Cupcake Friday 03.29.2013

Well, so I've sorta been neglecting cupcake friday.  No its not because I'm counting calories, though I really am counting calories, I've still been faithfully going to the truck -- its because I've not bought any cool new flavors to post.  This is a cupcake that they've had in their reptoire for a while, but I've for some reason never gotten it...

behold, the Raspberry Lemonade.  Its a lemon cupcake with a raspberry buttercream icing, and yes indeed that would be a straw and a lemonhead to go with it.  For some reason, the spring-y flavors were calling my name this past week and this is the cupcake I ended up with.  The cake is moist, and flavorful (you must like/love lemon) to like the cake.  The raspberry butter cream does have raspberry flavor, but alas, too much frosting for me (I dont really like butter cream to begin with)

Daily Arsenal 03.29.13

Apparently the colors I want to work with today are similar to a bruise --- blue, purple and black.

Journal Club Arsenal 03.28.13

Coffee mug filled with a Cinnamon Dolce Latte from +Starbucks Coffee , and a Sarsa click pen.

Daily Arsenal 03.27.2013

Daily Arsenal 03.26.2013

Pilot VP Matte Black with hmmm a blue black ink (forgot what i put in it... oops!), Pentel Energel alloy in pink with 1.0mm black ink and a pilot precise grip in green.

Cape May 10 Miler, before run car pic

So I ran the Cape May 10 miler this past Sunday.. Never mind that I've not yet trained up to do a distance this long in quite some time.  In fact, I believe the last run that was of some distance was maybe a 3-4 mile run in the last 3 months?  AND maybe i've run that distance 2-3 times?  So was this potentially a bad idea to sign up for a 10 miler? ummm YES!  did i do it anyway?  ummm YES!  Did I enjoy the run after a great DB workout on Saturday? ummm NO!  Not only did i start the run with sore quads and tight calves because we did a lot of squats on Saturday AM -- I'd not trained to actually run the distance, but of course stubbornness persists and of course I finished the run.. Well after what I would normally be able to do if i were ohh i dont know training for an actual run (I can typically run 10 min miles, this ended up being more close to a 11-12 min/mile pace) but since I'm signed up for 2-3 more runs in the next month I guess i'll maybe actually train for the rest of the month.

This was just a picture of the 2 cars at 7ish am prior to the run -- notice that there was frost on the windows.. um ya cold..

Daily Arsenal 03.23.2013

Daily Arsenal 03.21.2013

Meeting notes.. You can sort of see the Rhodia Meeting book, my coffee, and my matte VP fountain pen.

Daily Arsenal 03.13.2013

Pentel Energel Review

Firstly, these pens were given to me by shoplet, and the info that you see here are all of my own opinion.  They did not pay me (other than to send me these pens) to say what I am about to say.. 

I am a big proponent of gel pens.  I may even have enough pens to last me a life time, but for some reason every time i go to Staples, Office Depot I am drawn, like a moth to a bright light to more pens, specifically gel pens.  

When Shoplet asked me if I would write a review for the Pentel Energels, I jumped at the chance.   What came?  Well a pack of the 0.7mm assorted color multipacks of 8 pens, 1 black 1.0mm pen, one 0.5mm blue pen, and a 0.7mm black pen.  I had already bought a set of the multi-color pens, so I'm giving away the 8 pack.  I'll ship these pens anywhere the USPS will deliver -- you are responsible for any import tax that may incur if you win.

I've used Pentel Energel pretty often, I like how the Pentel blue is bright vibrant blue -- you know how you are drawn specifically to one shade of blue, whether its dark (blue-black) or a bright vibrant blue?  Well the Pentel blue is one of my favorite colors, so I've always had a couple of these pens lying around.  When the Energel pens first came out they only had the metal ones.  In fact, I own a half dozen if not more of the original metal/plastic barrel pens.  

Now as you probably have figured out by now, I am very fond of find tipped pens, in fact, im contemplating buying a new vanishing point nib in EF.  Yep, Brad Dowdy is my hero for actually owning one and using his EF nib.  So I typically go for the finest tipped pens you can get, however, living in the states does have its downfalls in that one can basically find at the finest a 0.5mm tip -- which is often not fine enough for me.  

Using the pen on cardstock proved effortless at all different nib sizes -- no bleeding, feathering, nice crisp lines, etc.  The problem comes when you use the 1.0mm nib on 20 lb paper, it bleeds like no tomorrow -- This by no means is a problem for this pen only, remember the stablio viscos?  they do that too.  Obviously the larger the point, the fatter the line,  while I'm a big proponent of a thin crisp line, sometimes (like when im bubbling something in, or crossing out boxes for forms, I find that the larger the ball the faster i can go through without much effort, so i tend to use those pens when I'm at work completing forms, etc. but otherwise I love my thin lines.

As you can see above, I tested out the 8 pack colors as well as wrote a small little blurb.  In addition, i attempted to smear the ink.  The amount of ink that comes out of the nib is concordant with the amount of time that is needed for the ink to dry enough so that it doesnt smear -- so if you are a lefty, make sure that you have adequate drying time else your arms are going to be rather colorful after you finish taking notes :)

I also now have an extra multicolored 8 pack that I will be giving away in the next week or so.. when I do the pencil review.  so check back in a couple of days.

Where to Purchase?

• Your neighboorhood office supply store:
• $6.99 for the multipack
• $4.99 for individual 3 packs
• Shoplet:
• black 0.7/dzn: $13.95
• blue 0.5/dzn:  $13.80
• black 1.0/dzn: $19.5

Other Reviews

• The Pen Addict (he does the 0.5mm in blue)
• A penchant for Paper (black 0.7mm)
• Aziziah's Gourmet Pens (multipack 0.7mm)
• Mightier than the Sword

Daily Arsenal 03.12.13

More Epic training = more random pictures... of said training.. oh and today the fire alarm went off... apparently they were testing the system but didnt bother to tell anyone that they were testing it.. so we were all set to leave the building... and then we were told..

Bonaparte Breads

Well, down in Fells Point there's a french bakery, flaky croissants, yummy breads and tarts -- exactly what one needs immediately after a workout, right?  yep exactly!  and since I had an exam this week -- and the boy was set to run further than I, this is where i went to get a bite and study a bit before the boys' run was over.. I did intend to get him a croissant, but instead i got myself 2... and then had to replace them with 2 more when he finished his run.. not to worry however, they were the minis that they serve for like 1$ each.  

Amazingly its pretty crowded there on the weekends, Im use to being there in the workday where the place is nearly empty... so much easier to find a seat then.

Daily arsenal 03.11.13

And the training day begins.  Yep I am studying under the table

Daily Arsenal 03.09.2013

Daily Arsenal 03.08.2013

So you know how last month was InCoWriMo?  i wanted to participate but then craziness happened.. I got 1 letter (well this probably has something to do with the fact i never added myself to the list on the website either).. and I finally got a chance to open it this weekend.. and started composing my reply... all i can say is that there will be stickers involved--- but no i did not get any cat stickers.. so you are out of luck there :)

In case people are wondering the pens are: Pentel Energel, Twsbi Mini, Sarsa click

Daily arsenal 03.07.2013

daily arsenal 03.06.2013

Goodbye Grandma and Grandpa

This past weekend i said goodbye to two very important people in my life, both my grandparents passed away within the past month.  They have been with me throughout my entire childhood, watch me grow up to a young adult and beyond. 

They have always been there for me --- through thick and thin, advocating all the good and defending me when i was being bad.  They were there when i was born, up until a few years ago when grandmom's spiral downwards caused by her dementia made it impossible for her to stay here in MD alone-- she needed more care than we could give her plus she was in the midst of having crazy heart failure, so since my aunt was a cardiologist we sent her and my grandpa to live in Dallas.  This set up the yearly visits -- when it was felt that my uncle and aunt needed weeks off from my grandparents, they got sent to various peoples houses.  She would come and stay with us or my other relatives in Fl for a couple of months and then go back -- this would give my aunt and uncle time to recuperate from the months of having to take care of her.   About 2 years ago, it got to be too much for even my aunt and uncle to handle and she was sent to an assisted living facility.  While there she was well cared for, my uncles that lived in TX would often go and feed her and make sure she was ok-- i am ashamed to admit this but I have never been to visit her at the home -- partly because of life and because i believe in retrospect, i didnt want to see her all helpless and wheelchair bound.  The grandmom i knew and still keep in my mind was spry -- would often cook for us, watch all my children and make sure we got all of our homework done.  She was a champion knitter -- always knitting me a and my cousins a new sweater.  Grandpa was stoic -- often very reserved but totally dependent on grandmom for survival-- he always was outside weeding, reading the history books, playing with learning chinese for his computer but he always failed at cooking (unless it was preserved peaches), laundry and the regular things that you would do in life.  These are the grandparents that I  know and loved... and will remember in my heart and mind.  

As my cousin put in his eulogy --- conjugal bereavement may not be proven scientifically, but im my heart, I'll always remember that my grandmom left the world and possibly, quite possibly my grandfather just couldnt live anymore with out grandmom and decided that it was his time too.  Glad grandpop didnt suffer but rather left the world quickly.  Glad the hospital didnt resuscitate him so that his wish was heard.  

So sorry to see the both of you go but it is what you guys wanted in the end... right?

Daily Arsenal 03.05.2013