One Cold Shutterbug...

I braved the blizzard yesterday and today to take some photos. I couldn't resist how beautiful the snow looked--or how adorable Jacoby looked playing in it. I posted the photos on my Wordpress blog because I think photos look better over there. Enjoy and stay warm!

Christmas is here again!

Right after Thanksgiving was over, I was ready to bring on the Christmas spirit. I'm usually not so gung-ho about Christmas right from the get-go, but once the turkey was gone I was excited to decorate and shop.

I think part of the reason for my November 27 cheer is that I've been focusing on a lot of holiday-themed communications for the past month or so at work, and that has kept Christmas on my radar. Needless to say, all the decorations are up in our apartment and have been for a week.

I'm also in good shape with my Christmas shopping. I even have some wrapped gifts under the tree and I don't think that has ever happened that early.

Here are a few of my go-to gift suggestions for this year:

* Personalized photo gifts: The 2009 Snapfish calendar that I made for my aunt was such a hit that I'm making another one this year. This gift is personal, fun, functional and affordable. Snapfish has great deals going on now until Christmas. I've found that it's so easy to find great family photos to use because of the photos shared on Facebook or blogs. And if you don't have enough photos to create a calendar, Snapfish offers a number of great items that can be personalized like mugs, ornaments or posters.

* Gifts that give back: A number of charities like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Jimmy Fund and St. Jude's offer great gifts and cards that include a donation to the organization in the purchase price. So you're not just buying a gift, you are also contributing to a cause. I think it makes a gift thoughtful, especially for big-hearted friends.

* Books: I think books are always a thoughtful gift, especially when someone has taken the time to pick out a book that matches the reader's interests or was something he or she enjoyed and wanted to share. The key with making a great choice when choosing a book for someone is finding that book about a topic you think the recipient would enjoy -- there is a book out there for every interest! I also love to write a little inscription on the inside cover whenever I give a book as a gift.


(Note: although I proclaimed last year that I am a real-tree advocate, our little $5 fake Walmart tree is just fine and looks lovely in our reading corner. I still love real trees and intend on having them in the future, but not when we live on the top floor of a dry-air, carpeted apartment!)

Journalism Geek Reunion

The weekend before Thanksgiving, I was giving thanks for the great group of people I found at PC. Rick and I went down to Providence for a 75th Anniversary Celebration for The Cowl, PC's student newspaper. I was lovingly referring to the weekend as my 'nerd reunion.'

I had been looking forward to the get-together for quite a while and it was great to see so many old friends. I was fortunate to work with such a fun group of people while I was on The Cowl and I was happy to see them in person-- since I've only "seen" many of them via Twitter or Facebook in the past few years.



The event itself was great; we had a cocktail hour and then a dinner and speaking program. We had two talented Cowl alumni speak -- including Mallary Tenore '07! -- and then we continued toasting our journalism glory days at McPhail's: PC's on-campus bar.



However, the highlight of the evening was when someone found a current Cowl editor and he let a few dozen of us into the office. We then became what Rick called "kids on Christmas morning" as we pulled out the old archives, laughing at old typos and remembering long nights in the office. Geek Fest, I know.

It was so much fun to get together with old friends and reminisce. I was also reminded of how much my time on The Cowl encouraged my writing and shaped my future. I'm so lucky to have found nerds like me when I was at school!

Photos: 75 years of word nerds; Kristin and I getting silly; With Mallary and Christine at McPhail's.

A Late-Blooming Fan of "The Wire"

I know that I'm late to the game here (considering the show has been off the air since 2008), but The Wire is amazing! I've heard for years that it was a great show, but just hadn't gotten around to watching it. Rick owns the entire series on DVD, so I knew I would see it eventually see what all the fuss what about.

And man, is this show worth fussing about!

The series is about the complicated relationships between drug dealers, addicts, police, politicians and the media in inner-city Baltimore. It's tough to sum up such a deep, well-crafted show so I should say that a one-sentence synopsis doesn't do it justice. The strength of the show is the complex characters; everyone has many sides and no one is who he seems. The Wire also plays with the roles of good guys and bad guys-- sometimes the "bad guys" are the most likable characters and the "good guys" are scum.

I don't want to go into too much detail and I don't want to share a clip that might give something away to a would-be fan, so you'll just have to trust me that it's a fantastic show. (I like it this much and we're still only on season three!)


HBO photo

My first attempt at Lasagna

A few weeks ago, I ordered The Skinnygirl Dish through Amazon. Yes, it is a cookbook by reality star Bethenny Frankel, but she's also a trained chef. And I'm upfront about my love for bad TV, so I'm not afraid to say that I like Bethenny even though she is a little wacky (and she knows it). I'm also not afraid to say that I think Skinnygirl Dish is a great cookbook. It's part-cookbook, part-cooking philosophy book -- one of the major ideas behind the book is to get over one's fear of cooking and feel comfortable enough with cooking to make recipes healthier and experiment.

Tonight I tried a recipe for a healthier version of classic lasagna and it came out really well. It was my first time making a lasagna of any kind and I was really happy with the results. I don't have any great pictures of my version, but here is a picture from Bethenny's website.

Lighter Lasagna

- 8 oz lasagna noodles (whole wheat if you can find them) non-boil are much easier
- 1lb+ of ground turkey or turkey sausages with casing removed (I found some ground turkey that was pre-seasoned with Italian seasonings and it was great.)
- 1 jar of tomato sauce
- 1/2 C chopped fresh basil
- 2 TBS parsley (The original recipe calls for more parsley and less basil, but I reversed the ingredients by accident and liked all the fresh basil in the lasagna!)
- 15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese or low fat cottage cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 4 oz part-skim shredded mozzarella
- 1/3 C shredded parm cheese (I skipped the parm and it was still tasty with just mozzarella)

1. Boil lasagna noodles if necessary. Brown and drain turkey in a sprayed, non-stick skillet. After turkey is cooked, add tomato sauce and then remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix ricotta/cottage cheese with herbs.
3. Spray a large glass dish and put first layer of noodles down. Alternate layers of noodles, meat/tomato sauce mixture and ricotta/herbs mixture. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese.
4. Cook in oven for 25-30 min; until bubbling and warmed through. Remove from oven and let settle for 20 min before serving. Delicious and better for you, too!

Crunchy Panko Shrimp with Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce

This tasty experiment came courtesy of a Cooking Light cookbook. We were in the mood for shrimp and this recipe caught my eye since it didn't seem too complicated. Luckily, it wasn't and it's definitely a recipe I'll make again. This was the first time I've cooked with Panko and I don't know why it's taken me so long to use it! I've always liked the taste of it, but just never thought to use it. (Clarice is a Panko-devotee; check out these delicious treats she recently whipped up using Panko.)

This was also the first time I've used fresh ginger root. It smells so good and is easy to peel, too. (Thanks to Martha for the quick ginger-peeling trick.) The recipe calls for fresh cilantro, which I used, but I really think dried cilantro would work, too. Enjoy!

Ginger-Orange Sauce:
1 C orange juice
2 TBS low-fat mayo
1.5 TBS chicken broth
1 TBS cilantro
1 tsp grated, peeled ginger
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt

Couscous:
1 C uncooked couscous
1.5 C chicken broth
1/2 C orange juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C chopped green onions
2 TBS sliced, toasted almond
1 TBS butter/margarine

Shrimp:
1 lb jump shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 C Panko breadcrumbs (I used more!)
1 tsp cilantro
1/2 tsp peeled, grated ginger
1/8 pepper
canola/olive oil for skillet

Garnish green:
2 C arugula

1. For sauce, bring 1 C OJ to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook for about 10 min; OJ will reduce to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Stir in mayo and the rest of the sauce ingredients. (I used my food processor to blend everything completely.) Set sauce aside.


2. For couscous, place couscous in a large, sprayed skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly until couscous is toasted. Add 1.5 C broth, 1/2 C OJ and 1/2 tsp salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add the rest of the couscous ingredients. Mix well and keep warm until ready to serve.

3. For shrimp, combine the shrimp (tails removed) with the egg white in a large bowl, tossing to coat shrimp. Mix Panko, 1 tsp cilantro, 1/2 tsp ginger and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Add shrimp to the bag, seal and toss until well-mixed. Add more Panko if needed.

4. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Arrange shrimp in a single layer and cook about three minute each side or until cooke through.

5. To serve, spoon couscous on plate, top with arugula, add shrimp and drizzle sauce on top. Yum!

Cute explosion

A few weeks ago, we spent a lovely Sunday with J-School friends in Cutetown, USA. Actually, we were in Hanover, Mass., but it might as well have been the headquarters of adorable. Not only did we spend time with a sweet newborn, but we also played with a puppy. A baby and a puppy!

The get-together was the NEU crew's first introduction to little Mr. Teddy! And he is one good baby. We all took turn snuggling with him and he didn't even fuss. (I will admit that I was kind of a baby hog, but I couldn't resist!) Teddy made the funniest little faces all afternoon. I just couldn't get over how expressive he is and he is just one month old!



And just when we thought the afternoon couldn't get better, Korri told us that her family brought home a golden wheaten terrier puppy right before Teddy was born and they named him Casey. Yay!



Casey couldn't look any more like a Muppet if he tried and Teddy couldn't get any more lovable if he tried. And although Teddy's mommy is taking some AMAZING photos of him, I couldn't resist taking a few of my own. They're slightly blurry because I didn't want to use a flash right in Teddy's face, but little Teddybear is still very photogenic--even when he is upset like the photo below!


It was a great afternoon and I can't wait until we get together again! (And try and top the ultimate sweetness of the day.)

Rodent Update

We caught one last night. I now feel oddly guilty... RIP mouse.

The Return (of Both Good Things and Bad Things)

Hi again, loyal blog readers (all five or so of you). I apologize for my long hiatus from MOA. The past few weeks have been pretty hectic, but I've returned to blogging and to the working world! It's great to be back at work and it's great to be back to blogging, but this month has also marked the return of a not-so-welcome guest... That's right; it's a pesky rodent (or more than one).

After my months-long war with the mice we saw in Brookline, pests have surfaced in our new apartment. (I blame Sally for sending them here.) I first saw a mouse in the kitchen a few weeks back and it darted into a gap between our counter and kitchen wall. An exterminator came to patch the hole and that seemed to take care of the problem...for a little while.

I was angry (really angry) to find mice turds on our carpet at the beginning of the month. Later that week, Rick saw a little vermin run under our dishwasher. The exterminator again return and placed some glue traps under the dishwasher. Well, the traps are empty and the turds keep reappearing.

This week, I decided to try and a new tactic and replace in the untouched peanut butter in our snap traps with some nice cheddar cheese. I moved the traps and loaded them up with fromage, feeling confident that the cheese would tempt the little suckers. And I was right-- the cheese tempted the mice so much that the cheese was gone the next morning, but the traps were empty! One even snapped, but apparently the critter was too fast.

Cut to today-- I've reloaded the traps with cheese (and vacuumed more turds) but I used a much smaller piece of cheese and stuck it onto the trap. We'll see what happens now, but I'm getting pretty tired of these mice inviting themselves into my home! Stay tuned...

Telling the important stories

I love a good story. That love of stories made me a voracious reader and writer as a child and it drove me to pursue journalism as an adult.

A well-told story--whether it's true or imagined--should expand one's horizons and leave the reader or listener thinking. Unfortunately, I think many of these stories fall through the cracks in today's media because of limited TV time or page space or because of the overwhelming amount of information available online.

Some readers and viewers may search for the sensational or gossipy stories, but the job of journalists is to tell the stories that matter. Too often, these stories remain untold for many different reasons.

While I believe the news should not be sugar-coated or dumbed down, we still need to make an effort to get the positive and inspirational stories out there, too.

NBC Nightly News does a great job of this. It runs a reoccurring segment called "Making a Difference", in which the story of a person or organization striving for positive change is told. These types of interesting and unique stories capture my attention and inspire me to find these kinds of people in my neighborhood so I can get their messages out there.

"Making a Difference" always runs at the end of the newscast--probably to leave viewers thinking about what they just saw and with some hope...

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

My Favorite Holiday

It's the Friday before July 4th and I couldn't be more excited for the long weekend.

I've been looking forward to July 4th for weeks and a new blog post from my friends at Sand Pail List have inspired me to share some of my thoughts on my family's traditions for the Fourth.

The main reason why July 4th is so special in my fam is because it's my grandmother's birthday. This year, my hilarious and lovable Nana will be turning 89. We always celebrate with a big cookout at my aunt's house featuring plenty of food like hamburgers, hot dogs, lobsters and my mom's trademark dish: Renee's chicken. (The recipe for which actually came from loyal blog reader Auntie Lisa!) Growing up, I looked forward to the big cookout to see my cousins, eat lots of food and hope that someone brought along some illegal sparklers.

The Fourth also marked the official start of the summer for me-- I knew the weather would now be consistently nice and the beach would be crowded with tourists and visitors. I could also look forward to seeing summer friends again and plan on family members coming to visit.

Now that I'm older, the Fourth still holds special meaning for me. I get excited to go to our big family cookout and see friends on the Cape during July 4th weekend. And to get a little corny, the Fourth is a time to count my blessings-- I get to be on the Cape, my favorite place, and see so many of my favorite people.

I hope celebrating our Nation's (and my Nana's) birthday holds special meaning to you too!

(P.S.-The Fourth is also the birthday of my cousin Mike and a few friends, including Korri. :) It may also be the b'day of Korri's soon-to-arrive son, Teddy! Yay! )

Some of the family at the 2008 Cookout

McChrystal, Rolling Stone and Journalism

My latest piece for YPNation focuses on the repercussions of Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his comments in Rolling Stone. The article and McChrystal's resignation are now old news, but my commentary looks at how this debacle could affect the media. I predict that journalists are going to have a very difficult time getting access to top officials in the future because of what happened with McChrystal. Check it out here and let me know what you think.

My New Website

I've been neglecting My Own Audience for a few weeks, but I've been working on a new online project. I just created a new website featuring my photography and freelance writing. I used the blogging host Wordpress to create my website because it offers a few more design options than Blogger and it displays photos very well. Once I figured Wordpress out, I found it easy to use and I really like how my site is looking so far. It's still a work in progress, so please feel free to pass along your suggestions and comments!

Don't worry; I'm not leaving Blogger! I'll still be blogging on M.O.A. about whatever pops into my head and I'll be using the new site to display my published work and blog about media and writing-related issues. It's pretty amazing how easy it was to create a cool and professional website and it's great to have a spot where all my online writing can be found. Please check out the site and let me know what you think.

P.S.- From time to time, there will be posts found here and at my new Wordpress site. Sorry for the repeats, but I can promise that there will always be posts here on M.O.A. that won't be on the new site!

Congrats KLC!

My very talented friend Korri Leigh Crowley was named Boston.com's Photographer of the Week on Monday. It's a well-deserved honor! Korri is creative, professional and her passion for her photography is evident to anyone who meets her. Be sure to check out her website and her self portraits featured online. Congratulations Korri!

KLC hard at work, Oct. 2009.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I've been wanting to try a delicious-looking recipe that I spotted on Everyday Food's blog a few weeks back. I finally gave it a whirl last night and the results were just as tasty as they seemed to be online. The recipe was easy to begin with and by using a few pre-made ingredients, I made it even easier. If you like pizza and barbequed chicken, you won't be disappointed with this one!

- 2 C shredded chicken (a little more than half of a rotisserie chicken)
- Barbeque sauce
- Pre-made pizza crust or pizza dough
- 1-2 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced
- Chopped or sliced onion, as much as you prefer

1. Preheat oven according to directions for pizza dough or crust. Use cooking spray on a cookie sheet or stone. Spread dough out (if using dough).
2. Mix shredded chicken with enough barbeque sauce to cover all of the chicken.
3. Spread chicken out on crust first. Then top with zucchini, onion and as much cheese as you want.
4. Cook pizza according to crust directions. If using a pre-made crust, pizza will only need about 10 minutes at 425. Yum!

YP Moms Looking for Work-Life Balance

My latest story for YPNation is on a subject that's always been of interest for me: work-life balance. I think most young women with career aspirations and the hope to one day have a family realize that they'll be faced with the challenge of how to make it all work. I interviewed some intelligent, interesting women for this piece and they all had different and realistic solutions for the working mom dilemma.

May in Review

It's hard for me to believe that it's already June. May went by so quickly; it was a month full of moving, celebrations, traveling and unpacking. All the activities kept me away from the blog, but I hope one detailed post about May will make up for my absence...

Last month started off with packing up and moving into the new digs. Rick and I love our new place and our new neighborhood, but we definitely don't like unpacking and getting settled in. Part of the problem has been that I still have a bunch of my junk at my old apartment. Sally is staying there and her friend is moving in at the end of the summer, so there was no immediate rush to get my stuff out. When I first realized that I'd be able to move my things into the new apartment gradually, I was relieved. I thought it would be much easier to move things out little by little instead of a mad rush to move in one day.

I was wrong.

I've now learned that I have absolutely no motivation to move if I don't have an immediate deadline. Here we are, more than a month after getting the keys to the apartment and my closet in Brookline is still loaded with my stuff. If I'm ever in this situation again, I will give myself a made-up deadline to ensure that I move out of my old place in a timely fashion. Luckily, we will be having our first official overnight guests this weekend (YAY!), so that is inspiring me to drag myself back to Brookline and get everything else out of there.

The beginning of May also marked Rick's graduation from UConn's Business School. It was a nice weekend of festivities for the students and their family and friends. There were so many great people in the program that Rick (and myself) got to know and a number of students from countries all over the world. It was a bittersweet weekend since so many of Rick's friends are now scattered across the globe, but at least technology makes it easier to stay in touch!

We also made a quick trip to Melbourne, Florida in May. Rick will be going there frequently for work and I tagged along with him for a few days. It was lovely to sit on the beach and relax, although it was very hot and humid. I stayed under an umbrella and went through a lot of sunscreen, which is no surprise to anyone that has ever been outdoors with me. The only odd thing about our visit was that it happened to coincide with the annual infestation of lightning bugs--know in the South as "love bugs." They hatch, live for only a few days, die and end up absolutely everywhere! It was gross, but short-lived. We did feel a little bit like we were trapped in a Biblical plague...

The month winded down with the lovely wedding of one of my oldest friends. I've known Ned since we were nine, but we joke that we didn't become friends for about 10 years after that! Ned and Kristin were married at the Cape's Greek Orthodox Church and then we all celebrated at Ned's parents' house. The Greek ceremony was very interesting and the wedding program included explanations of the symbolic meaning of the Mass, which was great. In the photo above, the bride and groom wear crowns to symbolize that they are now "king and queen" of their new home and family. It was a wonderful night of Greek dancing, toasts, cigars, laughter, food, drinks and great conversation. We loved it! Congratulations to Ned and Kristin!

Finally, I hope everyone spent at least a little time this Memorial Day Weekend thinking about the sacrifices made for our country. If you ever have the chance, I would highly recommend visiting Arlington National Cemetery in DC. It is a moving tribute to our lost soldiers and a profound reminder of how many lives have been lost in honor of our country. I have visited Arlington four times and I would absolutely go again...

Etiquette for the YP Job-Hunter

Last week, my story for YPNation focused on using traditional etiquette tips and practices after a job interview. It was interesting to hear experts saying that old-fashioned etiquette may make a difference in the job hunt. Look for a follow-up article on cover letter and resume tips coming next week...

A Belated Marathon Monday Recap

Patriots' Day is a time for tradition and celebration in Boston and I'm not talking about the holiday commemorating a Revolutionary War battle. Patriots' Day is time for the Boston Marathon and Marathon Monday is one of my favorite days in Boston.

I love how the entire city focuses on the race and the race route becomes a cheerleadering section and day-long party. I also think it's great to see people of all ages clapping, yelling and encouraging runners on for hours at a time. I had a blast cheering during my first Marathon Monday last year, but this year was even better because I was waiting for Team Bodio to run by mile 23!

Rick and Kelly did very well in their first Boston Marathon experience and they raised thousands for the Melanoma Foundation of New England. A few friends came up for the day and we went crazy yelling and cheering when Rick and Kelly passed us.

Seeing thousands of runners taking part in such an awesome tradition and life list event almost make me want to run Boston someday...Almost...

The ups and down of the rental market

My latest story for YPNation is now online. (It's actually been published since Monday, but I was busy cheering on Marathon runners-- more on that in another post.)

Anyways, it's about the changes in the apartment rental market in the past year and a half and how YPs have influenced those changes. I found it interesting to see how much young professionals have impacted the market and how they continue to impact it.

Check out the full story here.

Birthday Thanks

I've been pretty busy the past few weeks (hence the absence from the blog) and one of the things keeping me busy was my 27th birthday.

I have to admit that I was not really looking forward to this birthday. I would officially be in my late--not mid--twenties and I think any birthday is tough to face when one is an aspiring writer and stuck in job limbo. Hence my non-enthusiasm about the day.

But I soon changed my tune on the big day thanks to the wonderful phone calls, cards, emails and texts that came in last week. I even received multiple voicemail serenades sung by some of my favorite kiddos. I truly felt lucky to have such great people in my life reaching out to wish me a happy birthday.

I don't often get sappy on My Own Audience, but my birthday was a strong reminder that I have a lot to be thankful for--even if I am a would-be writer hoping for my 'big break.'

Thanks to everyone for making my day so wonderful! Now back to regularly-schedule blogging...

(Full Disclosure: Those gifts in the photo are not mine. They're actually not even gifts for a birthday, but I needed a photo for this post. Artistic license at work!)

A New Writing Idol

Tonight, Clarice and I went to a book reading at the Coolidge Corner Theatre sponsored by the Brookline Booksmith. As you may recall, the Booksmith sponsored the fall John Irving reading where I got to see my favorite author live and in person. But this time, I wasn't all that familiar with the writer and Clarice wasn't either.

We saw Anne Lamott, a novelist and columnist with an impressive body of work. While I hadn't read her work before, one of my best friends, Erin (aka The Mouse), recently recommended Lamott's book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Life and Writing. As the title suggests, the book is on writing and everything else that goes with it. Erin said the book was insightful and very funny and just a few weeks after she told me about it, I saw that Lamott was coming to the Booksmith for a free reading. I picked up two tickets and downloaded Bird by Bird to my Kindle--which I just started a few days ago.

Clarice and I were so impressed with Lamott, even though we had no idea what her new book was about and didn't know all that much about her. She was funny, authentic, a beautiful speaker/reader (I love hearing writers and poets read their own words) and such a talented writer. We both left the reading inspired by her and two converted Lamott fans.

The Booksmith hosted a book signing after the reading and we headed over to the store. Clarice had bought Bird by Bird in anticipation of the big event. While we were waiting in line, I was kind of bummed that I didn't have a copy of Lamott's book. (It's a downside of owning an e-reader that had never occurred to me!) So, being the nerd that I am and being encouraged by my fellow nerd C, I asked Anne to sign a Booksmith bookmark for me. That's right-- a bookmark! (By the way, I did explain that I was reading Bird by Bird on my Kindle.)

So Clarice and I now have an autograph and a new writing idol. I would definitely recommend checking out Lamott's work and seeing her in person!

Top image from Amazon; bottom image is me being a geek

Just for fun

A little daily Dolly-- just because...

Delicious Spring Dessert

A few weeks ago, I tried a new recipe for a potluck gathering. I said I would bring dessert and I wanted to do something more than just cookies to impress my foodie friends. I found my inspiration in Everyday Food- one of my favorite places for recipes (which you may have realized!).

The recipe was super simple and it turned out very well. My friends loved it and I made it again last weekend for Easter brunch. The best part may be that you can mix everything and bake it in the same dish-- less clean-up! Here are the details for Pineapple Bread Pudding...

- About 1/2 of a medium pineapple, chopped. If you need a lesson on selecting and chopping up a pineapple (like I did!), check out this video
- 3 eggs
- 6 TBS melted butter
- 1/2 C sugar
- 2 TBS flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 loaf of artisan bread, no crust; fluffy insides ripped into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix eggs, pineapple pieces, sugar, flour and salt together in a 2 quart baking dish. You may need more than 1/2 of the pineapple-- I used enough pineapple to make sure all of the bottom of the dish was covered.
2. Cover the mixture with the ripped bread pieces. Drizzle melted butter over the bread.
3. Bake for 45-55 min, until dish is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream!

A little inspiration...

My latest story for YPNation is now online and it's a profile of an inspiring young professional. Shannon Varney was laid off from his financial management job at the beginning of the economic downturn and sank into a depression. But he was moved into action and created his own non-profit organization; a career move he never thought he'd make.

Check out the rest of Shannon's story at YPNation!

Ready for the Return of the Boys of Summer

I know it's somewhat difficult to imagine a beautiful, warm Opening Day when most of Red Sox Nation is underwater right now, but the big day is on Sunday! Thankfully, it appears that the weather is going to cooperate for the Sox's opening home game versus the damn Yankees on Easter Sunday.

I've been looking forward to the return of the Sox for the past few weeks and the (few) sunny days we had this month made it easy to picture the impending arrival of the boys of summer.

Now I will admit that I'm no sports nut, but I genuinely enjoy baseball and actively follow the Sox. I love coming home most spring and summer nights and turning on NESN while making dinner or relaxing after a busy day. I missed Remy and Don when I lived in Maryland a few years back and the nationally televised games just aren't as entertaining. (Obviously, there's nothing like seeing a game live, but there's nothing like NESN for the games on TV!)

To me, the Red Sox bring up all sorts of fun memories--watching the games on TV with my family, seeing the team live with great friends, barroom debates when I lived out of state and celebrations after big wins. The Sox also make me think of the summertime; warm days, the beach, Cape Cod...

All in all, there really isn't anything negative I can say about the home team. Well... that's not entirely true because I'm sure I'll chip in my two cents about their performance after a poor game, but that's all part of America's Pastime!

Women's History Month

In celebration of Women's History Month, I'm profiling eight "honorary YPs" for YPNation this week. I've found some interesting women from history who made notable career achievements in their twenties and thirties.They may not have know what a "young professional" was, but we're honoring them as YPs today! Two new women will be profiled each day, so check out YPNation's homepage for the updates.

The series begins today with Charlotte E. Ray and Victoria Woodhull (above). They were both trailblazers and one was very controversial, but you'll have to visit YPNation for the full story!

Woodhull photo is in public domain; from Wikimedia.

The Scoop on Running Groups

My latest story for YPNation is now online. It's on running groups and some of the surprising benefits of joining for YPs. I enjoyed researching and interviewing for this story. It made me think about joining a running group! We'll see... Check it out!

Chicken with Tomato Relish and Carrot Parmesan Risotto

I tried out this recipe the other night and was happy with how it came out. I found it in an old issue of Everyday Food, which has some awesome recipes. The original recipe called for sauteed chicken, but I always burn sauteed chicken so I would suggest baked.

Relish:
- 1 can (14.5 oz) of seasoned diced tomatoes in juice, drained
- 1/2 C chopped fresh parsley (or dried)
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 2 TBS lemon juice
- 1 TBS jarred capers, drained

Stir together all ingredients and season relish with salt and pepper. Top chicken with relish.

Risotto:
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 TBS butter
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped in food processor
- 5 medium carrots, grated in food processor
- coarse salt and pepper
- 1 1/4 C long-grain white rice
- 1/2 C dry white wine
- 1/4 C grated Parmesan

1. In a saucepan, bring broth and 2 C water to a light simmer over medium heat.
2. In another large saucepan, melt 1 TBS butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrots, then season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until veggies soften, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in rice. Add white wine and cook, stirring until absorbed, 2-4 minutes.
3. Add 2 C hot broth and simmer mixture over medium-low. Stir frequently until mostly absorbed, 10-12 minutes. Continue to add broth, 1 C at a time, stirring occasionally. Do not add more broth until absorbed. Cook until rice is creamy-- about 20 minutes. (You probably won't have to use all the broth.)
4. Remove risotto from hear, stir in 1 TBS butter and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Fun Spring Weekend

What's better than spending time with a friend you haven't seen in a year? Spending time with that friend the same weekend that you also go to an awesome concert.

Lucky for me, these were my exact plans a few weeks ago.

Lesley, my friend from DC, was in town visiting and we had a great little Friday afternoon. I hadn't seen Lesley in almost year (since my last visit to DC), but we used to spend every day together. We started work within a few months of each other and navigated the waters of the 9-to-5 world together. The 40-hour work week and real world was a tough adjustment, but we had a lot of fun, too.

She happened to visit Beantown two weekends ago, so she thankfully missed the floodfest that was this weekend. We spent the sunny afternoon wandering around Newbury Street and Boston Common. (True confession: my sense of direction around Boston is definitely still lacking, but I knew enough to show Lesley the sites.) She loved Beantown and we had a blast just catching up and joking around.

Big Papi says: Come back to Boston soon, Lesley, and I'll come back for a visit to DC.

After a fun Friday with Lesley, Rick and I went to see Jamie Cullum at the House of Blues on Saturday with a group of friends. The House of Blues is a very cool venue and Jamie Cullum is very entertaining. It was the first time I've seen him live and he was energetic and funny.

I also love his new album, The Pursuit. It's tough to sum up his style in a few words, but Cullum plays the piano, so his music tends to be slightly jazzy. He's a little pop, a little jazz and he also does great covers. My favorite song on the album is probably his cover of Rhianna's "Don't Stop the Music." It's fun and an original take on the tune.


I would definitely recommend checking him out live if you get the chance.

One Year of My Own Audience

It's been exactly one year since I began My Own Audience. Yay! I'm taking a cue from Un Bel Oiseau and celebrating my blog's first b'day!

I do have to admit that I started this blog as more of a job strategy than anything else. I figured that most positions I'd be looking at would require blogging experience, so I needed to become part of the blogosphere. I started this blog to gain on-the-job skills, but it's ended up being a great creative outlet. This blog has also kept me brainstorming, writing and taking photos. I'm so glad I started My Own Audience, even if my intentions for starting a blog were more professionally-minded than anything else.

And on my blog's first birthday, I have some fun writing-related news: I've started contributing to a really great Web site, YPNation. The site is aimed toward young professionals and features news and commentary, social networking and links to resources on the Web. I'll be writing about a variety of topics, including the media industry. My first piece for YPN is about my old friend John Edwards and The National Enquirer.

Happy reading and Happy Birthday, MOA!

Rick's Marathon Run for Charity

In just over two months, Rick and his sister will take part in a Boston tradition: running the Boston Marathon. (I will take place in another Boston tradition that day: cheering from the sidelines.)

This will be Rick's third full marathon and the first he is running for charity. Rick and Kelly will both be raising money for skin cancer research for the Melanoma Foundation of New England.
Their training is now in high gear and so is their fundraising! If you're interested, pleas visit Rick's fundraising page here. Every amount helps!

Stay tuned for fundraising and Marathon training updates here...

Photo of Rick during the 2009 Hartford Marathon

Will Tiger be forgiven?

By now, you've undoubtedly seen Tiger Woods' Feb. 19 public statement and apology (unless you're purposely avoiding it).

And by now, the media, Tiger's sponsors, fans and former fans worldwide have all chimed in with their opinions on the apology -- debating whether it was sincere or not or whether he needed to apologize in the first place.

But I'm not going to analyze his statement or discuss whether I think he should have apologized or not-- I don't care to and I think it's old news at this point. What I have been thinking about the past few days is Tiger's treatment for his reported sex addiction and its implications. (Reported addiction because he admitted that he had affairs and has been in treatment and therapy, but he hasn't come right out and said he's an addict.)

I think whether or not members of the public will forgive Tiger largely hinges on if they believe that sex addiction is a true disease or not. Many media critics pointed out that Tiger's apology seemed like a step in the 12-step recovery process, which is a part of rehabilitation for sex addiction-- just like alcohol or drug addiction. But sex addiction doesn't seem to be accepted as a true disease like alcohol or drug addiction.

Is Tiger an addict? Was he in control of his actions or was his disease in control? I think if folks believe that his disease was in control, they will be more likely to forgive him and accept that he was sick at the time of his indiscretions. If Tiger had come out and said he was a drug addict, it would have been acknowledged that he had a problem and needed help. (He wouldn't have been granted a clean slate, but celebrity drug addiction certainly isn't a new phenomenon.) Sex addiction is trickier. There are plenty of people out there who believe sex addiction isn't a true disease and it's more of an excuse for his out-of-control behavior.

Months ago, Bill Simmons wisely pointed out that "America is always more forgiving when the words 'addiction' is introduced." Whether people believe that Tiger's addiction is true or just another PR ploy remains to be seen.

If Tiger is truly a sex addict, then rehab is the right place for him to start to put his life back together and get his addiction under control.

And if Tiger isn't an addict and is in rehab as part of a massive image makeover, then I hope he spends every day thinking about what a disastrous mess he made of his family and career.

Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries

What could be better than a hamburger with fries? A hamburger with sweet potato fries. Mom and I tried a new recipe last night and it was delicious.

Sorry I don't have a photo, but there is one here at WholeLiving.com. This was easy to make and does have some nutritional value since sweet potatoes are full of vitamins.

- 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed, skin on, and cut into wedges
- 1/2 C flour
- 3/4 tsp coarse salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 1/3 C grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat over to 425. Spray a large baking sheet with Pam.

2. Stir the flour, salt and pepper together in a shallow bowl. Beat the egg whites with 2 TBS water in a separate bowl. Spread the cheese out on some tin foil or a large plate.

3. Dip a sweet potato wedge into the flour mixture first and shake off excess. Then dip into the egg mixture, coating the wedge. Dip the (non-skin) sides of the wedge into the cheese. Place on baking sheets.

4. Bake about 25 minutes, until wedges are crisp. Yum!

End of a Long Week

I've had more than a few blog post ideas come to me this week, but a nasty cold and then a brutal migraine knocked me off my game. I was in NYC last week and took a lot of photos with the intention of sharing them here, but I just haven't gotten to that yet. They'll be up here eventually, I promise.

While I'm still not 100%, I'm feeling much better than the beginning of the week. A little time at home, some chicken noodle soup and Olympic-watching have me feeling better. And I have to mention that my little brother stepped up and helped out when I had my migraine. I was home alone and there are few worse situations that feeling terrible and being by yourself. Thanks, Chris!

So hopefully, I will now have a flurry of inspired posts since I am feeling better. Stay tuned...

Snow-ly Crap

I'm watching NBC Nightly News right now and of course, the broadcast is all about the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic snowstorm. (Poor Brian Williams is standing outside reporting from Rockefeller Center's ice skating rink. He's not wearing a hat, scarf or mittens and it's honestly painful just to look at him. But that's besides the point...)

It seems like everyone except Massachusetts is getting hit hard this winter. If you told me two years ago that DC would end up with more snow than Boston, I would have laughed and then probably shuddered at the thought. After spending three winters in DC, I witnessed firsthand the absolute panic and ineptitude that sets in when there is just two inches of snow dusting the DC streets. It always boggled my mind that the city would be crippled by any amount of snow since they do get at least a little snow every winter. Being the tried and true hardy New Englander that I am, I wouldn't have much patience for the un-plowed DC streets and the pre-storm supermarket panic.

But I have to give DC-ers a break this year. I can't believe how much they've been dumped on. (Check out my friends Kristin and Mike's blog for pictures of the blizzard.) I know that a blizzard is fun for a day or two, but DC has had two massive snowstorms in one week. Yikes! Here's hoping it melts for everyone's sake...

My Two Cents on the National Enquirer/Edwards Debacle

I know that the National Enquirer's John Edwards scoop is now old news, but I still wanted to blog about it since I looked at the ordeal from an academic perspective last summer and I was surprised with what I found.

For my final paper in my journalism ethics class, I chose to research whether or not the National Enquirer followed journalism ethics while investigating the John Edwards/Rielle Hunter affair story and why the tabloid broke a story that was mostly ignored by the mainstream media. We had briefly discussed the issue in class and I decided to take a closer look at it. At the time that I was writing the paper (Aug. 2009), Edwards had admitted that he had an affair with Hunter, but he denied her baby was his and he was being investigated by a grand jury to determine if he misused campaign funds.

Now we all know that many claims the Enquirer has made about Edwards have proven to be true, as the paper has maintained all along that Hunter's baby was fathered by Edwards. It's safe to say that Edwards' political career is ruined and some of the mainstream media has now admitted that they dropped the ball with this story.

So how did the National Enquirer break such a scandalous story during a huge political election?

When I first began research for this story, I thought I would find some shady practices undertaken by the Enquirer, but I was surprised that the tab seemed to have broken the story through good old-fashioned making phone calls and pounding pavement investigative reporting.

I determined that the tabloid not only exercised news judgment, as it didn't name Hunter as Edwards' mistress in its first story even though it had identified her, but the paper also repeatedly reached out to the Edwards camp for comment.

The Enquirer does pay for tips, but the editors openly admit this and say the paper only pays after a tip is confirmed, which they compare to the police rewarding news tips. The Edwards story began with an anonymous tip through the paper's tip line and an editorial decision was made to have an investigative team put on the story.

The tabloid stuck with the story for months; tracking down leads, conducting stakeouts and staging a (certainly questionable) "spy photo" camera to capture Edwards meeting Hunter and her baby at a hotel.

And while the argument might have been made that a story about a political candidate having an affair is not news, I disagree in this situation. As I wrote in my paper: "The mainstream media failed to investigate a matter of public interest when it didn’t look into the Enquirer’s allegations since Hunter had worked on Edwards’ campaign. Because of the Enquirer’s reporting work, Edwards is now the center of a federal investigation on whether he misused campaign funds to pay off his former mistress—a claim that most media outlets would love to make."

The Enquirer should by no means become an industry ethics role model or the authority on all news, but the Edwards story was not a fluke (Tiger Woods' affair broken by the Enquirer) and old fashioned reporting values and tactics have a place at the paper.


Interesting story on the issue in The New Republic in 2008 here.

National Enquirer photo through Google Images

On the Hunt for Uggs

So, I know I'm a little late hopping on the Uggs bandwagon (about 7 years late), but I recently decided that I would like a pair of the fuzzy boots from Down Under.

This is proving to be somewhat difficult since it's the middle of winter, post-Christmas and Uggs are sold out all over the place.

I have secretly wanted a pair for a few years, but didn't admit it since I thought Uggs were just some fad. My initial reaction was that Uggs were ugly and wouldn't be around for long. I remember seeing them on campus and thought they were ridiculous and overpriced. I refused to participate in an expensive, over-hyped fashion trend.

Well, I was wrong.

Fast-forward a few years later and Uggs are still around. They're super comfortable and actually practical in a cold, wintry city like Boston. Sure, they make your feet look huge and give you cankles, but I don't care. I've admitted that I want a pair and the Birthday Fairy said I can get some for my b'day (a few months early).

Now I just have to find them. But I've only just begun my search and I'll find that pair of Uggs with my name on them.

Photo from Nordstrom.com

DMB at the Grammys

What is it about awards shows that renders me virtually powerless to change the channel? I almost always end up watching the entire broadcast, even though I never anticipate on watching the whole thing. Oh well.

I did watch the entire Grammy Show last night and there were some great performances. I thought the Dave Matthews Band was awesome, but I'm definitely biased since they've been my favorite band since I was 14 or 15. Lady Gaga's duet with Elton was also impressive, as was Pink's amazing acrobatic routine.

But I'm obviously going to post a video of DMB here on my blog since I love them. I wish they didn't walk away empty-handed last night. There's always hope for the next album!

A Classy Exit

Last night was Conan's final episode as host of The Tonight Show and he really went out with class. All week, he's bashed NBC and it's been absolutely hilarious, but he kept anti-NBC jokes to a minimum last night. He even offered a sincere and heartfelt thanks to the company he's been with for almost 20 years.

I really respect Conan's decision to leave his self-described "dream job" because he didn't think it was heading in a good direction. He felt that a time slot move would damage The Tonight Show franchise and he chose to leave his hosting gig than stick with a 12:05 A.M. start time. He said this was an extremely difficult decision for him, but it's better than clinging to something he didn't truly believe in and then having The Tonight Show decline and become something less than it was. So many great TV shows stay on air well past their prime and that slide into mediocrity takes away from what the shows used to be.

It's safe to say that Conan will be fine after all this and he'll end up with a great new gig in the fall. I'm excited to see where he'll be in the fall. As for the new-old Tonight Show with Jay Leno, I'm very curious to see what--if any--effect the recent debacle will have on Jay's show. It seems like a lot of Hollywood was on Team Coco and even though the blame seems to be on NBC for this, Jay's reputation has taken a hit, too. I wonder how this will change The Tonight Show's viewership, as it appears that Conan has a strong, young fan base that will follow him to another network.

We'll just have to wait until the fall to see what Conando has up his sleeve. Whatever happens, all eyes will be on him when he begins his new show.

Better Mornings, Courtesy of the Keurig

I am not a morning person. At all. I'm a night owl and I've always preferred to stay up late than wake up early.

And since I haven't had a set schedule in quite a while, my dislike for mornings is stronger than ever and I'm out of practice when it comes to getting up to an alarm. (Even during grad school, my classes were at night so I was always up late and sleeping in.) But I do try and force myself to get up to an alarm and not stay up 'til all hours of the night.

Thanks to Santa, getting up in the A.M. has gotten a little easier since Christmas. I found an awesome Keurig coffee maker under the tree for me. With the Keurig, I can make one perfectly-brewed cup of coffee at a time. I will admit that I've never been great at making coffee so it's nice not to worry about measuring out the coffee grounds each morning and then wondering how my coffee would taste. It's also less wasteful since it only makes one cup at a time; I'm not brewing half-a-pot of coffee and then dumping most of it out after only drinking one cup. There's a great selection of flavored coffee K-Cups, too.

All right, now I'm starting to sound like a commercial when I really just wanted to salute my Keurig for making my mornings easier. And I guess I should salute "Santa" for giving it to me, too. Thanks Mom & Dad!

The Good in Social Networking

I've always had reservations about social networking sites and the spread of social media. While I use Facebook, Twitter and I blog (obviously) and I enjoy them most of the time, I think many people use these sites for the wrong reason or they go overboard. I'm not interested in all the mundane details of people's lives and I think folks over-share to the point that there isn't a real sense of privacy anymore.

But this past week has shown the tremendous power of social networking and how much good can come out of it. The devastating earthquake in Haiti has captured the world's attention. Word spread quickly about how bad the quake hit and the state of chaos in the country. Donations have poured in from around the world and the drive for donations has been so successful because of the use of social networking, media and technology.

With various charities setting up a direct text-to-donate system (including the American Red Cross), donating was easier than it's ever been. I think this system was a great idea and something we'll definitely see in the future, but the initiatives were really successful because of people spreading the word about them through Twitter and Facebook. The texting donation drive was publicized on TV, radio, etc., but the information was (and still is) all over social networking sites. Various reports put the total money raised at $10 million; pretty amazing when you think a lot of it has been done in $5 and $10 increments.

In the past year, we have seen the power of social networking in spreading information and news (like the Iran election riots), and we can now see what an effective fundraiser these sites can be. It's heartening to see Facebook used to raise money for disaster aid instead of updating users on what one just had for lunch.

Photo from Google Images

I Survived!

I'm sure you spent all weekend worrying, but I survived my second skiing trip in 26 years. AND I actually did much better than I thought. I won't be skiing every weekend or anything, but I'll definitely try skiing again.

First off, the weekend would have been much more painful without the right gear. Through borrowing or renting, I luckily had the right gear. I would strongly suggest that before embarking on any sort of outdoor activity like skiing, you make sure you have the right gear. I was still freezing after a few hours, but I lasted longer than I would have without my stuff. I'd also recommend wearing a helmet. I rented mine for only $10 (not shown in pic) and I was glad I had it after taking a spill or two.

We went to Cranmore in North Conway, NH and it was a great mountain for a novice like me. I signed up for a lesson (something else I strongly suggest for beginners) and was lucky enough that the lesson ended up being just me and the instructor for two hours. After spending some time on the bunny slopes, we headed over to the beginner trail for a few runs. I was really happy with how I did and I actually had more skills than I thought!



When my lesson was over, I met up with the rest of my friends in the lodge to warm up and get some food. I could barely feel my fingers but I was pumped about how well I did. I was fired up for some more skiing post-lunch, and I will admit that I was bragging about my skills on the slopes.

Well, I did speak too soon because I took a few diggers after lunch. I chalked it up to being tired and taking one too many runs on my first day back out on the slopes, but I'm still really happy with my skiing performance.

Side note: I'm still really sore two days later. Ouch...

Why I'll be wearing a helmet this weekend...

This weekend I'll be going skiing for the second time in my life. The first time I went skiing, I spent most of the weekend on my rear end--and that was at least nine years ago. But I'm hoping this weekend will be different.

We're heading up to North Conway, NH with some friends and will be skiing at Mt. Cranmore. I'm a little nervous and was having second thoughts yesterday, but now I think I will make it out of the weekend in one piece. And I hope I'll have some fun, too.

No matter what happens, it should make for an interesting blog post. Stay tuned...

Baked Chicken and Ziti

I got a new cookbook in my stocking this year from Rick's mom. It's a cookbook of recipes that her quilting guild put together and it looks great. I've only tested one out so far and it came out well. Next time, I'll make a few changes-- including adding mozzarella, which I didn't have the first time.

-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" strips
-1 chopped onion
-2 minced garlic cloves
-1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes (or diced-- I suggest using seasoned or Italian-style tomatoes)
-1 tsp. Italian seasoning
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-2 C ziti or penne
-2/3 C ricotta or cottage cheese
-1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
-2 TBS Parmesan cheese

1. Spray a large skillet with Pam and heat. Add chicken, turning until slightly browned, about 5-6 min. Transfer to plate.
2. Preheat oven to 375. Spray skillet again and add onion and garlic until softened, 5-6 min. Add tomatoes, seasoning and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until mixture thickens, 8-10 min.
3. Cook pasta as usual. Drain and mix with ricotta/cottage cheese.
4. Pour half of the tomato mixture into an 11 x 17"baking dish. Layer with the pasta mix, the chicken and remaining tomato mixture.
5. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake until hot, bubbling and cheese is melted, 15-20 min.

Bon appetit!