Just a quick update on where I am in my e-portfolio.
Competencies completed: 5
Competencies graded satisfactory: 4
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 10
Revisions required: 1
Pages written: 29
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 54 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 68 days
With my birthday this week, I've given myself a little bit of a break and allowed myself to only submit one competency this week (which I just turned in today, so Happy Birthday to me!). With five competencies complete--and barring any revisions I have to do for the latest one submitted--I'm now a third of the way through. I cannot WAIT to get through the other two-thirds. I've been jumping all over the list and have been working on competencies out of order. I did do the first one first, but have not followed any rhyme or reason for the rest of the ones I've chosen to address. Perhaps the only common denominator between all of them is that I've already thought about what I want to include as evidence and what points I want to hit in my statement of competency. Slowly my grade list is filling up with 1's (the passing grade).
In the middle of work, school, and life stress I've also managed to lose five pounds, another small victory. Scooter has been helpful by cutting back on snacks he brings into the house. And he made this great marinade that he let the meat sit in for 3 days. I don't know if anyone else has let meat marinade that long, but we've done it twice now and the 3-day marinade makes the meat sooooooo good. I'll ask for the marinade recipe tonight and post tomorrow.
Until then, I can give my fingers a rest from typing...
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
And the work goes on and on...
I didn't think I could write so much in such a short amount of time. I have a fire under me to finish this final big project in record time. It would be so nice to have it all done by April. Not sure that will actually happen, but it's nice to dream and it keeps me motivated to get through all the work. Here's another e-portfolio update:
Competencies completed: 4
Competencies graded satisfactory: 3
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 11
Revisions required: 1
Pages written: 23
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 59 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 73 days
I literally just submitted my fourth competency before writing this post, so of course I don't know what grade I have for it yet. I'm pushing to get a competency done every 2-3 days with 1-2 days break after a couple of them. The timing comes out to about 2 competencies per week with time off for good behavior. No wait, I mean downtime to relax. And perhaps continue making my slow way through the Terry Pratchett book I'm currently (trying) to read. I have a whole list of favorites I want to reread during the free time I'll get when this is over.
One of the perks of doing this project, if one wants to find the silver lining, is that I get to rediscover a lot of the work I've done and have forgotten about. I did spend 4 school years in the program (can it really have been that long?), so some of my earliest work has been buried under the later piles of articles I've read and papers I've written. I again thank the fates that I have multiple digital copies of EVERYTHING so even if I can't find all my printed articles and work for every class, I can at least locate the digital copy. If any fellow MLIS students are reading this, do yourself a favor and back up your work. Heed the warnings. Don't be the one that has to contact past instructors to track down papers (yes, that does happen).
I don't have much else to post. I think the 23 pages of (single-spaced) writing I've done so far has sucked all the writing mojo right out of me. I will try, try, try to post a recipe next week. Scooter is making soup this weekend which will taste so good in the rainy weather we are having. Perhaps I'll watch what he does and write down the recipe to share. Or maybe I'll make something sweet to eat with him and share with you...
Competencies completed: 4
Competencies graded satisfactory: 3
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 11
Revisions required: 1
Pages written: 23
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 59 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 73 days
I literally just submitted my fourth competency before writing this post, so of course I don't know what grade I have for it yet. I'm pushing to get a competency done every 2-3 days with 1-2 days break after a couple of them. The timing comes out to about 2 competencies per week with time off for good behavior. No wait, I mean downtime to relax. And perhaps continue making my slow way through the Terry Pratchett book I'm currently (trying) to read. I have a whole list of favorites I want to reread during the free time I'll get when this is over.
One of the perks of doing this project, if one wants to find the silver lining, is that I get to rediscover a lot of the work I've done and have forgotten about. I did spend 4 school years in the program (can it really have been that long?), so some of my earliest work has been buried under the later piles of articles I've read and papers I've written. I again thank the fates that I have multiple digital copies of EVERYTHING so even if I can't find all my printed articles and work for every class, I can at least locate the digital copy. If any fellow MLIS students are reading this, do yourself a favor and back up your work. Heed the warnings. Don't be the one that has to contact past instructors to track down papers (yes, that does happen).
I don't have much else to post. I think the 23 pages of (single-spaced) writing I've done so far has sucked all the writing mojo right out of me. I will try, try, try to post a recipe next week. Scooter is making soup this weekend which will taste so good in the rainy weather we are having. Perhaps I'll watch what he does and write down the recipe to share. Or maybe I'll make something sweet to eat with him and share with you...
Thursday, January 30, 2014
More Pork Chops
My last semester may be in full swing, but the cooking doesn't stop. After all, Scooter and I need to eat, and we much prefer food we can enjoy. Just a quick e-portfolio update before this week's recipe.
Competencies completed: 2
Competencies graded satisfactory: 1
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 13
Revisions required: 0
Pages written: 11
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 67 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 81 days
I'm still waiting to get feedback on the competency I submitted this morning. I've also gone through and created some notes for each competency to get me started with writing. There are a few I know I will struggle with.
Now to food. I've been on a pork kick recently. Scooter and I made pork chops together two nights ago using a recipe from my Italian cookbook. So this week's recipe is pork chops with tomatoes, cream, and wild mushrooms.
What you'll need:
1/4 c. olive oil, divided
2 lbs. boneless pork loin chops, about 3/4 inches thick
1/2 c. white wine*
1/2 c. canned whole tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 1-oz. package of dried wild mushrooms (can use dried procini mushrooms too)
1/2 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, sliced thin
What you'll need to do:
1. Put the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and add just enough water to cover them. Let sit and soak to reconstitute. Once they have, cut them into small pieces. Reserve the water.
2. In a large saute pan that can accommodate all the pork chops with no overlap, add 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and heat on medium high. When the oil is hot, add the pork. Brown pork well on both sides.
3. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Let it simmer for about 20 seconds to burn off the alcohol and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper, and reconstituted mushrooms. Lower heat until the pan is gently simmering and cover. Let chops cook for 40-45 minutes until tender.
5. Put the water from the reconstituted mushrooms into a small pot and boil down to about 1/3 c.
6. In another saute pan, add the remaining olive oil over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the white mushrooms. Saute until all liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the water from the small pot and cook, stirring frequently.
7. When all water has disappeared, turn off heat. Add the white mushrooms to the pork when it has become tender. Turn chops and stir the contents of the large saute pan to blend everything together. Cook over medium heat for another 5-8 minutes.
8. Serve hot over rice.
*As always, choose something you would drink--and enjoy a glass of the same wine with dinner!
I substituted half and half for the heavy cream when we made this to lower the fat content a bit. It still tasted really good, and for those of you that are concerned about fat/calories it's a good substitution. Lean cuts of pork or trimming the fat you see on the meat can help as well.
Competencies completed: 2
Competencies graded satisfactory: 1
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 13
Revisions required: 0
Pages written: 11
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 67 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 81 days
I'm still waiting to get feedback on the competency I submitted this morning. I've also gone through and created some notes for each competency to get me started with writing. There are a few I know I will struggle with.
Now to food. I've been on a pork kick recently. Scooter and I made pork chops together two nights ago using a recipe from my Italian cookbook. So this week's recipe is pork chops with tomatoes, cream, and wild mushrooms.
What you'll need:
1/4 c. olive oil, divided
2 lbs. boneless pork loin chops, about 3/4 inches thick
1/2 c. white wine*
1/2 c. canned whole tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 1-oz. package of dried wild mushrooms (can use dried procini mushrooms too)
1/2 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, sliced thin
What you'll need to do:
1. Put the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and add just enough water to cover them. Let sit and soak to reconstitute. Once they have, cut them into small pieces. Reserve the water.
2. In a large saute pan that can accommodate all the pork chops with no overlap, add 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and heat on medium high. When the oil is hot, add the pork. Brown pork well on both sides.
3. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Let it simmer for about 20 seconds to burn off the alcohol and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper, and reconstituted mushrooms. Lower heat until the pan is gently simmering and cover. Let chops cook for 40-45 minutes until tender.
5. Put the water from the reconstituted mushrooms into a small pot and boil down to about 1/3 c.
6. In another saute pan, add the remaining olive oil over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the white mushrooms. Saute until all liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the water from the small pot and cook, stirring frequently.
7. When all water has disappeared, turn off heat. Add the white mushrooms to the pork when it has become tender. Turn chops and stir the contents of the large saute pan to blend everything together. Cook over medium heat for another 5-8 minutes.
8. Serve hot over rice.
*As always, choose something you would drink--and enjoy a glass of the same wine with dinner!
I substituted half and half for the heavy cream when we made this to lower the fat content a bit. It still tasted really good, and for those of you that are concerned about fat/calories it's a good substitution. Lean cuts of pork or trimming the fat you see on the meat can help as well.
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