Big news Guys!
I've finally done it! I've created my own recipe!!! There's a certain level of awesomeness that suddenly defines you when you finally create your own recipe! I, dear readers, have finally achieved this culinary Nirvana. I've even given my new recipe a name, it is called,(obviously) The Delhi Delight Pizza...Otherwise known as Tikka Masala Pizza. Of course, there are other Tikka Masala Pizzas, but none are exactly like mine! This recipe is nutritious and certifiably delicious! I dare you to try this on your own!
The Delhi Delight You will need:
Pita bread or Naan (Preferably wheat)
Tikka Masala Sauce
Feta Cheese
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Chicken or Tofu
Directions:
Lay Pita/Naan bread flat on a baking sheet.
Spread Tikka Masala sauce on bread from the center outwards. Remember to leave the edges of the bread untouched in order to maintain a crispy crust. Sprinkle Feta Cheese on top of sauce.
Next, sprinkle a thin layer of Parmesan cheese on the pizza.
Place even amounts of chicken/tofu around the pizza. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan over the chicken.
Cover the pizza with an ample amount Mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the oven at 350 Degrees for 15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.
Yesterday I celebrated my 22nd birthday! I've noticed that birthdays always make you asses the etire last year of your life as much as possible! I can definitely say that my 21st year on earth was different from my other years. There were some successes, some failures, some awkward moments (of course) and some very honest moments. This year has changed me in so many ways, yet somehow kept me the same. When I think about the past year, I think the word, "break-ups". For me, this year has been a year of break-ups...No...Not with boys, but with everything I was used to.
It all started with my break-up with my college of 2.5 years and is now ending with the break-up from my most jovial and consistent companion, my puppy. Throughout this year, I have had break-ups with friends that I thought would be there forever, plans that I thought were fool-proof, dreams I held extremely close, things I thought I wanted and even with my own self. I wont lie, it has been tough. Really tough. But, at some point you realize that very few things are permanent. It helps you let things go and just live. Part of living life is letting go of the past and treating each day like a new beginning.
Three years ago, I would have never thought that I would go from living at the beach, to living in the middle of nowhere, to living in an apartment in Athens, with a dog whose days are numbered... Much of my journey was very lonely. I have been in different towns, with different people and had different experiences. It's all made me a little bit tougher in ways I wouldn't have ever imagined.
You see, part of going through a break-up is that it makes you stronger and able to move forward. At 22 I am not entirely the same person I was at 21 (naturally). So this year, I look forward to learning new things and becoming the person that fits best in my skin.
When I first saw this little "Nice Guy" advertisement I couldn't resist rolling my eyes. I thought, " Not ANOTHER guy complaining about being in the 'Friend Zone'"! By way of another blog, I worked through this whole idea of the "Nice Guy" and why he just can't seem to ever finish first (poor thing). To keep it simple, this blog is to let you "Nice Guys" know what you're doing wrong...A little harsh, I know. But I appreciate you guys too much to let you finish last!
If you're ever wanted to know why women like "Bad Boys", here it is: We actually don't. We like men who are brave enough not to muddle through life. We like me who are assertive and are not afraid to back down from a challenge. We like men who know what they want and aren't afraid to do what it takes to get it (within reason). It just so happens that "Bad Boys" are more comfortable being assertive and taking risks. That's not to say that that's what all women want, but I'll just let you do the math.
The quintessential "Nice guy" has been boiled down to three words:
-Passive
-Gentle-man
-Boring
By no means is this true, but with ideas like that floating around, no wonder nice guys finish last!
Here's the Problem:
A "Nice Guy" is content to listen to a girl cry, vent and whine for hours...and hours...and hours. Spend way too much "quality time", wait on her hand and foot.... And then wonder why the girl doesn't see him as dating material. Do you see what's wrong with that picture? I have girlfriends for situations like those! If you can easily be replaced by a girl, don't wonder why you're in the friend zone...slap yourself!
"Nice Guys" end up in the friend zone because they're too scared to to get out of the friend zone... Or they weren't assertive enough in the beginning to admit their intentions, hence the idea that "Nice Guys" are passive. The problem has nothing to do with the fact that you're shy (look guys, we know it's not easy). The problem is that you let something that you desperately wanted linger right before your eyes, within arms reach, and you didn't take a hold of it because you were too scared. Correct me if I'm wrong, but do "Bad Boys" have these problems? No. Because they see what they want, and they go for it (be it good or bad). So don't be upset if you're in the dreaded "Friend Zone", when you've conveniently positioned yourself there. And don't assume girls automatically know your intentions.
Don't go getting all bitter with women and turn into a player (we already know that's played out this year anyways) just because you never figured out how to grow a pair and approach the woman you actually want.
However, you should understand being a "Nice Guy" doesn't entitle you to women everywhere. Don't rank yourself in comparison to the lowest type of guys. Yeah, you're much better than Chris Brown, but that don't make you Tim Tebow or anything...
Yes, rejection does happen. She just might not be interested and that's OK. I'm sure there are girls you're not interested in either. You just get back up and move forward. I know guy's ego's are fragile, but risk really can bring reward.
In conclusion, "Nice Guys", you're fantastic! We really appreciate that there are men out there who still believe in respecting women and treating them right! So get out there and don't be afraid to ask for what you want! There are plenty of women who are waiting for a nice guy to sweep them off their feet. They want to start a fun and exciting journey with YOU...not a just "nice" journey. The friend zone is a completely appropriate zone....for friends. If you want more, don't waste your time and feelings. Be clear and seize the moments. Risk brings reward...most times....just don't be stupid.
Alright, it's 3:30am and I'm on a caffeine high that began 5 hours ago! So what better thing to do than update my blog? I've been SO swamped lately that I've neglected my blogging! With that being said, I've been mulling over this blog Idea for about a week now: What is played out in 2012? It is my duty to make sure that you, my fellow readers, don't go in to 2012 with the old played out things from 2011! So Here are a few things I came up with!
1. Being the "Best". Recently, there has been this obsession with being the best. Being "The Best" implies anything from having the nicest tennis shoes to having the nicest car. Or, my personal favorite, being the best rapper or athlete. Look, It's a recession. The great thing about a recession is that it makes everyone a little bit poorer, consequently making people just a tinge more equal. So here's the deal, everyone already knows that you're insecure and that you are overcompensating by having to be "The Best". So save us all the work and just be yourself. Being yourself is totally in this year!
2. Dumb Reality TV shows. This might be wishful thinking, but I would hope that the world is in enough peril that Jersey Shore loses its influence on American television. Yes, the occasional drunk hook-up is bewildering and somehow addictive to watch,but hey! There are more important things going on nationally and internationally. Being an informed, productive human being is SO in this year!
3. Players. Yes, there was a time when being a player was "the thing". According to MTV and BET....it probably still is. Yes, when it comes to husbands and people who have children, being a player is abhorrent. But, apparently, when it comes to singles under the age of 30, it's cool? If I hear another song about someone leaving home with someone from the club I might die!!! All I hear is when I hear such things is, " Blah, Blah, Blah, I'm raising my chance of getting an STD". Everyone knows that being "a player" is brought on by insecurity and perhaps even a lack of a good male influence during childhood. Its sad, yes, but at this point you're not fooling anyone.Respecting yourself and others is in this year!
4. Suburban Thugs. If you have decent parents, grew up in a decent neighborhood, went to a decent school and got a decent education, why are you acting like you didn't? I really can't stand to see these little thug boys running around campus actin' a fool when they KNOW their major is Biology or Political science. If you're in college, you have no right to act like you are not receiving a college education! It just burns my biscuits! Being intelligent is definitely in this year!
5. Twitter. As much as I enjoy reading your every thought, I don't know if I can take it anymore! Occasional updates are great. I enjoy a little laugh here and there. But, instead of incessantly posting your thoughts online for the whole world to see, why don't you make some new friends and share your occasional musings with them? Making new friends is totally in this year!
6. Rubber Bracelets. I LOVE that they stand for a cause...But it's time to get real accessories. Maybe you can think of some other crafty use for all those colorful bracelets? Recycling played out stuff from 2011 is SO in this year!
7. Declaring the End of the World. Resist the urge to carry this trend on in to 2012. I know, I know, " But it's 2012"!!! I feel like people have been saying the world was going to end for the past 30 years. Enough! Just let it happen. If it's our time to go it's our time to go. Peace of mind is in this year.
8. Being in Love with Teenage Pop Sensations. C'mon people! Unless you're under the age of 18, this is not acceptable. Like many others, I fell into the trap of Taylor Lautner's glistening abs.....but that's all over now...I think. Being a grown-up is definitely in this year!
9. Weird Lady Gaga Fashion. Embracing individuality is great! However, wearing ridiculous clothes, tragically miss-matched colors and acting like a zombie may not be the best way to go about it. Sure, everyone gets creative reign over their fashion and appearance, but this is just extreme. So extreme that by following along you're not even affirming your individuality, but actually being the manifestation of the standard that the entertainment industry sets for us... and that's not cool. Not letting others define you is totally in this year!
10. Metro Sexual Guys. I missed the part where we need MORE effeminate men? Especially not if I'm still single! I know that most would like to believe that our culture has overcome our belief in gender schemas...but we haven't. We need these men to get out of the nail salon and back in to being strong leaders....or to at least admit they're gay. Either way, metro sexual guys deny me the clarity that I so desperately need. Real men are definitely in this year!
Oh romance, love, affection, mushy, gushy-ness...How you make me BARF! Lol, Just kidding! Ya'll know that if that were true I wouldn't be writing this blog. I have no interest in false emotions or virtual defense mechanisms! That stuff's for the birds. I'm just here to vent about my own personal situation. Let me start by saying, I'm not sad about being single! I would never trade in my time being single, it has been some of the most rich and fulfilling years...and years...and years of my life. Don't worry guys, I'm only 21 so the situation is only at caution level yellow. Actually...I'm almost 22, but no worries, still yellow....maybe its just because I like the color yellow.
I've managed to almost go through my entire college years, single. Since college is rumored to be a time for dating and relationships, I assumed that I would have a boyfriend after the 1st semester of college- Boy was I wrong!
So, as a lonely college student with few friends and a limited social life, I did what any savvy, clueless, college student would do...I started an online dating account (you have no idea how much it shames me to admit this publicly. Shame upon me and my family). Anyways,as I read through many emails from men who had obviously not read my profile and ONLY looked at my picture, I came to two conclusions. #1. Most of the men on this site are probably psychologically unstable. (as a rule, I usually assume that everyone has at least 1 psychological disorder) and #2. Most people are shallow and they really only care about themselves. This may sound bitter, but I assure you, there is truth in that. Sure, I talked to a few guys, one stopped talking to me because I told him I made a turkey sandwich for dinner. My profile picture is of me cooking so I guess he assumed that I made gourmet dinners every night. To that I must say, "WTF?". Another guy I talked to ended up being, like, clinically depressed. He had a great personality, but crazy just can't hide itself. I'm talking to a British guy now...I'm sure it won't go anywhere. I know, "give it a chance" blah, blah, blah! There's no substitute for intuition guys. Lastly, I recently began talking to this great Christian guy who can draw, sing and dance! He's really nice, but you know what, It probably won't work out either, because good things just don't happen to me, romance-wise. It's just what it is. I know, you're like "No Tanisha! Have hope!" To that I'd say, " Go ahead and put money on it! (No seriously, I NEED gas money!)"
Ever since I can remember, guys have treated me like crap. Okay, maybe not like crap, but close to it. You know those girls that a guy goes out of their way to sweep off their feet? I'm not that girl. The most I can get is a half-assed (excuse the language, but there's no way to half-ass the word" half-ass") attempt to be interested. I can be liked, appreciated, but never truly treasured. I once heard a quote that said, "To be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known". I, want to be known. I'm talking about fully known by another person, like, past, present, future, uncensored, unashamed, fully and organically known. I want to never have to wonder if you think I'm awkward, weird, beautiful, incomparable or lovely. I don't want to even have to guess. I want my life to fall in to rhythm with your life as if we were never off beat! Lets get this straight, I don't expect any man to be perfect, flawless or even close to the infallible love that's in the Lord. I don't even want him to be! I'm so tired of hearing, " Be a better person! Be a better person and when you're good enough, love will be given to you!" Whether or not it's true, the frustration of not being able to share myself completely with another person persist.
In the meantime, I think I'll quit the online dating...maybe, and sink into the other issues I have in front of me. I will however, let you know how it goes with the British and Christian guy ;). Thanks for reading! I'll update you soon!
For Now, Enjoy This:
Anyways, though lengthy, this is where I am at this point. I will not abandon you again my few, but dear readers! Thanks for reading!
Alright, I'll admit it. I've abandoned my blogging for too long! It's not like I have a good excuse either, I have plenty of time! I guess you could say I've been uninspired to write lately....I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not. So, this blog is to catch youlovely readers up on life as of late. Lets see...where did we leave off? Oh. I remember! I had just announced to you that I was leaving the gloomy doldrum that was the Georgia Southern. I couldn't have been happier! Fast forward to summer 2011. This summer can be summed up in three words: "guy-friends", "exercise" and "Hispanics". Let me explain. I feel like I spent my entire summer with my guy-friend...lets call him...Giovanni. If you've ever had a close guy-friend, you know that it can get frustrating to spend a lot of time with them. By the end of the summer I wanted to hug him and wring his neck at the same time! Well, Giovanni is obsessed with fitness, like, so obsessed, he could probably be on the show "My weird addiction" or perhaps more appropriately, "True Life: I'm addicted to working out". Anyways, we scored some gym memberships and worked out everyday. I'm sad to say that I didn't lose a significant amount of weight because I think the universe wants me to be a chubbster forever. The bad part about being a chubbster is that everybody thinks they have a right to an opinion to your body. The "If I were skinnier..." always creeps up in your mind all the time, not because I'm self-conscious, but because its true. Its gets to be so frustrating that I'm like, "If one more person pokes my effing pooch, I'm gonna go ham on their face!" I'm not the freakin' Pilsbury dough girl! ...(woo-sah). Anyways, after exercizing for a month and losing only 5 lbs, our limited gym membership expired. While Giovanni and the Gym (which, by the way, is a good title for a documentary that tracks his addiction) were happening, I found myself spending a lot of time with Giovanni's family, otherwise known as "My hispanic family". I've known them since I was in 9th grade! Every Tuesday we would go to the Latin American Association to practice Spanish and help those who were learning English. That was pretty fun actually, we met a lot of great people that we got to see week after week!
This is the building most of my classes are in!
By the end of the summer my sister had moved back to Atlanta and I was signing a lease to live in an apartment with 3 other strangers! UGA is a wonderful school! My classes are the most challenging that I've ever taken and guess what...I'm only failing one! :D. Starting at this school was difficult, of course. I had to learn an entire bus system to find my classes. Did I mention my classes were hard? I didn't know anyone and...Did I mention my classes were hard? I came home every night to an empty room and a seemingly inactive online social life (thanks for nothing facebook!). So, I know what you're thinking, "Just get a boyfriend you dummy!". Nope. Because of course, UGA girls got it goin' on! I bet when the guys get on this campus, they don't even know what to do! I've always prided myself on my simple, relaxed, Martha Stewarty look, but that doesn't cut it here! So no boyfriend! So what was the next option? A PUPPY! Yes, I got a puppy 2 months after I got here! Her name is Missy. She is expensive, messy, hyper active and the sweetest thing you ever did see! I'm up to my elbows in puppy pee almost every day and her poop makes me want to vomit. However, the best part of my day is when she snuggles next to me at night! Slowly but surely, I've gained friends and found things to get involved with! It turns out my roommate situation turned out marvelously. They are the best I could have gotten under the situation! I can't even believe that the semester is finally over. Sometimes I forget that this is my first semester here actually! At times I miss PBA. Life was easier, the experiences were priceless and the memories I made there were unforgettable, but I don't regret leaving. Being back in Atlanta has taught me to appreciate family and cherish friends that have been there no matter where I am!
"A woman of true beauty offers others the grace to be and the room to become"
It has been a long time since I last updated my blog. To tell the truth, I just haven't had much inspiration. My thoughts have been filled with my most recent endeavours: Exercising/losing weight, cleaning and of course, getting my wisdom teeth removed! I wasn't expecting the removal of my wisdom teeth (from now on they will be referred to as "My Wisdoms") to be a remarkable occasion. If anything, it would be full of pain and lament for the loss of my sweet, precious, Wisdoms. However, it ended up being just the occasion that I needed. I was all flutters and jitters as I walked through the door of the dentist office. I mean, what did they expect, really? They just gave me a 1 inch thick packet describing all of the horrifying things that could happen to me as a result of the surgery! Excuse me, but, the possibility of accidental death or permanent nerve damage was on the table here! But, as I was escorted to the operation chair, a small light at the end of the tunnel appeared in the form of a sweet, sweet, Latina lady named Rosaria. Now, when I say this lady was SWEET, I mean she was sweeter than caramel apple pie with ice cream...and whipped cream...and a sugar coated crust! From the moment she walked in the room, she was reassuring, comforting and caring! She even pet my nappy hair, which was a feat that I wasn't even willing to do that morning (seriously, I woke up and stuck 2 bobby pins in it...no...I didn't care)! She even spoke to me in Spanish once she found out what my major was! I learned the word "jugoza" which means juicy....she thought my veins were juicy =D. She was just an all around, kind, inviting spirit! I was instantly reassured and utterly impressed! I read a quote recently that said, "A woman of true beauty offers others the grace to be and the room to become" Rosaria reminded of this quote and how much going out of your way to love those around you really means! Recently I've found myself distanced from those around me. Whether it be in the form of not making as much effort to spend quality time, not using kind words, being impatient or extremely passive aggressive. Somewhere, I forgot how hard life can be and how important it is to let my life be a place where people can feel free to grow and be themselves. The world is tough enough, it shouldn't be reflected in me as well. I'm so thankful to the people like Rosaria, who stand as an example and remind me of what's important in life. Sometimes a little refocusing is all you really need! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is "The Wisdom from My Wisdoms"
