....until the adventure begins!!!
Wahoo! I can't wait to *finally* have my semi-study abroad experience (minus the classes/homework). I will be spending the next few weeks traveling Europe with friends and family enjoying the many wonders of (mainly) Eastern Europe.
On the itinerary:
1. Barcelona
2. Italy (Venice, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome)
3. Greece (Athens, Naxos, Santorini)
4. Croatia (Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes National Park)
5. Budapest
6. Vienna
7. Munich
8. Prague
9. Berlin
The goal is to keep the blog up-to-date with my adventures, some of the fun things that I am experiencing, and a couple pictures. Updates will come as time allows :)
Recommendations are always accepted and greatly appreciated!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Random Ramblings Edition #2: Life Quotes
**This post was initially written in March 2012 and was updated over the last few weeks. Enjoy a flashback to freshman in college Kat.**
Confession: I have a slight obsession with quotes.
Many times when I'm feeling a specific emotion I search for a quote....sadness, happiness, excitement, remorse, anger, remembrance, etc. Here is a compilation of some of my favorites:
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
"Tough times don't last, but tough people do."
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." -J.K. Rowling
"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." -Dr. Seuss
"Reach for the moon, even if you miss you'll still land among the stars."
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." -Winston Churchill
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill
"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing." -Abraham Lincoln
"I'd rather choke on greatness, than nibble on mediocrity."
"For what it's worth...it's never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you're not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again." -F. Scott Fitzgerald
"If you want to change things, you can't please everyone. If you do please everyone, you aren't making enough progress." -Mark Zuckerberg
"The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have." -Sheryl Sandberg
Have an outstanding weekend.
Kat
Confession: I have a slight obsession with quotes.
Many times when I'm feeling a specific emotion I search for a quote....sadness, happiness, excitement, remorse, anger, remembrance, etc. Here is a compilation of some of my favorites:
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
"Tough times don't last, but tough people do."
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." -J.K. Rowling
"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." -Dr. Seuss
"Reach for the moon, even if you miss you'll still land among the stars."
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." -Winston Churchill
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill
"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing." -Abraham Lincoln
"I'd rather choke on greatness, than nibble on mediocrity."
"For what it's worth...it's never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you're not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again." -F. Scott Fitzgerald
"If you want to change things, you can't please everyone. If you do please everyone, you aren't making enough progress." -Mark Zuckerberg
"The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have." -Sheryl Sandberg
Have an outstanding weekend.
Kat
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Ringing in 2015
Wow. I can't believe it is 2015. To be honest, 2014 chewed me up and spat me out. It challenged me in ways that I never imagined it would. But at the end of the day, I'd like to think that I am a positive person, 2014 taught me so many important life lessons. Even though it was hard, even though sometimes I wondered if I would make it through in one piece, I would not trade *most of* the experiences that 2014 provided me. I learned a lot about work, friendship, leadership, family, and life. It showed me the importance of taking time for those who care about you at your lows, doing what YOU want to do, and living life to the fullest because you never know when it will end.
So. What does 2015 have in store?
I'm pumped for this year. Already so many exciting things are lined up and it's only January 3rd! First, I'll be finishing the remainder of my extracurricular activities in the coming weeks leaving me time to do whatever I want to do for the first time in a long time. Next, I'll be finishing up classes and graduating from college! This will be followed by a lengthy backpacking trip through Europe (something I've always wanted to do) and some much needed time to reflect on the past four years while spending time with friends. If that trip goes well, another trip will follow to a yet to be determined location. That trip will lead into my not so big move to my first apartment AND the start of my first big person job!
My goals for this year kind of align to all of the big changes that I will be going through:
1. Do things that make me uncomfortable (in a good, challenging way). It's so easy for me to do what I've always done and I want to make 2015 the year that I challenge that and really grow as a person.
2. BLOG MORE. Not so much because I want people to read my thoughts but because 1. I hate writing in journals, 2. I've come to value what I've written here. It's really cool to look back and see what I was thinking about and how my thoughts/dreams/opinions have changed over time.
3. Go off the grid. I want to make 2015 the year where I delete my FB, instragram, twitter, snapchat, you name it. I'm tired of living through social media and want to live in the moment without the pressure/influence of social media.
Here's to a year of living and accomplishing BIG dreams and loving every moment of life.
xoxo
Kat
So. What does 2015 have in store?
I'm pumped for this year. Already so many exciting things are lined up and it's only January 3rd! First, I'll be finishing the remainder of my extracurricular activities in the coming weeks leaving me time to do whatever I want to do for the first time in a long time. Next, I'll be finishing up classes and graduating from college! This will be followed by a lengthy backpacking trip through Europe (something I've always wanted to do) and some much needed time to reflect on the past four years while spending time with friends. If that trip goes well, another trip will follow to a yet to be determined location. That trip will lead into my not so big move to my first apartment AND the start of my first big person job!
My goals for this year kind of align to all of the big changes that I will be going through:
1. Do things that make me uncomfortable (in a good, challenging way). It's so easy for me to do what I've always done and I want to make 2015 the year that I challenge that and really grow as a person.
2. BLOG MORE. Not so much because I want people to read my thoughts but because 1. I hate writing in journals, 2. I've come to value what I've written here. It's really cool to look back and see what I was thinking about and how my thoughts/dreams/opinions have changed over time.
3. Go off the grid. I want to make 2015 the year where I delete my FB, instragram, twitter, snapchat, you name it. I'm tired of living through social media and want to live in the moment without the pressure/influence of social media.
Here's to a year of living and accomplishing BIG dreams and loving every moment of life.
xoxo
Kat
Sunday, March 3, 2013
#YDY
My life motto this quarter has been YDY. Meaning you do you. This came about after I decided that I wanted to learn how to be independently happy. Being happy is an incredibly difficult task and over the past quarter I've struggled a lot over what it means to be happy and how to find happiness within myself.
I recently came across a blog that I thought did an exceptional job of outlining how to be happy. Here are their 7 steps to happiness:
1. You choose: Make your own decisions, don't let other people make them for you.
2. Focus on the present. Not yesterday or tomorrow.
3. Don't forget to be grateful.
4. Help someone else find happiness.
5. Simplify: Eliminate
6. Do what you like to do.
7. Or at least do something.
After reading through these I came to a couple conclusions about my journey to find inner happiness. The first is that I need to live more in the present. Thinking about what has happened in the past is a waste because (1) you can't do anything to change what has already happened and (2) looking at the past sometimes just makes us regret what we have done which does not lead to happiness. In my case, looking at my future has been detrimental because I could be imagining a life that has no chance of happening. Simplifying things is also something that I can work on in the near future. I feel like there is so much excess in life and it's hard to really appreciate the best things when you're drowning in many things that are unimportant.
As this quarter winds down I'm going to continue working towards happiness and just doing me.
Happy March.
Kat
Monday, June 25, 2012
Katcakes #1: Strawberry Cupcakes
This summer I have started baking A LOT because 1. I love food, 2. I love cupcakes, 3. I love cake, 4. I love cookies, and 5. I don't have anything better/more productive to do. A couple weeks ago a friend and I decided to make strawberry cupcakes....AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC. So I decided to share the recipe, a couple pictures, and a hint or two to make them a little better.
WELCOME TO Katcakes.
Recipe found on page 146/147 in Martha Stewart Cupcakes
What you need for the cupcakes:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature. Margarine is acceptable replacement.
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large whole eggs plus 1 egg white
1 cup milk (I used skim but use 2% if you want them creamier)
2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries
These ingredients make approximately 34 cupcakes...I halved the recipe and had enough for a few days.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add whole eggs and the white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined. Fold in chopped strawberries by hand.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto rack and let cool completely . Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.
4. Top with buttercream frosting and strawberry slices. We topped our frosting with the leftover strawberry tops and they looked super cute.
What you need for the frosting:
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) of butter
These ingredients make about 5 cups of frosting, we 1/3 the recipe and had plenty.
Directions:
1. Puree strawberries in a food processor. Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your finger tips).
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
3. With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula and switch to the paddle attachment; continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Add strawberries and beat until combined. Stir with a flexible spatula until the frosting in smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
Happy Baking!
Kat
WELCOME TO Katcakes.
Recipe found on page 146/147 in Martha Stewart Cupcakes
What you need for the cupcakes:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature. Margarine is acceptable replacement.
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large whole eggs plus 1 egg white
1 cup milk (I used skim but use 2% if you want them creamier)
2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries
These ingredients make approximately 34 cupcakes...I halved the recipe and had enough for a few days.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add whole eggs and the white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined. Fold in chopped strawberries by hand.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto rack and let cool completely . Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.
4. Top with buttercream frosting and strawberry slices. We topped our frosting with the leftover strawberry tops and they looked super cute.
What you need for the frosting:
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) of butter
These ingredients make about 5 cups of frosting, we 1/3 the recipe and had plenty.
Directions:
1. Puree strawberries in a food processor. Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your finger tips).
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
3. With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula and switch to the paddle attachment; continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Add strawberries and beat until combined. Stir with a flexible spatula until the frosting in smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
DECORATE
ENJOY
Happy Baking!
Kat
Friday, June 15, 2012
Thoughts on the First Week of Summer
I was REALLY excited to go home for summer this year. To chill, relax, run, sleep way more than normal....but right before I left school and continuing into my first week of summer I have come to a couple conclusions:
1. This summer is not so much about the hellos as it is about the goodbyes.
2. People grow. And change. And .....
3. I'm not going to have an actual summer.
4. At this point in the summer everyone has hit cruise and I'm still pulling off of the brakes.
Conclusion #1: This summer is not so much about the hellos as it is about the goodbyes.
Saying goodbye to my friends from school was exceptionally difficult. We've gone through a lot together...lots of amazing moments and a few hard times. Living together definitely brings another level to a friendship and I'm so grateful that I was able to bond with so many people.
While saying hello to all of my friends from home has been nice, for me it has been greatly overshadowed by the fact that at the end of the summer I will be saying goodbye for a lengthy period of time. Yes. I'll be home for Thanksgiving. I'll probably be home for part of winter break. Maybe, I'll be home for spring break. But I don't think I'll be coming back for the summer. Chances are great that this is the last time that I will be spending large amounts of time with people from home.
This is my last summer at home. My last opportunity to strengthen my relationships with the people I grew up with. My last time to create bonds and get things straight. To in a way find closure in relationships. After this summer all of these relationships are up against time. We move in the direction of Christmas card friends, checking up only with important news and or a yearly Christmas update. It's kind of depressing that the relationships that I've been fostering for the last 19 years hinge on the next 3 months.
Conclusion #2: People Grow. And Change. And .....
A lot of the people that I've grown up with have changed. It isn't bad or good change. It's just change. They've had different experiences then I have. They have new sets of friends that have influenced them. They hang out with different people and value different things in friendships. I've come to realize that I don't have any control over these situations and it's best to accept what's happening and move on. Another thing that has influenced me this summer is that I no longer care about the people who don't care. If people want to make and effort to hang out, then I'm willing to hang out with them and make the effort back. However, I'm not going to go out of my way to contact people who don't care.
Conclusion #3: I'm not going to have an actual summer.
I finished my last final on Thursday, June 7th at 5 pm. Caught a flight home at 9:21 am on Friday, June 8th, and was in the office from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday, June 9th. My normal work schedule (7am-3pm M-F) began the first Monday I was home....meaning that unlike everyone else who got 3 to 4 weeks to chill and SLEEP before starting their summer jobs, I went directly from school to work and then will go directly back to school in the fall. I'll be moving back into NU on the Saturday after my last Friday of work (I think we're at 78 days?)!
Complaining but not really. This is real life. No more long breaks where you chill for endless hours and spend a whole day deciding what to do just because you can waste that much time. That's for spring break....duh (and middle/high schoolers).
Adulthood here I come.
Conclusion #4: At this point in the summer everyone has hit cruise and I'm still pulling off of the breaks.
All of my friends were home for a good 3-5 weeks before I even finished my last final. Meaning that they've all caught up with each other, talked about their year at school, and are utterly bored by sitting around for hours doing nothing. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE SHINY AND NEW TO ME!!! I want to lay in my bed for hours sleeping. I don't care about staying out until 3 am in the morning because that's what the school year is for! This is summer.
People have started to get a little restless. College is a constant experience where every moment is something new and exciting. Being at home is chill. Everything is familiar and you can only enjoy the calm and quiet for a little before it gets a little tedious. I'm not at that point yet, which is a stark contrast to lots of my friends from home.
Keep it chill.
Kat
1. This summer is not so much about the hellos as it is about the goodbyes.
2. People grow. And change. And .....
3. I'm not going to have an actual summer.
4. At this point in the summer everyone has hit cruise and I'm still pulling off of the brakes.
Conclusion #1: This summer is not so much about the hellos as it is about the goodbyes.
Saying goodbye to my friends from school was exceptionally difficult. We've gone through a lot together...lots of amazing moments and a few hard times. Living together definitely brings another level to a friendship and I'm so grateful that I was able to bond with so many people.
While saying hello to all of my friends from home has been nice, for me it has been greatly overshadowed by the fact that at the end of the summer I will be saying goodbye for a lengthy period of time. Yes. I'll be home for Thanksgiving. I'll probably be home for part of winter break. Maybe, I'll be home for spring break. But I don't think I'll be coming back for the summer. Chances are great that this is the last time that I will be spending large amounts of time with people from home.
This is my last summer at home. My last opportunity to strengthen my relationships with the people I grew up with. My last time to create bonds and get things straight. To in a way find closure in relationships. After this summer all of these relationships are up against time. We move in the direction of Christmas card friends, checking up only with important news and or a yearly Christmas update. It's kind of depressing that the relationships that I've been fostering for the last 19 years hinge on the next 3 months.
Conclusion #2: People Grow. And Change. And .....
A lot of the people that I've grown up with have changed. It isn't bad or good change. It's just change. They've had different experiences then I have. They have new sets of friends that have influenced them. They hang out with different people and value different things in friendships. I've come to realize that I don't have any control over these situations and it's best to accept what's happening and move on. Another thing that has influenced me this summer is that I no longer care about the people who don't care. If people want to make and effort to hang out, then I'm willing to hang out with them and make the effort back. However, I'm not going to go out of my way to contact people who don't care.
Conclusion #3: I'm not going to have an actual summer.
I finished my last final on Thursday, June 7th at 5 pm. Caught a flight home at 9:21 am on Friday, June 8th, and was in the office from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday, June 9th. My normal work schedule (7am-3pm M-F) began the first Monday I was home....meaning that unlike everyone else who got 3 to 4 weeks to chill and SLEEP before starting their summer jobs, I went directly from school to work and then will go directly back to school in the fall. I'll be moving back into NU on the Saturday after my last Friday of work (I think we're at 78 days?)!
Complaining but not really. This is real life. No more long breaks where you chill for endless hours and spend a whole day deciding what to do just because you can waste that much time. That's for spring break....duh (and middle/high schoolers).
Adulthood here I come.
Conclusion #4: At this point in the summer everyone has hit cruise and I'm still pulling off of the breaks.
All of my friends were home for a good 3-5 weeks before I even finished my last final. Meaning that they've all caught up with each other, talked about their year at school, and are utterly bored by sitting around for hours doing nothing. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE SHINY AND NEW TO ME!!! I want to lay in my bed for hours sleeping. I don't care about staying out until 3 am in the morning because that's what the school year is for! This is summer.
People have started to get a little restless. College is a constant experience where every moment is something new and exciting. Being at home is chill. Everything is familiar and you can only enjoy the calm and quiet for a little before it gets a little tedious. I'm not at that point yet, which is a stark contrast to lots of my friends from home.
Keep it chill.
Kat
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Well hello there...
So...let's be honest. I've failed at blogging BIG time over the last couple months. It's not that I don't like blogging...I just don't have anything super cool to blog about! AND...I'm actually semi-interested in the classes that I'm taking this quarter.
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about summer. Not only does summer mean warmer weather (which implies summer dresses, tank tops, flip flops, and pastel colored shorts), but it also means the first time that I will be reunited with all my friends from home. CRAZY. It has been a ridiculously fun and exciting year. I'm sure everyone has grown and learned a lot this year and it will be fun to see everyone again! However, summer also means a 3 month hiatus from my college family. It will be an extremely difficult transition...but I think we're poised for a great summer.
So now onto the bulk of the post. Summer.
One of my favorite things about summer is making a bucket list. A list of things that you want to accomplish before the summer is over and reality sets in again. In past years, my bucket list has included traveling to a new state, going to a specific beach, having a conversation without talking, Chinese fire drill or eating ice cream a certain amount of times a day.
This year, I want to be a little more unique.
1. Reenact Ferris Bueller's day off. (Includes: Going to the top of the John Hancock/Sears Tower, eating at a fancy restaurant, participating in a parade, driving a porsche.)
2. BUY A NICE PAIR OF SUNGLASSES. (I may or may not have lost my previous pair #responsibility)
3. Reach 1500 followers on twitter...
4. Do a triathalon, running or rollerblading, depending on how much I actually train.
5. Eat a whole bucket of Sweet Martha's Cookies at the Minnesota State Fair.
6. Learn Spanish.
7. Visit a different country (Canada counts).
8. Watch a movie under the stars (Drive-in, lake movies?)
9. Laugh so hard I pee my pants.
10. Finish LOST season one and two (Shout-out to Ali!!)
11. Find Hogwarts
12. Have a long conversation on my front porch without saying anything. And come away completely satisfied.
13. Finish a game of monopoly (Actually exceptionally difficult....I think we tried this a few times last summer).
14. Meet someone famous.
15. Go to at least 5 of my sisters softball games (Challenge.)
16. Finish the Hunger Games series
17. Go on a midnight stroll
18. Get on a first name basis with the cashier at Freeziac
19. Take a nap on the beach
20. Become a certified zumba instructor
3. Reach 1500 followers on twitter...
4. Do a triathalon, running or rollerblading, depending on how much I actually train.
5. Eat a whole bucket of Sweet Martha's Cookies at the Minnesota State Fair.
6. Learn Spanish.
7. Visit a different country (Canada counts).
8. Watch a movie under the stars (Drive-in, lake movies?)
9. Laugh so hard I pee my pants.
10. Finish LOST season one and two (Shout-out to Ali!!)
11. Find Hogwarts
12. Have a long conversation on my front porch without saying anything. And come away completely satisfied.
13. Finish a game of monopoly (Actually exceptionally difficult....I think we tried this a few times last summer).
14. Meet someone famous.
15. Go to at least 5 of my sisters softball games (Challenge.)
16. Finish the Hunger Games series
17. Go on a midnight stroll
18. Get on a first name basis with the cashier at Freeziac
19. Take a nap on the beach
20. Become a certified zumba instructor
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