My Sincerest of Apologies

I want to apologize for the lack of content on the blog as of recent.  I came home for Thanksgiving weeks ago and took a break away from all things internet (that was amazing).  The downside of that break though was losing the motivation to run this blog.  But be assured, there will be new content!!  As of the new year I am going to make myself post at least once a week.  I already have the next one planned.  I'm going to be making an herb garden for my apartment and showing you all the steps, costs, befores and afters.  So be on the look out for that at the start of the new year! 

Happy Holidays,
Quintion

On When You're Too Drunk to be Texting

Photo Credit: Savannah Costner

We've all either been in this situation ourselves or known someone who was.  When we're past the tipsy stage and just drunk, but against our better judgement we keep texting.  We're still texting our best friend, talking to them about how badly you need to get laid.  Our maybe in our drunken stupor we start thinking about how much we miss our ex, and so we text them (which is bad even if they don't reply).  Perhaps you're in a relationship or getting serious with someone and you decide it's a good idea to text them the lyrics to "Give Your Heart Break," just because it's so relevant and everything you want to say to them anyway.  Whoever your person of choice is, these drunk texts usually end up spilling information that you didn't necessarily want the other person to know (at all or so soon).

How do I stop myself from texting?

I myself haven't tried doing this, mostly due to the fact I get kind of protective over my phone or I feel like what I'm texting is important, but try having a friend that will be there to confiscate your phone when they see you've had way too much.  This is also a good idea in the event that a parent or other family member call, particularly if they don't know (or don't like it) that you drink.

How do I know if I've had too much?

A sign for me is usually when I start having a difficult time unlocking my phone.  Also once I get passed a certain point I have to start shutting one eye in order to see up close.  If you can't unlock your phone or you're having a hard time reading text messages, it's time to shut the phone off and hand it over to someone you trust.

How can I make up to people I texted?

Every relationship is different.  My friends and I usually laugh it off the next day.  If it's an ex....well I kind of try to avoid ever bringing it up again (which probably isn't healthy).  If it's a guy I'm interested in we usually talk about it the next day if something was said that was heavy (usually after a frantic apology from my end).  It's a case by case sort of thing that is dependent on the relationship you have with whoever it was you were texting.

Sorry this one was a short one, but I felt (after the night I had) this topic was appropriate.  If you have other questions in regards to this post about drunk texting, leave them in the comments and I'll answer them in a Q&A post!

Best wishes,

~Quintion

On Hiding Ugly Closet Doors

 

So I have lived in my apartment for almost four months now.  It's a cute little townhouse just across the road from campus and I couldn't ask for cheaper rent, nicer staff, or better facilities.  My biggest problem when it came to my room was the closet.  It had nothing to do with space.  I have a big closet (or bigger than what I had living on campus last year.  The problem lied in the doors, they were just entirely too plain.  And the hardware is so basic it makes me cringe, but I'm a bit of a snob when it comes knobs anyway (knob snob).  Now some people like the idea of covering their doors in magazine clippings 

and posters, and had these been sliding doors, I probably would have done the same.  I had taken an old and tattered flag from the plant I worked at over the summer (they were getting rid of it, I promise I didn't steal it).  All I did was take two Command hooks and placed them at the corners of the door frame and hung the flag.  It's really simple because all I have to do is move the flag to one hook when I need in the closet and then I can shut the doors and cover it back up.  Now I understand that everyone doesn't just have access to flags from their country just lying around (or at an affordable cost) so I have other suggestions for you.  Go to Walmart (or anywhere you think you can get a plain bed sheet for cheap) and buy a bed sheet big enough to cover your door (some cutting and hemming may be necessary).  Once the sheet is the right size, paint it!  Get creative!  Personalize it to make it fit your personality!  Another option for those who have super organized closets is to just keep the doors open and line the frame with string lights.  This is also a great option for those who really like low lighting while they sleep.

Best Wishes

~Q

On Broke Kid "Gourmet:" Homemade Cheese Sticks and Tomato Soup

This dish was something I had seen on my Tumblr dashboard a week or so ago.  This was actually a really simple (and filling) dish to make, and even better the ingredients were all inexpensive and things I already had in my cabinets and refrigerator. 

Ingredients:

4 slices of loaf bread

4 slices of American cheese

1 can of tomato soup

(following measurements are approximated)

2 tbsp Italian seasoning (Basil, Thyme, Oregano)

1 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp crushed red pepper

The Cheese Sticks:

Take four slices of bread (white, whole wheat, whatever you prefer) and flatten them out as much as physically possible.  This would have been easier had I had a rolling pin, but let's face it, I'm a broke American college student swimming in debt so I haven't gotten around to fully stocking my kitchen with all the gadgets I'd like.  For those like me, who just don't own a rolling pin (or perhaps have one that is currently dirty and too lazy to wash it, which I completely understand), what I did was use a small cutting board on top of the bread and just applied pressure until I thought it was flat enough.

Once you've flattened out all of your bread what you need to do is place a slice of cheese on each piece of bread.  So simple!

 Next you want to roll those babies up!  I started rolling from the top of the slice so that the seam on the outside went the length of the roll.  Also it helps to pull the slice of cheese as close to the top (or whatever side you're choosing to start rolling from) as possible so that the cheese is as far from the seam as need be.  There were two in this batch that I did not do this with that ended up oozing cheese from the seam while they were being fried.

Melt about a tbsp of butter (I assume you could also use olive oil if you so chose to, I didn't because I wasn't sure how well EVOO would taste on loaf bread with processed cheese) in a skillet.  Once the butter has melted take your rolls of cheesey deliciousness and stick those suckers in there.  Make sure to place them seam down first!  And flip occasionally.  Now is a great time to start the soup!

Keep flipping your cheese sticks until they're as dark or as light as you like them.  The way I saw these made originally they had taken and fried them on all sides.  I only did mine on two.  Mostly because I got impatient.  But it works better I think.  The bread absorbed the soup so much better this way due to the two sides that hadn't touched the pan at all.

The Soup:

This was also extremely easy to prepare, mostly because it came from a can.  All I did with the soup was wait for it to heat up a bit, enough for the soup concentrate and the water to mix evenly, and then I threw in the herbs and spices I use to give most of my meals extra flavor.  Once you add the herbs and spices make sure to keep it on heat for a little bit longer just so the soup has a chance to take on some of the flavors.

Best wishes,

~Quintion DeLoach

On My Latest Hair Cut

Since I've been back at school (late August) I have dyed and/or trimmed my hair several times.  Enough times to completely lose track of how many times it's happened.  I came to school with light brown hair.  Actually the result of having gone red from bleach blond, the dye didn't hold very long and just faded into brown which I actually liked better anyway.

After a few weeks of being here I decided that I wanted to dye it back to the red that I really didn't care much for in the first place.  But at the time I wanted a change and didn't know what else to do.  At any rate, three hair cuts, one bottle of "mahogany" red hair dye, and two small mixes of bleach later I ended up with this mess that I actually kind of miss now that my head is shaved (particularly now that the weather is beginning to cool here).

I was quite fond of this style for several reasons.  It was versatile in that I could change the lightness or darkness just by changing the side I parted it on.  I had also had one side shaved at this point so I also had the option of having a more edgy look or a more professional look (or at least as professional as one can be with two different colors on each side of their head).  And lastly I loved this style because it made it easier to come across as being more feminine on days when I felt like embracing my more androgynous side.

During an emotional and mental breakdown induced by a number of reasons involving stress from school, failing friendships, and a developing relationship, I decided it was time for me to buzz my head.  Quite frankly I enjoy not having to wake up any earlier to wash it and fix it like I did, but I do miss my last hair style.  I did come across a quote in a book that I'm reading (The Bohemian Manifesto by Lauren Stover) that goes, "Make no mistake, if you cut your hair or your mustache, you cut off part of your talent."  I really feel like that's a quote I will hold with me for quite some time.  And though I see part of the meaning as that you should not cut your hair, that to cut your hair is to remove your talent.  But the way I see it, it gives you the opportunity to grow new "talent."  To let in a new wave of inspiration by letting go of what you've already used.  My buzzing my hair, in a sense, was me removing all of my insecurities, the ones that triggered me to change my hair so many times in just four months.  And honestly I've felt more confident, and more inspired to write, since I shaved it.  Now this could be the result of having had the breakdown that triggered the change in the first place--but I'm going to stick with the idea that it was buzzing my hair that did it.

Best wishes,
~Quintion DeLoach