Tuesday Tunes!

For the program I'm in, we have to do an 8-week (minimum) internship between the first and second years. So right now, I am scrambling like a crazy person to apply to literally as many things as I can. I'm interested primarily in doing research or program assessment in infectious disease epidemiology as it applies to maternal and child health (woo, that's a mouthful, I know). So thank goodness for music as I fill in my address and previous employers 5023948 times. Also, I'm just going to shamelessly ask here: If you know of any organizations/people that are doing something (read: anything) even kind of related to what I mentioned...please pleeeasee let me know. Email's in the sidebar!

1. "King of Anything" - Sara Bareilles
2. "Signal Fire" - Snow Patrol
3. "A&E" - Goldfrapp
4. "Beacon" - Two Door Cinema Club
5. "Lisztomania" - Phoenix

Recipe: Bhindi Subji

I don't really enjoy calling things New Years resolutions...because let's face it, the term highlights my failures more often than successes (and like, we're just totally not into labels, man...you know?), but I would like to cook more this year. Especially, Indian food. One of my all-time favorite dishes is stir-fried okra, or bhindi subji, but I like it exactly a certain way. Thus, I modified a recipe I found a little so it'd be exactly to my taste, and whaddya know? It turned out great (which is rare for my cooking experiments)! Nothin' like a little positive reinforcement!

2 cups okra, diced

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 small green chiles, diced (or w/e your spicy preference)

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt to taste 

In a pan, heat the mustard seeds and oil on medium until the seeds begin to crackle. Add okra and fry for about 10 min, stirring regularly. The okra should turn a dark-ish green and get less sticky. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and chiles and cook for another 3-4 min. Add lemon juice and cook for another 1-2 min, still stirring regularly and you're donezo! Eat with a tortilla (or roti/naan)! Pro-tip: Might want to turn your vent on. Let me know if you try it!

Bringing Sexy Back!!

Do you know what the best news I've thus far gotten in 2013 is?

THIS.
I remember when FutureSex/LoveSounds was maybe in the works (waaayyy back freshman year of high school), I was skeptical, because, surely JT could not put out anything solo that was better than *NYSNC, y'know? And then, holy shit, did he deliver. I feel giddy about whatever new stuff might be coming in a very girlish way.....don't judge me. Also, you're welcome if I was how you found out.

Starting 2013

To start off the new year, I went skiing! Skiing is my favorite winter activity and every year I beg my family and friends to go and sometimes they acquiesce. This was my first in nearly 3 years and it was sunny and warm and beautiful, and I could not imagine a better way to begin 2013.

I keep looking at this serene picture, though, and being reminded of horizons and the awesome (but also stressful) things I have coming up this year. These aren't resolutions, per se, but in 2013, I'm going to:

• Become EMT Certified
• Complete 8 weeks of public health fieldwork
• Begin my Masters thesis
• Take the MCAT again
• Apply to medical school

If I keep the horizon in perspective (read: when it's 1 am and I want to go to bed instead of finishing that one last reading), I could be setting up for a truly amazing year, and that is good motivation.