself. I think I needed to learn this skill set as an Editorial Assistant to finally find it as a writer.

So go motivate yourself. You’ll find that the fruits of that labor, will help you carry out your dreams. I hope that I write another page today.

Frankenstein

miss0piggy — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:13:44 +0000

I don’t usually read classics. It’s a little regretful that I never explored the literary artistry of past authors. Unless the classics were recommended in class, I generally glanced over the titles, made note that they were a classic and moved on towards newer and flashier texts. I assume that I know the plot of all these old books from the movies and through snatches of conversation. I’ve never realized that even the movies are interpretations at times of what the producer imagined rather than a devout reading or devotion to the text itself. My idea of Frankenstein was somewhat blown out of the water when I read the text by author Mary Shelley. The Frankenstein that I read about was nothing like what I’ve seen in movies. There is no Igor and the monster is more human than I had imagined. In fact, I found the real Frankenstein, the creator of the unnamed monster in the novel, more reprehensible. Frankenstein is the stimulus for the pain and suffering caused in the novel. In fact I was unable to ascertain if the mad and deranged Frankenstein wasn’t the actual murderer. He blames himself as the origin of the murders since he is the creator, but the sinking suspicion that Frankenstein is the actual murderer always resurfaces.

Anyways, the reason I brought up Frankenstein was because I borrowed several ideas from the text for my novel. The first idea that I was drawn to was the idea of the creator. We write because we create. This idea itself was compounded because I am reading Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 and the characters are unsure if they are real or being created. Novels are our creations and they can become evil or greater than the creator and we can become slaves to the concept. I loved when the monster told Frankenstein that although Frankenstein was the creator, Frankenstein was now the slave and the monster the master. My book and the concept of it has become my master. I am not a good slave though and I can’t bring myself to complete my creation faster.

The other idea that I took away from novel (which was missing from mine) was the self-reflection and the descriptions of nature that the author fills to the brim. It seems to work as a contrast to the inner conflict of Frankenstein and the tranquility that he finds in the natural world. It was something that I wanted to take away. There’s so much beauty in nature that we forget to see and with my character being a natural creature, to her, nature is just scenery.

Anyways, hope you guys read Frankenstein. It’s worth the read.

Anyways,

Reading List

miss0piggy — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:43:11 +0000

I read a lot of crap, drivel, rubbish, and trash to get to some of the good stuff. At least that’s how I justify reading a lot of the aforementioned to my peers. Something inside of me might actually enjoy really bad storylines and really bad stories. There’s a schadenfreude humor and purpose in reading the awful works. It helps me contrast against great literary works of art, and how simple some of our needs and desires are to entertain ourselves. (For example, I really don’t need to read another manga based on how a school child falls in love with her best friend and overcomes dramatic twists and plots and cliched endings and beginnings; but I’ll still read it. I won’t remember the truly awful ones because the story becomes too predictable, but I’ll still read it.) Eventually, I’ll come to a point where I can’t take it anymore and I’ll start pursuing other mangas or books for more illuminating and adventurous storylines. But I will have read the awful stuff and I am then going to appreciate the good stuff. (I can also look into how simple my own self is and that my own desires are that of a 16 year old girl sometimes.)

Anyways, I wanted to share some of my current reading lists. I’m sure that my choice in books, mangas, and subscriptions will seem somewhat eclectic. My goal in reading has always been to try and branch out so that I don’t become so narrow-minded. I already know what I like (ie 16 year old material), but I don’t want to let that stop me!

Books:

Frankenstein (Has proven to be inspiration in my writing process)
The Art of Choosing
1Q84 (I’m really looking forward to this book!)
Steve Jobs
Counterfeit Gods (My friend mailed it to me!)
The Frog and Prince: Secrets of Positive Networking to Change your Life

Mangas:

One Piece (this author is my newest love)
Naruto
Noblesse
Claymore
Piano no Mori
Princess Resurrection
Futago
7 Seeds
Yoningurashi
Detective Conan
Chocolat (16 year old reading)
Zettai Karen Children (16 year old reading)
Pandora Hearts (16 year old reading)
Skip Beat (16 year old reading)
Yankee-kun to Megane-chan (16 year old reading)
Blackbird (16 year old reading)
Vampire Knight (16 year old reading)

Magazines/Subscriptions:

Glamour (20 year old subscription)
Popular Science (just started this one!!)

Unheralded Extemporaneous Expenses

miss0piggy — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:16:56 +0000

Or very ugly car maintenance fees

I deal very well with surprise and sudden twists. When we find out that the villain in a book or movie is not who or what it seems, I adapt and believe. When friends invite a plus one to a dinner or a night out, I smooth out differences. When a project unexpectedly has a problem, I work it out. The only thing that I don’t know how to plan or work through, are unheralded, extemporaneous expenses that blow budget, savings, and any future plans for several months. (Not that I was great at keeping my budget, savings, or future plans.)

My car, which my parents are still paying their loans on, got hit, and no one left any information. Checking in with my insurance company, the car can’t be fixed for cheap because I have a $1000.00 deductible. I left my car as is, because the damage, while visible, did not impair my driving. My sticker expired today though. After I checked in at the dealership, I was notified that I was rejected because my headlight had a small crack that was letting in water and condensing over the bezel. This condensation was a safety hazard and the reason the sticker was rejected. So she asks if I want to know the price for the headlight and tells me that it’s $465.00. I walk out amazed. Not only do I have a $40.00 ticket, I have to pay $465.00 for a headlight, and $29.00 for an inspection sticker. Woohoo. Yay. I feel like I won some lottery today.

Rather than struggle with the red and the black numbers in my checkings account (which will be red because of this newest…achievement?) I’m looking up part-time jobs and contemplating calling my parents. I already slave away 40 hours at my job and I love it. Publishing is kind of rewarding. I work with amazingly kind and innovative people, and I work on tasks at hand that move towards a greater purpose – the completed project. I don’t want to risk the happiness that I’ve achieved from working with this company and in this position. The only con is how little the love translates to the price tag. I’m always in “sticker” shock.

Any suggestions out there? Now, I know what theoretically I should do. Spend less, eat out less, shop less, pin..ch, pinch, PINCH. But, I’m young-ish, I love meeting new people, and I like trying new things. Maybe reality TV or college destroyed any yuppie or immigrant sensibilities that I had, but, there’s no sense of living without me doing something. I’m all gung-ho for individuals that can wistfully spend an afternoon engrossed in a book or stare out the window and dream themselves into an alternative universe. I love dreamers. I’m just not one of those people.

Is this just a learning stage and process that we must go through? Learning how to curb our enthusiasm for others and things, to learning to hoard and to be more responsible? I feel like the reason why we’re stretching out our adolescence is this desire for speed and life. Maybe if we tuned it down, this whole phenomenon of young adults arriving late into adulthood could be checked. I’d love to be an adult and be responsible.

Anyways, does anyone have any suggestions how to beat this unheralded and extemporaneous expense? I’m all ears.

Diet Renewal

miss0piggy — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:41:06 +0000

So, I’m attempting to gain control over my weight again. Attempting. I’m also attemtping to get in shape. Again, it’d be unnecessary to repeat the same word over and over again.

What’s the new reason for this renewing attempt? It’s the birth of summer in Boston at last. I’m sitting at NESN (New England Sports Network) temping and it’s an absolutely gorgeous building with an absolutely gorgeous window view. I’m staring outside onto a patch of green grass and trees. The summer months always rebirth an effort to change myself for the better. Why do people think that the dreary months of winter would make me feel that way? Anyways, I’ve been thinking of how to change up my diet. I started with a healthy bowl of soy milk and honey nut cheerios with coffee. I plan on grabbing myself a bowl of soup from Panera and for dinner, I plan on making myself a very wonderful salad after my run. I hope that at the end of today, my scale will show my weight as having maintained throughout the day and that tomorrow morning, I will be able to see a two pound drop. Diet renewal, I hope you work!

Udon soup from Super 88

miss0piggy — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:02:14 +0000

Yesterday was somewhat of a diet fail. I consumed a lot of unnecessary calories yesterday and now, have settled on losing 20 pounds in a month to make myself feel better. Let’s see, yesterday, I ate cereal, salad, rice, udon soup and bubble tea. I know that I need to cut out the unnecessary carbs, but saying “no” to noodles and rice is difficult. I’m hoping that rice is okay, as long as it’s brown rice. Today, I just consumed 3 bowls of cereal and two eggs. I plan on having a salad before my interview to calm down my nervousness. I’m hoping that this diet plan will stick. I’m trying to consume more water. I should buy myself a water bottle. I should also buy myself a desk. Argh.

I hope that everything will go well today at 4:15. Please say a little prayer.

Cupcakes and Asparagus

miss0piggy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:39:36 +0000

So, I did absolutely nothing today. It was kind of glorious and somewhat boring, but, I feel like I’ve been on such a relaxing extended vacation. I wish that this lifestyle of mine was supportable somehow.

I made cupcakes with a friend of mine. Well she was a friend of a friend, but, now she’s a friend. We made yellow cupcakes from a box, threw in some pudding mixture (also from a box) and then proceeded to color our frosting (from the containers, chocolate and cream cheese). We then proceeded to spend the next three hours decorating our cupcakes. It was kinda tiring and humiliating but great. I cannot draw on cupcakes. They did not turn out too well. My friend was able to draw this fire-breathing dragon, an alligator, snake, turtle and trees. She did pretty great with flowers and shamrocks too. I kind of failed in that arena. She politely told me that mine were ugly. I tried, I really tried to make mine decorative and artistic. I just didn’t have the patience to pick and twirl and spin at the cupcake without everything getting worse. I found cupcake decorating maddening and was grateful that we finished (after three hours). However, when I had to look at our end results, I thought that her cupcake decorations were great. I wished that I had been as focused on mine.

After handing out our cupcakes, I went home to make some real food. I had stuffed myself full on the frosted cream. The sugar rush was making me sick and dizzy. I boiled the pre-cut asparagus that I had left in the fridge and made myself some brown rice with eggs and soy sauce. It was delicious. I’m just afraid that my pee will smell. I used/squeezed too much lemon juice into the asparagus. Next time, I’m just going to throw in the lemon zest and get rid of the lemony taste. I also think I cut the asparagus wrong and so it was wilted and tough. I’m going to remember that boiling asparagus is a science and that it works best when the asparagus are cut at a slant.

It was our two year anniversary today. I bought two cheesecake slices: lemon raspberry cream and white chocolate raspberry truffle. Next year, I hope that I can make a great dessert like the above.

Week-long Menu Plan

miss0piggy — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:59:31 +0000

I know why it’s difficult to diet. Once I begin to think diet, I think that I should eat less. When I want to eat less, then I should go to stores and pick very tiny portions and less products. Instead of envisioning cereal and milk for breakfast with raspberries on top, I envision a single piece of toast or grapefruit without brown sugar. For lunch, I envision a simple salad rather than a salad with cranberries, nuts, apples, onions and poppyseed dressing. For dinner, I envision an apple or a peanut butter sandwich rather than sauteed asparagus with some brown rice. I realize that eating healthier and cooking more can be an alternative to eating less, but I’m not really sure and I don’t see how that is possible. I’m trying to eat less and less and cook more and more, but to cook means that you have to buy more food and that therefore I am eating more food. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to the old me. I shouldn’t buy more to make sure that I weight less.

However, I know that buying more healthier items, might help me stave off hunger and help me to lose weight by being full longer and achieving a more relaxed state of mind. Nowadays, I eat a lot less baked goods and frozen treats. I try to stay away from starch and heavily stir-fried foods. I picked up all these amazing tricks, but I’ve still gained all my weight back. I guess I have to start exercising again. It’s just so difficult.

I’ve looked at a few new recipes that I want to try. The asparagus turned out wonderfully. I want to try making green beans with shallots and pancetta for dinner Tuesday with brown rice. I hope that it will turn out well. For tomorrow, I will make the asparagus and add some shrimp. I’ll have that with brown rice as well. For Wednesday, my plan is to go to a friend’s place and make sure to eat a lot of good St. Patrick’s day Irish food. Thursday, I want to try making gingered lemon bars. They sound like they’ll be a great treat. For dinner? I want to make a korean dish called jjangjorim. For Friday? Well, I plan to go up to NYC for Friday. I can’t wait to see my friend! I just want to bake with her and enjoy her company. I hope that I will be able to do that. For next week, my boyfriend will be gone for his Spring Break. I hope to take the time to work-out even more. I’m trying to memorize the gym class schedule so that I can re-invigorate myself. And then hopefully, I will find out that I have a new job and be able to take a week off to visit my family. I want to grab some cooking tricks from my mom and enjoy their company. It’s been way too long.

Here’s to a new diet, new dishes and a life more devoted to writing, learning and thinking.

Miss O. Piggy

Being Nervous And Hopeful

miss0piggy — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:24:50 +0000

Maybe I’m trying too much for one day and need to relax and calm down a lot. The tension that I’ve placed upon my own self because I’m waiting for the call “we would like to extend to you the position of…” is getting to me. I’ve been staring at the phone all day and have myself signed onto my gmail account. I’m nervous and my stomach hurts. I’m really tense and my mom is probably correct – I’m stressing myself out too much and can make myself sick. One decision should not influence whether or not I become sick or elated. I should always just push forward, even when I don’t believe in myself. So to me, good luck, and I hope I can figure out how to get rid of this anxiety and this tension. Must continue on working. Eat a lot, work a lot and think a lot.

Timeliness

miss0piggy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:52:30 +0000

I came into work late again. I don’t have the motivation to come in on time and I don’t have the concentration or determination to try and make my job work until the very end. I take my time to look at food menu’s and clothes, but I don’t take the time to look at what I’m doing at work. I barely send in my assignments on time and I’m not pro-actively working on a lot of resumes and consistently checking on the job search engines for anything new. I need to be re-inspired on a daily basis and work even harder. I really do hate being late for a lot of things. I fear that that is actually a trend or a habit of my life that I really need to kick the bucket. I’m even struggling to find enough concentration to finish this blog entry. I love writing but I can’t seem to make it my spice in life. Haha.

I baked some cupcakes last night and will probably make more. They were good. The frosting needs a little bit more work, but I really don’t like it being too sweet. I don’t think that the BF was all impressed with it. How saddening. I wanted him to be super excited and nervous to be baking with me. Lol. I guess that I won’t ever make it to my hubbie’s stomach if my culinary skills are so weak. I brought some in for my co-workers and they seem to like it. I’m glad. I just would like to make them even better. I plan on baking the rest of the cupcakes tonight (if I can find the time) and then baking a pie tomorrow and cook some pork chops or make some pasta. I really do want to be good at replicating in my home the items that I love to eat.

I have a lot to do today. Work, tutor and library. (Thank God library and tutor are synonymous or else I would not get my lazy butt out of the house to drop off the books). Gym (please let me make it in time) and then cook, clean, and sleep. I hope that I’m able to accomplish everything today.