The Palm Springs Half Marathon

Fourteen weeks ago, I started a running club at my school.  This is something I had wanted to do for a while, because I enjoy running and I thought my students would truly benefit, since we do not have sports at our school.  It is completely focused on academics.

I was the coach and I trained 10 students and seven went on to run the Palm Springs Half Marathon yesterday.

I was able to work with a non-profit organization that provided new running shoes to students that did a required amount of runs and the organization also paid their entry fee to the race.

The students really enjoyed the race and they seemed pretty excited about their accomplishment!

I am proud of all of them, because when we first started, they had a hard time even running/ walking for 20 minutes.  Now, they have gone 13.1 miles!

Classic Tomato Soup Cake

My mom has this cookbook called:  'The Back of the Box Gourmet'.  She has had it for a looooong time.  In fact, she's had it so long, that I decided I wanted one of my own and a few years ago, I purchased my own copy.

BUT I CANNOT FIND IT ANYWHERE!  Ugh.   Don't things like that bother you so much?

I had wanted to try this recipe for quite some time.  I borrowed my mom's cookbook the other day and got to work.


Poor lighting? Of course.  Does it still look tempting?  I hope so!

Here is the recipe for 'Classic Tomato Soup Cake:
(I'll include the little diddy from the book as well.)

Sometimes called Tomato Cake or Mystery Cake, the otherwise fairly traditional spice cake gains moisture,a touch of flavor and an attractive reddish-orange color from the can of tomato soup in the batter.  When you think about it, it's no odder that using mayonnaise or salad dressing, now is it?

2         cups all-purpose flour
1-1/3   cups sugar
4         teaspoons baking powder
1         teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2   teaspoons ground allspice
1         teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2      teaspoon ground cloves
1         can (10-3/4 ounces) CAMPBELL'S condensed Tomato Soup
1/2      cup shortening
2         eggs
1/4      cup water



1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.  grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.  (I used a bundt.)

2.  In large bowl, combine all ingredients.  With mixer at low speed, beat until well mixed, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  At high speed, beat 4 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.  Pour into prepared pan(s).

3.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan(s) on wire racks 10 minutes.  Remove from pans; cool completely.  Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting if desired.  Makes 12 servings.  (I made a half batch of 5 minute frosting on the back of the powdered sugar box.)

5 Minute Buttercream Frosting Recipe

1      lb. box of C&H Pure Cane Powdered Sugar
1/4   cup milk
1      tsp. vanilla extract
1      stick salted butter (softened)

Beat with electric mixer 2 minutes, scraping bowl often.  For thinner consistency add milk a little at a time.  Frosts one 8-inch 2-layer cake.


GILDING THE LILY:  Add 1 cup raisins and/or 1 cup walnuts to the batter.  Frost with vanilla frosting.


**BTW this is soooooo good!**

Spirit Project

Last week, I got an e-mail from Netflix, which is normal, because I have long been a subscriber to their movie and TV show services.  But, this e-mail was different:

I sent along the following information and the photo below:

Name:  Tiffiny

Age: 28

I have been a Netflix subscriber for three years or so.

I am a high school Art teacher and I love working with my students, but sometimes, it is nice to open my mailbox, grab my movie and sit down and relax.  Netflix makes that possible by shipping the movie straight to me, which allows be to be as lazy as I want.  It is even better when my friend and I are catching up on 'True Blood'.  We can be watching disc one on her account and I already have disc two on the way!

I was thinking to myself, "Perhaps they will choose me.  I am hip and cool."  Ha ha.  Well, low and behold, they moved me to the next round.  I then had to make a video and send it along to them on YouTube.  Now, I have a YouTube account, but I signed up for it in 2010 and have never used it for videos.  I had my friend at work film me a few times, but it was really horrible.  I was nervous, even though I was speaking to her and my phone.  Awful, just awful!  That night I filmed my information twice and just decided to send my second video.  Now, I do not think it is great at at all and in fact, I did not think that they would choose me after this.

At this point, I was under the impression that it would be a Netflix commercial or ad.

Here is my awful video:  Tiffiny's Horrible Netflix Video

I was supposed to find out today, if I got the gig, but I found out last night.  

And...  I got the job.  I learned these things today when the casting producer called me:

1.  I was chosen out of thousands of submissions!

2.  It is not going to be a commercial after all.  It is going to be a video, to thank all Netflix employees.  What they choose to do with the material beyond this video, is up to them.  So, it could be part of an ad or something, in the future if THEY so choose.  This in house video will be seen by thousands of Netflix employees.  Crazy!

3.  I get 6 months free on Netflix!

4.  Here is what they said to me in my last e-mail:

Dear Tiffiny,

The Neflix producers loved you!  Please email me your phone number so I can personally call you and discuss filming Saturday and if you're available to come up from Redlands.  

Thanks!

All in all, this is a pretty exciting thing to take part in.  It is my goal to start a side career in commercials this year and this is the first step.

Here's to stepping completely out of my comfort zone!

2013

So far this year, I have:

1.  Seen the Rose Parade for the first time.  Only took me 28 years!

2.  Hung out with great friends.

3.  Made tinted mason jars.

4.  Started working on a quilt I began 5 years ago.

5.  Visited my good, dear friend Tamara in San Diego and got a bonus hang out with my other good, dear friend Nicki.

6.  Had a fun karaoke night with Tamara.

7.  Rested.

8.  Felt the urge to clean out my portion of the storage unit.

9.  Listened to a lot of music, as always.

10.  Had dance parties in my apartment.

11. Prepared myself to go back to work on Monday.

12.  Organized crafting/ painting/ sewing stuff.

13.  Had fun!!

2013 is off to a great start!!

Loving Me Some Josh Groban

Josh Groban...

What can I say?  I have enjoyed his music since he first came out.  I have all of his major records.

For some reason, I just now discovered his great sense of humor and I must say that I quite enjoy it.  If you want some of his classics, check out his first two albums.  If you want a more modern take of his style of music, you will want to check out 'Illuminations' and his new album 'All That Echoes' comes out February 5, 2013.  Not too long of a wait!

Check out his first single from 'All That Echoes':

Brave

I really enjoy it and think you will too.

Here is a music video of his that I like:  'If I Walk Away' from Illuminations

I'll post about Josh Groban's Garden and the Find Your Light Foundation later.

Enjoy!