Channeling Martha

I meant to do some urban explorations this weekend but I had a bad case of the Lifetime movie marathon and, you know what, I don't regret a moment of butt-glued-to-couch.

In an effort to do something I put on my Martha hat and took to the kitchen. I'm always tempted on Sundays to cook up a HUGE amount pasta with savory and cheesy things all mixed up in there, but since R is away I thought better of that gorge-fest of an idea.

Big M. made these guys look pretty spectacular



and since she threw in the word 'Light' it was clear to me that I would actually lose weight by eating these cheesy pups.

I was first told to throw the (ew) raw chicken into (what?!) salted boiling water. Ugh, that seems all terribly unsanitary and, really, only 12 minutes hanging out in that salmonella-laden water? I didn't trust that one bit so I kept that chicken cooking in that bath for, ohhh, 20 minutes.

Then Martha had me shred those guys, which, I will say, is a bitch of a task. My face is being steamed over this hot chicken air and I'm sweating beneath my sweatshirt because the oven is heating and I left the stove on (cause I'm not SUPERwoman) and my hands ache with the awkward grip I have on the forks.

On the plus side, I got to meet canned chipotles in adobe sauce for the first time - that was a messy treat.



And thus the adobe sauce with too much flour



met with the pulled chicken, which got wrapped up like kiddies in little whole wheat blankets.



Though I was all to conservative with the portions in the beginning so my last blanket bundle was on steroids.

All into the pan they go



top with (fancy) Montery Jack cheese



Let the oven do its magic and enjoy the slightly burnt, spicy dinner.



Voila!



Indeed.

xoxoL

It's GO time

OK people. Enough playing around. Today is the official start of Project Lauren Gets a Job.

It's been too long since I held a pay check in my anti-bacterial lotioned hand and I am in need. It's not just about the money. It's about putting this (gasp) career-changing (pricey) education to use before it gets dusty.

So, here goes.

But first I need a planner. Yes, a paper planner. While strolling through the Harvard Book Co-op I find the ideal weekly planner by Moleskin that is (ta da) on sale. Perfect. The weekly planner will help organize my soon-to-be very busy days and the 'Pooped Puppies' monthly calendar, well, that's in place of the 'Hang in there' kitten poster for the not-so-busy days.

OK. Now I'm really ready.

Though first I should check in on some industry news.

Romenesko (oh weird, Google really does the twitter searches as well. Do I follow Romenesko? I must).

Media Bistro - check

maybe a little Writer's Digest

oh and I should obviously be up on my daily news. Yes, that will help to spark the newsroom journalist in me.

Let's see I'll start with the NY Times

and I've got to get some global with the BBC

Sure, the Wash Post

why not, LA Times (what's that about the Biggest Loser?)

of course Chicago Tribune

and while I'm at it let's see what's happening on NY mag (ooo is Sandra Bullock really an Oscar contender?)

um...Jezebel (what will the 2010 fashion be? Oooo NYTimes takes on the Jersey Shore, how did I miss that...)

Oh but Gawker has a much better reaction to NYTime's critique of Jersey Shore (Sorry, but trying to find any good in this show is missing the point entirely) and is that Michael Cera eating a pizza?

I'm hungry

I should probably find a recipe to make tonight.

Food network (mmm lasagna. Oh lighter meatballs - bookmark)

wonder what Martha's up to - My god that salmon looks fantastic. Is that a spicy cauliflower? Swoon. Oooo or salmon with orange and fennel. I have, at least, the orange.

Ugh that all seems like way too much work and way too much spent at whole foods. What's this about cupcakes. Fancy cupcakes...

No, I need writing inspiration not caloric intake. Luckily Martha has both. Though her desk set ups are a little over the top also I don't have a quaint little nook to squeeze a desk into.

Oh but that design sponge girl...now that's inspiration. Pricey design inspiration.

If I lived like these people I'd probably have my dream writerly job. That kitchen! That spice rack! At least we have the same pepper grinder. So close. Is that a claw foot tube?

No THIS is the office space I need. Vintage quirk. True writerly inspiration.

So first, get claw foot tub, rustic blue table, (also own apartment) and dream job will follow.

First day at job hunt: clear success.