i need some funny today

today has been one of those long days.

i got sent all over campus, had to wait to talk to counselors (and i think that the rest of campus suddenly decided to have a crisis too and all got in line in front of me. poo.) got that done. came home and decided to veg for a while. that is... until i had to brave the sub-zero weather conditions to go and beg for my dinner. (it wasn't exactly begging... but we still had to leave the apartment to go and get it... this is when i really wish that i could justify myself paying for delivery. but i was raised too frugally to even think about something like that!) i remember thinking that my aunt and uncle were so cool... cuz they bought pizza and actually had it delivered right to the door! crazy stuff huh?

do you remember when got milk went berzerk and had a bunch of really awesome commercials?

i do.

i'm pretty sure that most of these were the highlight of my childhood.

(i didn't know who aaron burr or alexander hamilton was, but imagine my surprise in 10th grade history class when my teacher pulls out this commercial!)

i will never ever ever forget either of them now.

who knows when you will get a random call asking you who killed alexander hamilton???

that one always made me laugh. and this one... never quite made sense to me, but i laugh at it to this day... because sometimes i really want to know if this would actually be possible. although disturbing to witness.

did you watch the superbowl? my favorite commercial from the whole thing. right here.

imagine sitting on the couch, and you intermittently here random giggling start, which then sends you both back into a fit of giggles again.

or randomly saying, "grandpa?" and both of you start laughing hysterically all over again.

good times.

we do this to many things (of which include emperor's new groove, galaxy quest, any jane austen movie, and various other media forms... lately it has been the 60's references made in tron...)

you're really throwin off my zen thing man!

talking about zen... i need more of it in my life.

i think i shall go meditate.

right after i throw this yummy looking goodness together. (actually i have to throw the soaker together... the yummy goodness will have to wait til tomorrow. blast.)

rustic italian ciabatta

1 1/2 cups cool water (12 ounces)

3 1/2 cups King Arthur European-Style Artisan Bread Flour (14 3/4 ounces)

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

stir the water, 2 cups of the flour, and 1 teaspoon of the yeast together, cover and let rest at room temperature for several hours, or overnight.

add the remaining flour, yeast, and salt, mixing vigorously until the dough begins to hold together. this is a very sticky dough; add more flour only if it's "soupy."

place the dough in a lightly floured bowl. let it rise for 1 hour, then gently deflate it.

let it rise another hour, then turn it out onto a liberally floured work surface or silicone rolling mat, and sprinkle lots of flour on top.

flatten the dough to an 8" x 10" rectangle, about 3/4" thick, and cut it into two pieces, each about 4" x 10" inches.

transfer the loaves onto a piece of parchment, leaving about 6" between them.

cover with a proof cover or heavily oiled plastic wrap, and let rise till they're very puffy, about 2 hours.

while the dough is rising, place a baking stone in the oven and set the temperature to 500°F. allow the oven to heat for 30 minutes. spritz the dough with water, then transfer the bread to the stone, parchment and all, and lower the oven temperature to 425°F.

bake the ciabatta until it's golden brown, approximately 22 to 25 minutes. turn the oven off, place ciabatta on the oven's middle rack, crack the door open about 2", and allow ciabatta to cool completely in the turned-off oven.

yield: 2 ciabatta.

note: if you don't have a baking stone, transfer parchment and ciabatta to a cookie sheet, and bake on the middle rack of your oven.

this is one thing i plan on using my ciabatta for.

yummmmmmmm.

it makes me hungry just looking at it. and i don't even know what's on it! (just a random picture of a yummy looking ciabatta...)

------------------------------------------------------------

i am thankful for my sister

and my new journal! (even though i haven't had time to write in it yet...

i am looking forward to many great times!)

free dinner (3 cheers for fhe brothers!)

and fridays with only one class!!!