Amish Friendship Bread

Has anyone ever tried Amish Friendship Bread? Ah-ma-zing. But honestly the weirdest concept ever.

Last week, in preparation for my trip to Florida, I went over my parents' house to pick up a suitcase. On the kitchen counter was a giant Ziploc bag of mush. It looked like a cross between baby cereal and vanilla yogurt - same color, same consistency. I was rushing around to get back to my apartment and pack, so I forgot to ask my Mom what sort of science project she was concocting. Not to mention this bag stuck out like a sore thumb in my uber-clean house.

Fast forward to this week. I came back from Florida on Monday and I went to visit my family for dinner to fill them in on my fabulous vacation. After dinner, Mom has some sort of bread on the table for dessert. Not a bread I'm familiar with. Mom's specialties are: blueberry, pumpkin, even zucchini, but this bread was foreign. I was skeptical, but I am never one to pass up any kind of dessert. It was UNBELIEVABLE and it was made from the bag of mush. I tried describing it to N last night and I decided it is like pound cake/coffee cake. Here's the kicker, it takes 10 days to make - in a bag.

It is somewhat like a chain letter. You make the bread, then you give a "starter" bag of batter to 3 friends, so they can make their own. Mom gave me a bag and I'm on day 3. I don't have many friends that bake, so I'll most likely give a bag to N's mom, my married friend (who is a superb baker - pumpkin chocolate chip bread) and freeze the last bag for a later date (or let me know if you want it).

Has anyone ever heard of this/made one?

Music

A few months back I shared the songs that typically put me in a great mood - some have been top picks forever, some just the flavor of the day. Now I'm in a rut and I can't seem to find any new artists/songs that I really like. If you know me, you know I'm a big Springsteen fan. Well, I was pretty excited for the January 27 release of his new album, Working on a Dream. Needless to say, "Queen of the Supermarket" didn't rock my socks off.

Does anyone have new music to share? All genres are welcome.

The Morning Commute

If you read this blog, I'm sure you have an idea of how much I hate taking public transportation to work. I went to my parents' house for dinner on Wednesday and I tried painting the picture of the morning commute. I've also tried describing it to N on several occassions and I guess you can't fully grasp the concept until it becomes part of your daily routine.

Here it goes.

First, the train has a distinct odor. Not a nice odor. The odor of burning brake pads and sweat. Boston temps are usually in the teens during the Winter, so the heat on the train is blasting to keep passengers warm. This is awesome ONLY for the few minutes it takes to defrost because on most days when people are dripping wet from snow or rain, the heat/wet combo makes for for a swampy mess. Not to mention I'm usually bundled up with a hat, scarf, gloves and the shiniest, puffiest jacket you will ever see - this does not equal hottness.

Now, finding a seat. It is every man for himself. During dinner, my mom asked, "do men usually give up their seats for women or the elderly," HELL NO, MOM if you find a seat you hold on to it for dear life. The trains are set up to have seating for two people on one side of the aisle and seating for three people on the other side. In my opinion the two-person seat is ideal because there is less of a chance to touch the other person. This is a big deal. Once you spot a seat and make the big attempt to sit down, you have to slide, ever so slightly into the seat, careful not to touch the person beside you. If you do, even by accident, there is no doubt that person will give you a dirty look for invading their personal space.

People do not speak on the train. Even if you are mid-conversation with someone you know waiting at the T stop (this has happened to me on several occassions), the conversation MUST be abruptly cut short because the glares you will get if you continue to chit-chat on the train will most likely be fatal. Same goes with talking on a cell phone. I always keep my phone on vibrate, but if you don't, you better pray it doesn't ring on the train. For the poor soul fumbling to find a ringing cell phone in his pocket, briefcase or at the bottom of a backpack, I feel for you. You will be the brunt of passengers' gasps as this is the mac-daddy of commuter no-nos. N doesn't understand the cell phone rule because he feels this would be a great opportunity for people to be "sealing deals and making moves." I agree, but I'm not going to be the first one to break from the norm.

A day in the life...oh how glamorous!

Dreams

I've been waking up crying - a lot. Not just a tear running down my face, but sobs. I keep telling myself it is because my body wants to wake me up from a nightmare (not sure why I'd be having nightmares), but today I did a little research and I've decided it is a problem.

DreamMoods.com

Cry

"To wake up crying, represents some suppressed hurt or previous trauma that is coming up to the surface. You can no longer suppress these emotions. They need to be dealt with head on."

Interesting, eh? I can't say that I was all that shocked by the explanation, but I wish it also included something like this, "Jena, this is how you should deal with your suppressed hurt..." because at this point I'm at a serious loss.

25 Things About ME

I just filled out a time-consuming note on Facebook that lists 25 things you should know about me. I decided I would post it here to share the wealth. Let me know if you can think of any other fun facts.

#1 I love the Real Housewives and Top Chef
#2 I'm 25 and sleep with a teddy bear named Arnie
#3 I relate to Springsteen's Secret Garden
#4 I think that wine can solve most problems
#5 I have an amazing relationship with my family
#6 I truly believe purchasing a "break-up bag" can help heal a broken heart
#7 I have my own blog
#8 I could eat Mexican food every day
#9 I despise public transportation
#10 I like flannel pajama sets
#11 I don't eat red meat
#12 My proudest moment was being asked to be a Godmother
#13 I believe in karma
#14 Sometimes I'm referred to as "Jean"
#15 As noted in #6, shopping is my favorite form of therapy
#16 I go to the gym to relieve stress
#17 I don't drink caffeine
#18 Chocolate is my weakness
#19 I have a great group of true friends
#20 I would drive to Hamden, CT right now for the Corner Deli
#21 I have the world’s worst sense of direction
#22 I’m left-handed
#23 I dream of having a dog named Freddie Coletti
#24 I look forward to vacations on the Vineyard
#25 I’d like to retire

Enjoying My Days

After a great night out with two of my favorite people, my Pop.Bop.Shop gal-pal made a point during our gab session that really hit home with me - she schedules "me-time" each week, so the craziness of life doesn't consume her.

For most people, the work week consists of: wake up, go to work, go to bed, repeat. In all honestly, I'm typically one of those people for the simple fact that I get super tired if I don't get 8 hours of sleep - MINIMUM. However, I'm turning over a new leaf (add this to my list of New Year resolutions) - I plan to do something I enjoy 3 nights during the work week. This could include: going out to dinner, getting drinks (a personal favorite), spending time with N, playing Sequence, visiting my family or just watching a movie.

P.B.S. goes out every night and does it with ease. This scares me a bit because I would be a zombie at work the next day, but she reassured me that it's doable and well worth it.

I don't want to live to work, I want to work to live, so wish me luck l.i.v.i.n.g. it up!

Made My Monday

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