Week 10: I dislike teenagers and bras

This week has been an interesting one, especially on Wednesday. But before that... I have been dealing with school, of course. But I have been going to a deli in Clarksville/ Columbia area that is owned by the parents of one of my sorority sisters. It is called, Ruthie's Deli & Cafe.

It is a small deli with wifi in the store and the nicest ladies making the sandwiches. I went there twice about two weeks ago since it was 5-15 minutes away from the elementary schools I went to for Brickz for Kids. 

This is the Ruthie Panini, which has corned beef, cole slaw, swiss cheese with Russian dressing on rye bread

This is the Bulgogi Sandwich, which has Korean style marinated beef with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and banana peppers. 

Out of the two of them, I liked the Bulgogi Sandwich the best. I think that the meat was sweet and delicious with a nice tartness from the banana peppers and a little heat. It was delicious. You can add fresh fruit instead of chips for an extra $1.50? I think, but I feel like it is worth it since I felt so much healthier after eating the fruit. Plus, I am in love with fruit. 

Anyways... back to my story... This Wednesday, I went to a new elementary school to work with these two teenagers (Jake and Sam) since I will be taking over their class next week. They are going to be leaving for spring sports. I was talking to Jake about this senior year of high school and he was complaining to me about how hard it was. Here was the convo:

Jake: Senior year is really tough. It is the hardest year of high school. 

Me: Well, after AP exams you can coast and not show up to school basically. 

Jake: I can't. I am already in hot water, I can't get into any more trouble. 

Me: What did you do?

Jake: (after like 10 minutes of asking) I got suspended... I got turnt at school. I got turnt on a water bottle and a half of Grey Goose. I threw up in the hallway. If I made it to the bathroom, I would have never gotten caught. 

I was silent after this for a while, I could not believe that this happened. So I started to leave the building to go home. 

Me: Well, I don't feel bad for you since I believe you deserve to get caught. But good luck with your senior year and college. 

Jake: What?! Are we never going to see each other again?

Me: No. You are leaving next week, and yeah. 

Jake: What?

Me: When are we ever going to see each other again?

Jake: When we party together

Me: I am 25, I am not going to party with you. 

Sam: Does that mean you can buy us drinks?

Yeah... I hate teenagers. They have no idea how hard life is going to be when you get suspended from school because you were drinking? 

Later that night I went to the mall with my housemate, Young, to get her boobs measured. I have gotten this done since I was 12. But back in the day, the Victoria Secret worker measured me in the middle of the store over my hoodie and jacket. On this night, Young and the sales associate walked to the dressing rooms and went into a room. Young started taking off her jacket and sweater. Internally, I was freaking out. I kept thinking, "Why are we in here? Am I going to have to go topless?" So, I asked, "How far do I need to go?" as I was taking off my jacket. Young told me to about my shirt would be fine since the sales associate can measure through my clothing. 

After she measured the both of us, I moved to a different fitting room. The sales associate gave me a bra in my size and told me to try it on. Once I put it on she told me, "I need to see it on." So I threw on my t-shirt, and walked out. She gave me a crazy look implying that I need to take my shirt off for her to see. She gave me a push up bra instead because... I have no boobs. She came in after I put on the push up. She instructed me to pull on the middle part of the bra. She asked, "Do you mind?" and gestured to my boobs. I said, "No." She started to re-adjust my boobs in this bra for me. I went to second base with this woman and I had no idea what her name was. 

I found out about an hour later what her actual name was. Life lesson: I am apparently easy and let people just touch my boobs. I need a push up. Always. 

Day 24: Snow Days Are For Baking

Today was a high chance of snow, do my boss at Brickz for Kids let me know yesterday that there was a high chance of my preschool class being canceled.

So this morning I had to be productive to make up for yesterday's just nothingness. I had to clean my bathroom and do my laundry. The laundry was most important since I am leaving for Georgia in a day and I like to pack early to make sure I have everything. Lists are the best for packing, I honestly think they are my salvation. They super help me keep organized. 

By the time I was done with cleaning my bathroom and starting my laundry, it was around 12. This is when I would start debating on working out and getting ready for work. Young and I made plans to work out at 5:30-ish, so I didn't have to think about that. Luckily I got a text from my boss saying that classes were canceled since it started to know at 10-11 AM. 

Since there  was no work and it was snowing, this meant that I could bake the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n' Fudge Brownie Bar. This I, of course, found on Pinterest, my pictures do not do it justice, but wow it is delicious. 

I actually didn't have enough Oreos since this week and last, Hyman and I have been eating them. So the original has so much more. 

I left this out to cool for about 3 hours before cutting it and it was still hot and fudgey in the middle. 

I had it as a dessert treat with vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge on top. I will say that I do not do it justice like the website does. I am just not that artistic. 

Currently as I am writing this, I am in absolute pain from the work out Young and I did, plus no recovery from my work out yesterday. We did a 30 minute dance work out from PopSugar Fitness on Youtube. My thigh are just fatigued to the point of pain. I know that it is worth it and it is healthy, but wow. I am beat. Tomorrow I am doing yoga without a doubt or I might continue the pain depending on how much packing I get done to night.

I wish the music matched the moves we learned today and towards the end I was really dizzy and worried about my vertigo; but all in all it was a lot of fun. 

Young and I was laughing a lot during this. It didn't feel like it was too crazy of a work out. I think the best part of having a work out buddy is that you don't feel like you are working out you are having fun together. You are achieving a goal with someone, I think it is more fun. But I don't want to be solely dependent on Young. I was last year and when she moved I just stopped working out which was bad. I want to continue no matter what. That is what I would like to achieve. 

Day 21 & 22: Orientation & Making Friends

Thursday was an awesome day because of the fact that it was my Graduate School Orientation at UMBC. I was really excited to go and make friends. It started at 2PM, so I wanted to get there around 1:45-ish to make sure that I would make it in time so I can mingle and try to make friends. I really want to make friends at UMBC since everyone that I knew graduated. I know two people one is working full time and the other is in his own Ph.D program... so yeah. I am trying to make new friends especially with the people in the Education Program.

I got there around 1:45PM, I thought it started at 1:30... so I thought I was late, but I checked in and got my name tag, I got papers and a drawstring bag from the GSA. I waited for the campus tour, but no one wanted to talk to me. I also realized that my last name was not write on the name tag. It was "Truing" so I went to the check in and asked whether this was a permanent thing. They apologized and said that they copied it from what I wrote my registration sign up. So it was me. I wrote my own last name wrong. After 25 years of having the same name, I still can not manage to write my last name correctly. Life Lesson: Always proofread everything you type, especially your name.

The orientation was great, I needed up meeting a few people and wanting to be more involved with UMBC's GSA. I met a few people in the Education Program, which was great. I even gave someone I met there a ride home. It wasn't until we got to my car that I thought, "I don't know this person very well. They could murder me." So I brought my cell phone to the front just in case. I think have a stranger danger problem, the problem is that I don't have stranger danger. I believe in people and the good within them. Luckily, the person I took him was a nice guy nothing bad happened and he even friend requested me. I panicked a little over nothing. Am I the only one that does this though? I want to help people in need as much as I can. I have been trying to be as nice as possible and I feel like sometimes that is crazy hard.

Friday was a very fun and chill day. I started to get ready to go home for the weekend. I was able to work at Brickz for Kids that day too. We were teaching Robotics which was super cool. The kids made a claw and programmed the claw to open and close. It was really interesting. I was talking to one of the instructors (who is 17 years old) who told me that I need to get a hobby and stop working so much. I told him in order to get a hobby I needed money. He suggested instrument, cooking and streaming TV. I laughed at the last two since I need to cook to survive as I stream everything. I guess when you are 17, you don't understand the struggles of life and there is the cushion of your parents and of home. Oh yeah, he even asked me if I was going to go clubbing. I SUPER laughed at that one. Hilarious. I wish I was back to being 17, I miss it.

After work, I made plans to eat Bon Chon with a sorority sister from Dallas who was in town for a residency interview. She didn't have a car and was in Downtown Baltimore so I offered to pick her up before we got dinner. Young met us there and we ate a large combo of soy garlic and some spicy with two orders of fries and kimchi. It was delicious. I got a coke since I knew it was going to be a long night of driving. After we went to Shilla's Bakery to get some dessert, but we were all too full to eat it. So we just sat and chatted. It was nice.

Today, MLK day, I went grocery shopping with my cousin Vicky to get a reign on my spending. I am happy to day I only spent $30 on a weeks worth of food. I was really proud of myself. I think she did really help me and the fact that I am not spending that much time at the house this week since I will be going to Georgia over the weekend.

Day 5: Why Do Chipotle Patrons Touch My Hair?

I woke up around 9 and stayed in my room until about 10AM because I thought Hyman's lady friend Sarah was still in the house. I was actually a little excited for her to be around since I was going to have company throughout the day and I wanted to get to know her better. I heard that she was really shy and because I am clearly not I thought I would be able to break her of her shell and be friends. Sadly, she left around 11:30PM- 12AM the night before, I had just not heard because I was sleeping like a bear apparently.

After wondering the house for her shoes and pizza remains and coming up short, I started to cook some breakfast. I was going to make oatmeal, eggs, and bacon; but I thought I used way to much of the shared eggs. I think within the week I used 4-6 and there had been 10 before I started using them. I didn't feel right using them since I haven't contributed much to the community food which is eggs, bread, and now milk. I added the milk, but that was about it. Instead of a complex breakfast, I made udon out of laziness and curiosity, I wanted to see the taste difference if I cooked it purely on the stove top and now in the pre-packaged bowl. I liked it better stovetop way. As I was watching the Simpsons and eating, I received an email about my appointment to be fingerprinted by the Howard County Parks & Recreation Department which supports Brickz for Kids. The confirmed the appointment and provided me the address of where I need to go. I rushed to clean my pot and bowl, and rushed to shower. I didn't have time for make up or bowl drying my hair since it was 10:50 AM and the location was 20 minutes away.

The fingerprinting process took about 20 minutes, LaShae was really nice to me and we talked during the whole process. She told me that the results would be sent within the next couple of weeks.

After I had time to kill since it was only about 12PM, so I thought going to Bed, Bath & Beyond to look for oatmeal containers would be a good idea. The BB&B closest to my house in Severn is the one attached to Arundel Mills Mall. Wow, was it packed on Friday at noon. I could barely find parking, and the mall was so crowded. I ended up getting a container, scooper, and a candle for the kitchen. Sadly, the container does not even fit all the oatmeal that I have.

I started to wonder around the mall since I wanted to go to the Disney store. I haven't been in one for about 2 years, I didn't know which direction it was in so I thought it would be good exercise to walk around the whole circle that is Arundel Mills. I got suckered into talking to the Dead Sea Deja Vu II kiosk people. The guy was really nice, I don't remember where he is from but I know it is French and English speaking country. The company sent him to Arundel since he has been doing so well within the company. He has "expertise in skin care and health." He was a nice guy, I love/ hate the scrub products since they make me feel disgustingly dirty when my dead skin comes off. He told me to never use make up, I replied that I had to or I would look like a child. I am awful at these high pressure sales situations. I am terrible at saying no since I don't want to hurt people's feelings, and I am so easily conned. I am definitely the person calling into QVC or infomercials to get the newest and most innovative product. This sales associate was practically giving the product away to me since the price went from $200 per product to $100 for 4 products he used on me. I kept telling him that I could not since I could barely afford groceries and I did not have a paying job. He finally let me walk away when I promised to come back after I get a paying job and asked for his business card.

After that 20 minute encounter, I avoided all kiosks and almost all human interaction after that. The longer I stayed in the mall the more I realized I had no money to purchase any of the things that I wanted. But I wanted to circle back to my BB&B entrance. I was in the mall for about 2 hours, I didn't have to be back to the area for another 3 and couldn't stand being in the mall area, so I went home.

When I got home Young was already home from work, I was ecstatic for company. I said, "Young?" I didn't realize that she was trying to nap, but asked her if she wanted to watch Ultimate Spiderman. She did! We talked and snacked on Honeynut Chex and Cheez Its for about an hour and a half. I started to get sleep and offered for us to take naps and watch again after I get back from my dinner plans. She seemed down for it and sleepy too.

I took about an hour nap before my cousin called me to make plans for me to come over on Saturday around 3PM after I babysit and go home for Christmas week. I looked at the time it was around 4:30 and meet time was 5PM. It only takes about 8 minutes to get there so I took my time getting out of the door. I was meeting my college roommate of three years, Kathleen to catch up since I hadn't seen her since August/ September time. She was stuck in traffic so I didn't mind waiting. When we are together we reminisce, tell jokes, and talk for hours; this is the second time we have stayed at a restaurant until close. She is also currently living in a similar situation: in house with two other roommates (her's are just both female), the house owner is passive aggressive, and she gets along with both of them. We are paying around the same amount too. Somewhere in the middle of the dinner rush and our conversation, someone in line started to lean on the booth I was sitting on and leaning on my head. From their extra weight my head started to go forward, I started busting out laughing and Kathleen made jokes about how he wants to touch my hair. I wish I could say this is the first time someone has done this to me at this exactly Chipotle, but I cannot. Apparently people love my hair here and want to touch it.

I had been craving fruit and veggies since I moved in, so I went to Safeway to pick up a fruit cup, Suja juice, Chewy bars, and two boxes of Honey Nut Chex since Young and Hyman seemed to like ti so much. It is pretty sweet that 1. I found the Safeway (not Shoppers) and 2. that it is open 24 hours.

I got back to the house around 11PM, Young scared the crap out of me, and then we went upstairs to bother Hyman. Hyman was napping off his food coma and drinks from his holiday party and I was telling them about the man who was touching my hair at Chipotle. We migrated to the kitchen island and started talking (mostly me) about engagement rings, my college roommate's living situation, hemorrhoids, and dating situations. Hyman was making notes of everything I would hate in a man so he could "troll." He wants to tell the potential suitor that I really love everything I hate like a naked guy in only socks. Just why? But this conversation lead to me admitting to him how I was scared the night before of possibly hearing him and his lady friend having sex and how I didn't know how to react to the situation. But since he is going to troll me, I thought him I am going to get those New Year's popper and make a since like "YOU GOT IT IN!" and high five him and then girl the next morning. He did not like the idea. We stayed up until about 2AM talking but Hyman had to work the next day and I had to babysit at 9AM, so we went to bed.

What are some good troll/ prank ideas for housemates? I need ideas!

Day 4: All I Hear Are Ghosts

The day started off with me making my bed and having plans to cook about a pound of maple bacon and cleaning the kitchen. I remember my mom talking to me the night before about how she feels it is unfair how much I clean here at my new place compared to cleaning at home. I completely understand why she feels this way, but if I don't clean here no one will. If I don't clean at home, our cleaning lady or my parents will; yes this is a spoiled point of view but this is how I am thinking.

I completely made a mess of the kitchen when I cooked my bacon. I was trying to figure out how to place the bacon fat into another place to go into the trash, but I stupidly used a styrofoam bowl, which I thought would hold up for some reason. The bottom of the bowl was melted through. So, there was fat and grease everywhere in the kitchen. It took me about a half an hour to cook and clean up the bacon but about an hour to clean the kitchen. I honestly don't mind cleaning. I feel like I am rearranging things in the kitchen and I am worry that they will not like it. The house smell like straight syrup for the rest of the day, I used the exhaust and everything. I definitely need to get a candle for the kitchen or open a window when I am making that bacon.

Both Young and Hyman are so nice to me, I am scared they won't be honest with me to spare my feelings. I hope they will be honest about how I am trying to insert myself into their house and their lives right now.

After cleaning the kitchen, I heard these voices coming from the basement where Young's room is. I thought it was a neighbor's TV being really loud, but as I was sweeping downstairs, the voices were louder. My initial reaction: Ghosts are in the house. So, I snapped myself being scared to Young. She later explained to me that her laptop might have turned on when she accidentally touched the screen. These are the thoughts in my mind: ghosts. I am not atypical thinking person. I also thought this is later in the night when I was changing to go to bed, and I could hear muffled voices. My first reaction was: GHOSTS! But when I really thought about it, it was Hyman talking on the phone I guess.

I vacuumed my room, which really helped since I will like my hair is everywhere. I feel like my room is a lot cleaner. I really need lately.

Then I did some yoga for beginners. I forgot how serious yoga is, it is all about breathing, but wow right now a day later. I am sore. Super sore. I will keep doing yoga once a day. But I wish Fitbit would track yoga better, it said that I was not active yesterday even though I did yoga for 40 minutes and walked up 18 flights of stairs.

I was offered an interview to babysit for a family in Severn. I searched the address it was 2 minutes away, which was amazing. I was really excited and hoped that I was start building up families around here. I met them after I trained for Brickz For Kids, which I feel more confident about after training with Judy. She had more control over the children and it was a larger group than the day before. She seemed really sweet and loved the fact that I had a lot of questions about the program. She is 19 years old and was about to call herself old until I mentioned how I was 25. She just found out that she is pregnant and seems really excited about having her baby. It was awesome talking her and seeing how long she has been with the program.

The family was really nice and wanted me to start on Saturday. This makes me sad since I wanted to come home home to Germantown home on Friday night to eat my dad's food. Money will always win out in my mind since I am poor. So, I will be going home a day later than I thought. This makes me really sad, but I have to go what I have to do.

Day 3: Eating Like a Poor College Student

I woke up and started to clean my bathroom since... well I blew it up. It was disgusting. But I gave it a good scrub and deep cleaning, under the toilet rim and in my shower. It was super satisfying to shower in my bathroom. I felt clean and the place felt super clean.

After cleaning it was breakfast time, so I cooked my ground turkey and made myself a oatmeal pasta bowl. It was great, but looked like a mushed mess.

I came up to my room to blog, put my face on, and get ready for my training. I went to an Elementary school as part of my new position as a Teacher for Brickz for Kids. I am really excited about the job. I just did not feel that confident about myself and the position. The person I trained with did not seem to like our boss and did not have control of the children. I was worried that it would all be like that, and I do not do well with chaos.

I went there from about 2:45 util 5:00PM, I was so hungry when I got home that I sat and watched CSI:NY as a crushed a half bag of carrots, greek yogurt, and cottage cheese.

I came up to my room and hung out solo for a while until my housemates came home around 6-7PM. We all had dinner together. They had their leftovers and I had a bowl of honeynut chex with almond milk. Hyman made a comment about my cereal and offered me some of his food, it made me feel like I was so poor. Haha. But I know it was out of a good place, but it kicked me into a new place that I should be eating better. I am eating like I am a poor person. I don't really eat any veggies with my meals. I am eating them as a snack. That is not how my meals should be going.

I guess for me it is conflicting since I will only be here for a week. I want to make the most of my food so I am trying to make sure that I don't get anything that will spoil or that I can finish in a week.


My idea is to start planning for a week, making sure that I plan all my meal and all the ingredients for the week. This is my first step to becoming an independent adult: planning and buying my groceries for the week.

What are some recipes or weekly planning tips anyone can give me? It would really help me out a lot. I was looking into Rachael Ray's 3 meals in a day recipes. But I am just worried about starving.