Lately, my time can be measured in job applications. I have 6 resumes and cover letters floating around in cyberspace right now. There was a promising position for which I had several interviews but I haven't heard from them in some time so I'm assuming the worst. Basically, life is in flux for me right now. I am ready to find a job that can fund my life but gives me flexible evenings for the things I love: food, friends, family, music and crafts. There are boxes that have been gathering dust in my parent's garage for almost 2 years now. I am simply ready to unpack my life.
Beginning that process is hard. There aren't a million me-shaped jobs out there and there are so many people applying to each of the jobs I am. It's easy to feel down, but I'm pressing forward.
Today, feeling a little bummed about job things and a little tired from a busy weekend, I only finished one job application. BUT I took some steps to inject a little sunshine into my day. The past few days have been much like a Minnesota August: 70's and sunny, blue skies. Hard not to love. I took a few "screen breaks" today to sit on the porch swing and play the piano.
I also made a batch of my famous (ha!) salsa which is really kinda more like a relish. I like to include as many fresh veggies in my salsa as possible, so it tends to be different everytime I make it. Today, the veggie line up was:
- Roma Tomatoes (5 diced) from my yarden
- Green Pepper (1/4 cup diced) from my yarden
- Cucumber (1 cup diced) from a friend's garden
- Corn off the Cob (1/2 cob) local leftovers
- Yellow Onion (1/4 cup finely diced)
- Garlic (1 tsp chopped)
- Lime Juice (1 tbsp)
- Red Pepper Flakes (2 dashes?)
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
- Basil (3 dashes?) My basil plant's still recovering from a recent Italian meal.
And what could go better with homemade salsa than a tasty fresh yarden mint mojito? I got a bottle of cheap rum at the grocery a while back with this exact moment in mind, but I kept forgetting to get club soda for the finishing touches. But I didn't let that stop me. My solution? A beerjito. (Alas, I am not the first to coin this term or this drink, but I did THINK it up on my own THIS afternoon- so, whatever.) Basically it's a traditional mojito: 1) Muddle fresh mint in the bottom of the glass with sugar and lime juice
2) Add some rum and then
3) Instead of a splash of soda add beer (cheap and light is my beer of choice for this recipe)
I've been told by a bartender friend of mine (who, coincidentally, HATES when people order mojitos at his bar because it's time consuming and creates a domino effect of more mojito orders) that the trick to a good mojito is to not muddle too much because then you get those nasty lil' green bits. I, personally, like to chew on the mint leaves as I drink and they're nummier when whole and not gooey.
I will definitely have one of these again. A great summer drink with a sweet, but not too sweet, flavor and a pretty adorable look. Don't you love how the mint leaves look in the beer head?
I'd be remiss not to mention these awesome glasses. These were favors from the homebrew toast at Sinda and Niko's wedding in July. Pretty much the cutest thing ever. Here's a close up of the story of the Tichols-Bonks moniker.
Don't start your worry engines. I'm not saying a drink is the solution to a down day, but this one was a pretty fun bandaid.
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