Chado: The Way of Tea
Each week I go to the Japan House to study the Chado. In Japanese, "Cha" means "Tea," and "Do" means "the way of." On the surface, my weekly studies teach me the traditional way to make tea, but there really is a lot more behind the practice of tea than the formalities of serving or being a guest. The true spirit of the tea ceremony is embodied in four ideals: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. Being a tea student allows me to take a little time each week to be motivated yet calm, to learn new things yet be humble. Plus, I love having a bowl of tasty, frothy, and aromatic matcha tea!
Woodland Enchantress: My latest art project
I just started a new cross-stitching project, one that's larger than any I've ever done before. This one is "Woodland Enchantress" of the Dimensions Gold Collection. I enjoy cross-stitching in part because of how structured it is. At the same time as my mind is kept active, I can relax and know that the design will turn out just right.
My favorite cross-stitching story to tell is the one where I used to cross-stitch every day during one of my undergrad classes. I'd sit up front in the third row, taking a few stitches between times of writing down notes. When I handed in my first mid-term for the class approximately twenty minutes into the time alloted, the teacher looked at me reproachfully, his eyes saying, "You dare do crafts in my class and then give up on the midterm?" When the exams were returned, I was pleased to receive a score of about 95%. The teacher must have noticed, for when I handed in my second test, he met my gaze with a small smirk and a pleased nod, as if to say, "Sorry about all that. Well done!"
Cooking: Who doesn't enjoy tasty treats?
Most people wait until their wedding day to fully equip their kitchens with gadgets, but mine is already chock-full! From 12" deep skillets and delicate crepe pans to a variety of spices and sauces, my kitchen is extraordinarily complete for a single graduate student. While I'm not very skilled at throwing random ingredients together, I have a knack for combining the best parts of different recipes to create a new and tasty dish. On the left are Poached Pear and Pistachio Paste Pastry Puffs, my contribution to a potluck whose theme was "foods that start with the letter 'p'".
Valamere: Level 70 Night Elf Druid
I couldn't possibly put together a page about my hobbies without giving a nod to my current stress reliever and game of choice, World of Warcraft. My character is Valamere, whose name I've used in about every fantasy setting I've encountered, from tabletop Dungeons and Dragons to the play-by-post forum Alleria. Now she's a night elf druid with balance specialization, meaning she's a mighty and powerful boomkin! I'm part of a relatively top raiding guild whose current focus is clearing the Black Temple, but thankfully the guild is one where members are allowed to put real life before gaming.