Stylish Blogger Award & YourNextRead

So I went online this morning to find that my friend Taren @ Life of T had given me an award for my blog! I think it's great, and a cool way to show that you appreciate someone's blogging efforts, and if I could give it back to her, I would! Because I think I can't do that, I'm going to have to offer it up to someone else, and that person is my friend Emily @ Letters To The World. I have always adored her blogs, from her personal blog listed above, to her Olympic blog that she kept last year! She's an amazing journalist, and if you want to take a look at her blog, please do! =)

So apparently after I offer up this award to someone else, I must list 7 things about myself, so here I go!

1. I go through serious phases. I'm the kind of person who plays one song on repeat for WEEKS until I hate it, I read one genre of book until I've absorbed all the knowledge I can about it, I will only wear one colour of shirt for days or weeks... When I like something, I wear it out until I find something else I really like.

2. I am shamelessly addicted to my iPhone. When I don't have it on me, or in a place where I know it's close by, I feel like I might have a heart attack.

3. I play the guitar all the time. I love my guitar, and while I choose not to play it in public, I adore it - it's like meditation.

4. I love hockey. I am an avid Canucks fan, and I always will be. This means I don't like Calgary, I don't like Toronto, and I especially don't like Chicago. Go Canucks Go!

5. I hate doing laundry. If I could not do laundry ever, that would be amazing.

6. I'm addicted to body products, like exfoliates, body butters, lotions and body sprays... I have a tub of them.

7. I change the colour of my hair at least 6 times a year. It generally goes dark in the winter and light in the summer, with everything in between in the other months! It's fun, and I will always love to keep it fresh and different!

Part 2 of my blog post today is for people who like to read a lot, like I do. I'm sure that some of you  may have heard of this website, but I think it's the coolest thing that I've come across in a while. I always have a problem of finding a great author writing on a topic that I'm really interested in, and I'm not quite done with the topic when I run out of books by the author. This is the dilemma I've run into with Philippa Gregory, my recent reading addiction. In a previous post, I wrote about her book 'The White Queen' and since then, I've read 5 of her other books, and I'm in the middle of the 6th. Problem is, I'm running out of books on the eras that I'm currently interested in!

Your Next Read is this really cool website that gives you recommendations for books based on the books that you're reading now! You type in the book that you're reading now, and it gives you a mind-map of sorts that shows you books on related topics, by related authors. I love it, and I've managed to find a few different authors that I hope to pick up books from either at the library (as I just renewed my card!) or at the book store when I have a few extra dollars laying around (which will hopefully come soon!). It's really saved me a lot of time sorting through the millions of books out there, as there is nothing I hate more than spending money on a book that disappoints.

The website also shows reader reviews and give a synopsis of the book, and it allows you to 'save' books so you don't forget what books you'd found that you would like to read! You can also share the books on Facebook and Twitter, and view different things about it on Amazon.

I think this is a great website, I was on it a lot of Friday trying to find books that I might be interested in, and I think that I've found some to keep me busy for a while! =)

Enjoy the start to your week! Mondays can seem gloomy (espeically since they are apparently calling for rain and snow here in Vancouver!) but don't let it get you down! =)

Blog, and be happy!

Kyleigh.

Valentine's Day, OneMatch, and some other things!

So, Monday was Valentine's Day. Generally speaking, I'm not one to succumb to the craziness of holidays that are pretty much invented, but I love getting cards and chocolate, and I think sometimes you really need to spend a day to tell people how you feel about them (if it's nice of course... I don't really think that Valentine's day is an appropriate day to tell someone you hate them...).

I had a fantastic Valentines day for multiple reasons! Firstly, it started a day early when Alex took me out for a delicious pre-valentine's day breakfast at De Dutch, which I really enjoyed! I spent most of Valentine's day running around doing some errands, and then there was hockey. While the Canucks lost in regulation (very sad, very sad indeed) It was still a good game, and I enjoyed it. Alex and I exchanged Valentines, he got me some chocolate (of course!) and some very nice perfume which I wasn't expecting. Plus, my card had a puppy on it, so I would have been happy with just that! We went out for dinner to Pasta Polo, and the food was delicious, then we came home and watched some Valentine's Day themed episodes of some great shows! It was relaxing, happy, and just an all round great day.

Valentine's day was great for another reason too! I got a call for a job interview on Tuesday! This is a job that I think I actually stand a chance getting, so I'm really hoping that all goes well and that they may consider me for the position! Fingers crossed people, fingers crossed! Being jobless for almost a month is starting to get to my head. Boredom is really starting to take over. (Plus, there's this really cute top that I want to buy that I have no money for!) It seemed like it went really well, and I think that I have a chance to do a really good job there, so lets all hope that I may have a full time job for the next little while! *crosses fingers*

Also, I have somehow managed to severely injure myself despite doing absolutely nothing. My knee is is totally shot from yesterday, and I also threw my shoulder today. In other words, my body hates me. The only thing keeping me from constant tears is Advil and my heat pack which relieves most of the pain, but it hurts when I move and such... hopefully with some rest and another day of heat and ice I'll feel better.

I also have one more thing to mention. I was on facebook just now, and a friend posted a link to a video of a woman who is in desperate need of a bone marrow donation - I'd appreciate it if you'd watch the video below, it's very touching, and I hope gets you thinking!


Jenn needs a bone marrow match from FinePrints Wedding on Vimeo.

After watching the video, I found myself thinking that I don't do a whole lot for people physically. I've donated (or helped fundraise) a LOT of money for different causes. I've donated my time to different things, and I like to think that occasionally that good karma comes around and helps me feel good. What I don't always think about is that there are people just like me out there who are dying, and what I've always had a hard time with is that there is something in me that could save one of them. I've always wanted to donate blood, but I've never found the time... I'm an organ donor, but that really only helps someone after I'm gone. What can I do now? I've always been one step detached from actually helping people with my own hands by giving money for people to do the dirty work, so I took 5 minutes to change that.

I just added myself to the stem cell and marrow donor list. It literally took 5 minutes of my time to answer the questions and give them a little bit of information with hopes that maybe one day that 5 minutes might save someone's life. I really hope you might consider it too. www.onematch.ca offers a lot of great information, and answers all the questions you might have about the process. It's so easy, and if you're confirmed as a donor, maybe one day they'll call you up and ask you to help save someone's life.

I'm not doing it for my own self-satisfaction or good karma, who knows if I'll ever be called upon? I'm doing it because every life counts, and you never know who might need marrow or stem cells. It could be a friend, a relative, or even you.

Put yourself on the donor list.

Blog, and be happy! (And Go, Canucks, Go!)

Kyleigh.

My Rant & Rave - Craigslist.

I've spent a lot of time on Craigslist lately looking for a job, and I must say, I am disgusted by the extent employers will go to save a buck and ruin a good employee's chance of ever seeing the inside of even the interview room, never mind actually getting the job.

I like to think that I am a good employee. I do my job, I'm great with customers, I'm always on time if not early, I don't let my employers down. They're paying my wages and giving me something to do in the day, why wouldn't I try my hardest to do my work? I know that I'm a good employee, but will I ever be given a chance to prove that? No.

You want to know why? Employers are unrealistic in the types of people they want to hire. It's like employers think people are just born with experience, when in fact someone had to give them a shot in order to get that 10+ years that are demanded by all employers now a days. And why do they want that 10+ years experience? Because it saves them a buck not having to train you to do the job.

I was on Cragslist today and saw an ad that demanded the following:


"Office Assistant/Reception.

Must:
Be great with customers/clients (4+ years experience in customer service prefered)
Be highly organized
Do payroll & accounting (4+ years accounting experience preferred. Quickbooks experience a must)
Be able to communicate with all customers (2 or 3 additional languages to English a definite asset. Mandarin or Punjabi mandatory.)
Must be competent in filing, faxing, copying and printing.
Job includes occasional office cleaning (experience in cleaning industry an asset)
Job requires MS office experience (MS Office course or 3+ years using Word, Publisher and Excel in an office application a must)

Must have taken a 1-2 year office administration course no matter experience.
5+ years reception experience.
Must be available mornings, days, evenings and weekends as we need you.
Must have vehicle as we can call you in at any time. Must have celluar device we can reach you at at all times.

If you do not meet all of the above requirements, do not apply. We are only accepting resumes from people who meet the above criteria."


So, you're telling me I have to have taken an office admin course, have pretty much 16 years of experience doing everything INCLUDING cleaning toilets, speak upwards of 4 languages fluently, and be available to you every moment of every day? Did I mention they want all of this done for them for a whopping $14 an hour? Wow. Big spenders.

For those of you who are fortunate enough to have a job and aren't forced onto craigslist and other job boards every day, I will tell you this isn't an uncommon post. I see posts demanding all of this and more every single day. And the jobs that are more realistic than this not demanding ridiculous experience and pay a more reasonable wage than this... a job that I actually might have a chance of getting? They are taken away by the people who know that job posts like the ones above are unrealistic and almost disgusting. People who have that 5 years of experience always get the good realistic jobs because it means the employers won't have to pay to train me.

Honestly, this kind of enrages me as I have spent the last 3 weeks applying to job after job with not so much as a blink my way. I am a good employee with some decent experience, and no one will even look my way because it means they might have to spend 2 days explaining a program to me or perhaps answer a question or two at the beginning while I figure stuff out. HEAVEN FORBID.

I also wish employers would realize that we live in Canada, and that the office languages of Canada are French and English. Demanding that potential employees must speak ANY other language is actually against the law. If you want a bilingual employee, the two languages you can require by law are French and English. You may state that it is an asset for customer relations if you can speak another language, but you cannot demand your employees speak every language under the sun, and you can't refuse to hire someone with all the correct skills because they don't speak every single language in our multi-cultural city.

Employers. I only ask that you give some people an opportunity to prove themselves. If you give good employees like me a chance, you might see that there is a benefit to giving young people the opportunity and some training. I want to have a chance to prove myself, but instead I sit at home and my brain rots because you can't suck it up and offer me an interview, never mind the job.

I'm frustrated. Job hunting sucks. I just want an interview to boost my confidence a little bit. Is that so much to ask?

Blog, and be happy.

Kyleigh.

Spanakopita- Pretty Delicious Recipe!

So I have become a slave to my boyfriend. Not really of course, but because I'm so bored due to no job, I tend to spend my days bored out of my head either exercising or reading, and his offer of something to do is to make him delicious dinners. I will not say that I am a crazy good cook or anything, but I will say that my mom is (and my dad isn't too bad either!) so I come from a family with good secrets of the trade of cooking.

Alex asked me (or rather negotiated with me) to make him Spanakopita (or spinach pie) yesterday, and I obliged being the bored girlfriend that I am. I was reluctant for one reason - Phyllo pastry.

Phyllo pastry is seriously the most difficult food product I have ever had to work with - and I've dealt with some pretty difficult food products like fondant and modeling chocolate. It's paper thin pastry that, when cooked in layers with oil or butter between, lifts up and becomes deliciously flaky and crispy. When I say paper thin, I'm actually being generous. This stuff is SO thin and it breaks and cracks and rips at the slightest touch. Needless to say, it was a big pain in my butt yesterday, but after eating dinner, I ALMOST felt that it was worth my trouble! (haha!)

I'm going to leave you the recipe that I used yesterday for making it. While I would definitely suggest this meal to anyone because it's quite yummy (and vegetarian!) I don't know if I could possibly ask you to use Phyllo pastry unless you have the dedication and time that I had yesterday. Working with the stuff takes time, patience and a little bit of luck... and I think gets easier with practice, but it's not something quick and easy to say the least!

I hate recipes because I think I'm a better cook than I actually am, I am always switch things up and do stuff that other recipes might not call for or do... but that's the fun part of cooking- adding your own twist to things! This is a melding of several recipes I found, plus a little bit of my own skill and desire to make it my own! Enjoy!

Spanakopita - Kyleigh's Recipe!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots*
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped**
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 12 sheets phyllo dough***
• 1/4 cup olive oil, or as needed for use on the phyllo dough

* Most recipes called for onions, and you can use that too. I opt for shallots because it's what I have at home, and because they're smaller, so you aren't forced to cut up half an onion and put the rest in the fridge. Shallots are great for onion convenience! 

** Two pounds of spinach is impossible to really figure out. Two pounds is what EVERY recipe I found called for, so what I used was one full box of the triple washed spinach you buy at the store. I probably could have easily used more than that, because the spinach cooks down to nothing because of the water content. In fact, if I were to make it again, I probably would use 1.5 to 2 of those boxes, just to have more filling, but one box really isn't too bad.

*** The biggest mistake I think I made with this dough was that I didn't fully let it defrost before I used it. In my haste, I didn't read the directions perfectly and didn't let it thaw for the 5 hours it wants before needing to use it, so to make the dough easier to use, make sure you read the instructions on the box - most say something like "Defrost in refrigerator over night" or "Leave defrosting at room temperature for 5 hours"

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x13 inch square baking pan. 
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium to large bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. 
4. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with 4 more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan.
5. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 6 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

 So if you're feeling adventurous, try it out! It was really delicious, and while it was difficult to make, it was definitely rewarding at dinner time! =)

Blog, and be happy!

Kyleigh.