Strong skills.

I need to hear your thoughts on the H1N1 vaccine (especially Kristin - I feel like you're the expert in my small blog ring).

I could really go for a Sonic grilled cheese right now.

This semester is winding down really slowly. I made a check list of all the projects I have due before the end of the year. I made this list like 3 weeks and have only checked off 1 thing. That's discouraging. I could probably check off another because I present it today ... but I think that's premature. There's something to checking it off when it is officially doneski that is really satisfying.

[Side note: I just checked the CRCM email and found an ad for Viagra. Specifically for 80% off "huge orders." That's an uncomfortable double entendre. Does not seem work appropriate.]

I took the Strong Interest Inventory in my Group Administered Tests class. Basically it measures interest (not skill or ability) in certain occupational themes (and specific jobs tied with those themes).

There are 6 themes:

• Enterprising: business, politics, leadership, entrepreneurship
• Social: people, teamwork, helping
• Conventional: organization, data managtement, accounting, investing
• Artistic: self-expression, art appreciation, communication, culture
• Investigative: science, medicine, mathematics, research
• Realistic: machines, athletics, working outdoors

Most people have two or three dominant themes, listed in order of strength. Mine is ESC (enterprising, social, conventional).

My top five interest areas include:

1. Marketing and Advertising (enterprising) <--- if I had been in Price College of Business, this is probably the direction I would have gone.
2. culinary arts (artistic) <--- WTF
3. Counseling and helping (social) <--- thank GOD this is on my list. I might have had to re-evaluate somethings if it wasn't.
4. Law (enterprising) <--- well played, SII, well played.
5. Politics and Public Speaking (enterprising) <--- I'm pretty sure that means I marked every answer that indicates loud mouth.

Interestingly enough, all of those (minus culinary arts, huh??? Oh and the politics part) are things I've considered in my life. So I guess that means I'm headed down the right track.

Top 10 jobs?

1. paralegal
2. human resources manager
3. college instructor
4. school administrator
5. travel consultant
6. social science teacher
7. restaurant manager
8. top executive
9. operations manager
10. retail sales manager

A few things:

Wow, apparently my top two jobs only require an associates degree. Awesome. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR!!!! TAKE THAT, DAD!!!! Elyse, travel consultant. Don't be jealous. Top executive. Of what? Who cares?!

Anyway, the above is why I love assessment. It tells me arbitrary things about myself that I never knew and which have questionable reliability. Hopefully I can incorporate that into my job at some point.

Pumpkin Emergency

I wasn't going to post, but then I thought about how disappointed everyone (Elyse) would be. [that's not true] Mostly, I thought about how Halloween was this weekend and SURELY I have something to say about that.



*Regarding my last post - THERE IS A NATIONWIDE SHORTAGE OF PUMPKIN. People, this is SERIOUS. If you think you're having pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving- YOU. MIGHT. BE. WRONG. You can imagine my disappointment when I journeyed to SuperTarget and found a sign that said "Nationwide Pumpkin Shortage: Due to poor weather and growing conditions, the availability of Libby's pumpkin will be limited through the 2009 holiday season." This being said, smaller grocers may still have some. I found mine at Homeland - you should probably start hoarding your own. I was also unable to find any pumpkin creamer for my coffee. The two incidents are most likely unrelated (as I don't think pumpkin creamer is made with real pumpkins) but the coincidence is suspicious.*

Moving on. I spent the first half of Friday night at Barnes and Noble - it was uneventful. After considerable thought, I realized that I was missing out on the best people-watching day of the year (Halloween - no, it wasn't actually Halloween but Halloween fell on a game day so it was Halloween pt. 1). I headed to new O'Connells. I arrived just before the 10:30 rush so I could stake out my post at the bar and order a drink. Here's what I saw:
-a girl in just a bra and a skirt (I can only assume she was going as a homeless person, felt bad for her ... having so few clothes).
-2 guys dressed as sorority girls (most accurate portrayal- northface, jeans, boots, blonde wig with a side pony, red and white mini-bows)
-a girl who I think was trying to go as a cowgirl ... but she just had jeans and a flannel shirt on with the arms cut off. Maybe that's just her style.
-Lt. Dangle.
-A guy in a gift wrapped box that said "To: Women, From: God"
-A guy who designed at Arby's logo to hang above his head (Genius.)
-Greg Norman
-A guy who was straight out of the 70's ... but in a really frighteningly accurate way.
-A guy that went as Sam Bradford (with a 14 jersey and a sling.... not amused).
-some K-State fans (they weren't in costume ... I was just glad to see them having a good time).

On Sunday, Trigger and I took a fall picture with the mums on the South Oval. You can probably expect to see this on our holiday card.

YOU. ARE. WELCOME.

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons sugar
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1 cup (from 15-oz can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting

1. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

2. In heavy 8-inch nonstick skillet, cook pecans and 2 tablespoons of the sugar over low heat about 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted. Spoon and spread pecans onto sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; toss.

3. In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 2/3 full).

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

5. Frost cupcakes with frosting. Sprinkle edge of frosted cupcakes with pecans; press lightly into frosting.