Moving on OUT!

I am 25. I wish I was younger as I am saying this, though I suppose I have had some major life experiences (joining the Peace Corps and living in Malawi, living in Panama, traveling solo to Europe). I am gearing up to move out! I am really excited about it.
I am moving out with my boyfriend. We have been together almost 7 years (which is probably another major life experience), since I was 19 and he was 20. Now, he is 27 and I will be 26 in a week! Crazy. So we have finally decided it is time to move out together and we are in the process of shopping. We are about a month out, which is crazy to think about, but really fun. I can't wait.
We chose our apartment complex, which I am really excited about. Our major concerns were: it must be reasonably sized with at least 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom, and with enough room for me to possibly work from home, have a gym/fitness center in the complex (so we can get rid of our gym membership), and as close to equidistant between our respective jobs. We found a place that shortens my commute to 30 minutes (from 50 minutes) and lengthens his to 15 (from 2 minutes). The complex is wooded, but right next to the major highway in our area but somehow, you can't even hear the highway! The fitness center isn't huge, but it has treadmills (for me), bikes (for him) and free weights and a bench press (for both of us).
We have made a GIANT list of things we want to buy. I mean, giant. I have lived away from home, but all my furniture in Panama was provided for, and I left all my furniture in Malawi. So little by little, we are piecing together our future home. We have the majority of the little kitchen stuff (the price, not so little to a saver like me). I have lots of cool pieces of art (perks of living around the world) and a little bit of furniture, like a bed, a few chairs, but not much else.
We plan on spending about 2000 to get started including the actual first month's rent, security deposit, application fees, etc which is about 1200. So we are trying to do this as much on the cheap as possible! I have been checking blogs and websites to see what are definite needs, and what we can forge ahead without, at least for a little while.
I found MyFirstMove to be amazingly helpful! Unpakt Checklist is another good link (and their moving advice and 8 most forgotten items are also pretty helpful). 7 Sins of first time renters - MSN is an interesting jump point - I never knew some of these things (particularly renter's insurance!).

I definitely will update this soon. Pictures to come when we finally move in!

SO, I've been MIA

I have been thinking about what I want this blog to be, and why I want to blog. I thought about if I missed blogging while I wasn't and if I really wanted to put forth the effort to do so...especially if few people read it. My motivation at first was to become "famous" like YoungHouseLove or CupcakesandCashmere, two of my favorite blogs. Then I realized that I don't have the time to dedicate to becoming an intense blogger or the motivation. My motivation in life is helping people. I want to become a trauma counselor. I want to work meaningful, hands-on, person-to-person jobs. I could never make this my job, as much as I would enjoy it and respect the work, effort, dedication and honest skill that it takes to be a blogger.
I was forcing myself to post. "Once a day is nothing! You can do that!" With a full-time job (and currently working 5-10 hours of overtime per week), I don't have the time to do that! I have so many goals and dreams and desires that I overwork myself.
So here it is, my little unread corner of the blogosphere, I am going to do this for me. I will write for me. I will post articles for me to remember and critique. I will write because I enjoy it. I will do it as stress-release, not to gain more pressure and stress.

Postponing everything

I'm on vacation! See you next week!

Cooking Curry! Pictures included!

 Ingredients: cauliflower (half), onion, 3 oz frozen squash, half that chicken package, 1 can coconut milk, 4 potatoes, curry paste (I used green today)

 I prefer dicing first

 Boil the potatoes

 Chop the onions and cauliflower

 this is the curry paste I love! No extra ingredients such as preservatives or HFCS.

 Coconut milk (try to find one that the ingredients is literally coconut water and coconut - you don't need guar gum to make it taste good)

 Spice and brown the chicken.

 After the potatoes finish, steam the cauliflower.

 Browning still

 When the edges are browned a little, perfect! Save the chicken AND the juice in a bowl.

 Saute the onions.

 This is how I like them, they are mostly translucent with a little purple left and tender.

 Cauli is soft.

 Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the potatoes, and add much curry as you like (it will get softened out by the coconut milk) and let it cook into the chicken and onions until it is fragrant (or you are really hungry). Then add the coconut milk, the frozen squash and let simmer.

 Fork the cauliflower until it is "ricelike" and delicious. Add your curry and YUM!

Friday Articles (8)

The Boys in the Bunkhouse
This article is heartbreaking but worth a read to see how disabled or handicapped individuals are treated. This is not so old.

Gov't Workers

It is interesting to read this as a state worker.

Audacity

Yaaaaas.

What is Rape Culture?

This is awesome. It is so descriptive of everything I felt and didn't know how to express.

The Truth about Travelers

✌️

Friday Articles (7)

Africa
I love this! Africa is so beautifully diverse. I miss Africa with my entire heart.
Related: Problem with little white girls and boys
Travel Related: Surreal America

Butter Coffee
I am intrigued! I can't imagine this would taste good, but who knows? Since I have been doing Whole30, I am fascinated by the science behind it all.
Related: WHO Sugar Guidelines  Oil Pulling Happy Meal Facts

"Convenience Fees"
Definitely information that is not well known. I need to start paying more attention to the receipts!
Related: Five Banking Secrets  10 Characteristics of Debt-Free People Frugal Habits of the Super Rich

Cancer and brownies
Consideration is something that is not often thought about. Compassion and goodwill are common, but not common enough. This puts a whole new perspective to respect and understanding.
Related: Prove it! Dating with HIV Dress your Today Body

Sharks
I have had a fear of sharks for a long time. I honestly cannot remember when it began. I remember at 15 diving in the Keys with my parents on either side. My parents saw a shark (I think a nurse shark) and tried to steer me away but I saw it and began hyperventilating underwater. There is a certain beauty about sharks and this woman's video eases a little of my fear.
Related: 35 Surprising Shark Facts Shark Crossing

Have a good weekend!

Fave Whole30 Recipes!

These are the recipes I made up (adapted in the curry case) to eat happy.

Tomato Sauce
7-8 tomatoes (add more if you use Roma tomatoes)
1 tablespoon (more to taste- I use this liberally) of garlic powder
1/2 an onion (I use the purple onions)
sprinkle of Italian seasoning (take your pick - I am unorthodox and love cilantro)
I also found this awesome chicken seasoning (lemon chicken) that I add in.
Clarified butter

Get a pot, and heat some clarified butter. Chop the tomatoes and onion. Toss in the pot and stir around to coat in butter. Let it boil, drop down to a simmer and let it simmer for a while until your desired thickness. I usually stir it occasionally for about 30 minutes.

Meatballs
8 oz of Ground meat of choice (I prefer turkey but I imagine this would work for beef or chicken as well)
quarter of an onion
one egg
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
sprinkle of the lemon chicken seasoning

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mash the meat, onion, egg (leave out the yolk at first to make sure it won't be too runny) and spices. Shape into balls, put on a roasting pan and stick in the oven. 15 minutes and flip. Another 7 minutes or so, and then they are delicious and ready to eat!

Chicken Curry
8-10 oz raw chicken
1 whole onion
10 oz bag of frozen veggies
Curry paste of choice (red, green or yellow or whatever other flavors they have)
Coconut milk (I believe the can I use is 10 oz)
Coconut oil or clarified butter

Heat the oil or butter in a large wok-style pot. "Brown" the chicken (till not pink at least). Remove and save the juice as well as the meat. Using the same pot, cook the onions until close to translucent. Add the chicken and juice back in. Add in two tablespoons of curry paste (I like it spicy so I usually use four tablespoons). Cook until you can smell the curry flavor. Make sure to stir the curry in with the chicken and onion. Add coconut milk and stir. Add the vegetables and let simmer. Simmer everything until the veggies have absorbed some of the sauce and are tender.