Farewell to Spring Quarter

I have been so uninspired lately as far as blogging goes. Maybe now that the quarter has finished, I will be able to relax a little bit and get some inspiration back.

I turned in my last final paper and attended my last class of the quarter today. In all honestly, I felt a little sad. My two classes (Human Rights and the Role of Women & Theories of Non-Violence 2) were some of the best classes I've taken. That leaves me with only three more classes and an internship until I graduate (hopefully in March!). Luckily, I'm pretty excited about the classes I have lined up and the possible internships I've been interviewing for.

I leave next week for five weeks in South America and am looking forward to the change in scenery and culture. I think it will be a much needed break and an incredible experience.

Well, trip planning and internship interview preparing await, so I'm off.

Three Weeks

3 weeks

2 presentations

2 final papers

2 house guests

1 final exam

1 doctor appointment

1 internship interview (hopefully!)

And then?

5 weeks in Peru.

Now if only I can make it until then.

Week Seven

It is week seven which means a few things:

1) The dreaded registration for Winter Quarter. Registration always seems stressful, especially since I mostly need International classes and they are really difficult to get into. As always, things will most likely change up until the first week of classes, but as of now I am planning on taking Theories of Non-Violence II and Human Rights and the Role of Women. I'm really excited for both classes. Before I started this program, I never thought I would be taking so many gender classes, but I think after my first class here (Culture, Gender, and Global Communications) I was hooked (thanks Margie!). I'm still interested in taking human rights courses and working with refugees when I graduate, but I'm definitely interested in gender issues as well.

2) Three and a half weeks left until the end of the quarter. Both of my classes have had weekly papers, and I am happy that this is my last week of those. That leaves me a few weeks to finish up my final papers. For Gender and Health, I am writing a paper about HIV/AIDS in Kenya and how exposure and treatment are different for men and women. For International and Intercultural Comm, I am writing about how cultural differences led to the the post-election violence in Kenya in 2007/2008. I'm pretty excited about both...now I just need to start researching and writing!

3) Six weeks of Spanish lessons. They are getting increasingly more difficult, but my tutor, Mariela, makes it enjoyable and easy to understand. Learning Spanish seems like such a daunting task, but she makes me feel like it's not impossible.

It's hard to believe that in May I will be registering for my last quarter of classes at DU, and in a year, I will be finishing up my internship and getting ready to graduate! I'm excited to get to that point, but I'm also really excited for what is to come before then.

Snow Shoeing...

...a winter escape that keeps me sane.

Week 3 of Winter Quarter

One of my unofficial resolutions this year (I never took the time to actually make any solid ones) was to update my blog more...as it is now the 18th of January, you can see how that is going. :)

Since yesterday was a holiday, today was the beginning of Week 3 for this quarter...that means that I am already 1/5 of the way through, and at the end of this week, I will nearly be 1/3 of the way finished. I’m not sure I will ever get used to 10-week quarters.

After adding and dropping classes a lot the first week of the quarter (due to scheduling issues, incorrect class descriptions, and classes I just didn’t want to take), I ended up with Foundations in International and Intercultural Communication (the second of my required courses) and Gender and Health. Though I never really thought about taking Gender and Health I’m pretty excited about it. So far it seems interesting and will fit in nicely with my human rights concentration.

In addition, I am taking private Spanish lessons six hours a week. Spanish stresses me out much more than either of my “real” classes, but I really like my tutor and feel like she’ll get me to the point where I can pass the proficiency test (hopefully by the summer!). I’m also hoping to be able to speak a little bit for my trip to Peru this summer.

Overall, I feel really great about this quarter. Not only do I have classes I love, but the end of this quarter will mark the halfway point through my program. I’m excited to finish the schooling part of my life, but am also really excited for the classes and internship to come. Now, I’m off to write two papers...oh the joys of grad school. :)

The Obligatory End-of-Year Post

As I spent New Year's Eve driving for 10 hours on crappy Wyoming roads and ended up getting stranded in Cheyenne, I started to reflect on what a crazy year 2010 has been. If someone would have asked me in November 2009 what 2010 would hold, I never could have guessed where it would take me. It involved many unexpected (and sometimes frightening) things including:

• Quitting my job
• Moving to Denver
• Starting graduate school
• Gaining a niece and a nephew
• Traveling to a new city (Mexico City)
• Visiting one of my favorite places (New York) to see one of my favorite people
• Discovering a new favorite place (Estes Park)
• Getting a dog
• Making some great new friends
• Starting to learn a new language
• Discovering that I’m capable of much more than I ever thought

I can’t wait to see what surprises 2011 has in store!

Sixteen Days

I have sixteen days left this quarter. At this point I’m starting to freak out a little bit. I feel like I have so much to do and so little time. I just keep telling myself that no matter what, I will get through the next two weeks and then I will have six weeks off.

Here is my to-do list for the next sixteen days:

❏ Endless amounts of reading (as usual).

❏ A strategic public relations campaign for the Community of Sudanese and American Women/Men.

❏ A 20-page research paper about how the media perpetuates Islamophobia.

❏ Three essay finals, none of which I’ve been given the topics yet.

I keep trying to remind myself to breathe, stay calm, and be productive. In sixteen days, it'll all be over!

Time

Geeze it’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything real on here. In my defense, I have been pretty busy with school, and I have two classes that require us to write or comment on a class blog every week, so I’ve just let this one slide. I assume this will continue to happen off and on for the next year and a half.

I’ve been thinking a lot about time lately. Last week was midterms. For those of you who don’t know, DU is on a quarter system which means that each quarter is only 10 weeks long. I feel like the first half of the quarter is spent getting into the groove of the new classes, and then all of a sudden it’s time to start preparing for final projects and papers.

It’s amazing how each day and even week can feel like they are slowly dragging by when months and years seem to fly by. I get discouraged by the thought that I still have a year and a half left in school, when really, after this quarter, only five months of that time will be regular, full-time school. The rest will be filled with Spanish lessons, summer trips (Peru!), and an internship (I’m thinking maybe Cambodia).

Part of me wants time to speed up so I can finally be done with the schooling part of my life, but another part of me wants it all to slow down so I can enjoy summer breaks and not having to work 9-5.

I suppose the trick to it all is to just try and enjoy it day by day (although that’s sometimes difficult on days like today with an 11-hour day of classes and two midterm assignments due :)) as well as year by year.

How quickly does time seem to pass for you? Is it true that it goes faster and faster the older we get, or is it based on what we are doing in life?

Initiated Ordinance 300

I thought it was pretty funny when I saw the following on the City and County of Denver Ballot Questions.

Initiated Ordinance 300

Shall the voters for the city and county of Denver adopt an initiated ordinance to require the creation of an extraterrestrial affairs commission to help ensure the health, safety, and cultural awareness of Denver residents and visitors in relation to potential encounters or interactions with extraterrestrial intelligent beings or their vehicles, and fund such commission from grants, gifts, and donations.

I feel so much safer in Denver knowing that they will protect me from extraterrestrial intelligent beings and their vehicles. :)

What the Next Year and a Half of My Life Will Look Like...

...and what my past 6 months has been.

Spring 2010	Culture, Gender and Global Communication
Autumn 2010	Intro to Human Rights
Autumn 2010	Communication Campaigns
Autumn 2010	International Communication
Winter 2011	International & Intercultural PR
Winter 2011	Humanitarian Aid in Complex Emergencies
Winter 2011	Foundations in Intl. & Intercultural Comm.
Spring 2011	Humanitarian Law in Armed Conflicts
Autumn 2011	Statistical Methods 1
Autumn 2011	Human Rights and the Intl. Refugee System
Autumn 2011	Genocide
Winter 2012	INTERNSHIP

Meet ____________

Meet my new dog. He is a three-year-old Siberian Husky. He came from the Denver Animal Shelter (pretty much the pound) which is a sad, sad place. As of yet, he seems pretty mellow and well-behaved.

He came with the name Red, but Nic and I think he needs a new one. Any ideas?

Mexico City Pics

Since I had such a hard time getting my Flickr photo album on my blog, I posted pictures from Mexico City to facebook instead. You can access it here. I have a ton of photos, so I just picked a few to post.

Breakfast Bread Pudding

I'm having a horrible time trying to get my pictures (with descriptions) from Mexico City up on my blog for some reason, so for now, I'll share a recipe. I got it from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook Eat Well, Lose Weight.

Breakfast Bread Pudding

5 to 6 slices whole wheat cinnamon-swirl bread or cinnamon-raisin bread

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk

3 eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 5 1/2 oz can apricot nectar or peach nectar (2/3 cup)

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 325. Cut enough of the bread into cubes to make 4 cups. Place bread cubes in a shallow baking pan. Bake about 10 minutes or until bread is dry, stirring once. Cool on a wire rack.

2. Lightly coat six 6-ounce souffle dishes or custard cups with nonstick cooking spray. Divide bread crumbs among the prepared dishes. In a medium bowl combine milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg; beat with a rotary beater or wire whisk. Pour milk mixture evenly over bread cubes. Press lightly with the back of a spoon to thoroughly moisten bread.

3. Place souffle dishes in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Place baking pan on oven rack. Carefully pour hot tap water into the baking pan around dishes to a depth of 1 inch.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted near centers comes out clean. Transfer dishes to a wire rack. Let stand for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan gradually stir apricot nectar into cornstarch until combined. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

6. If desired, remove puddings from souffle dishes. Spoon sauce over warm puddings. Makes 6 servings.

Make Ahead Directions: Prepare as above though step 2. Place souffle dishes in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill overnight in the refrigerator. Uncover, add hot tap water to pan. Continue with steps 4 through 6.

My notes: I had a really hard time finding wheat cinnamon bread, so I just got Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Swirl. I also used bigger souffle dishes that I use for chicken pot pies since that's what I had (the recipe ended up making 2 of them), and I had to cook them for around an hour. I guess you could also try to up the temperature if you are using bigger dishes.

Letter to Summer (Break)

Dear Summer,

I have such fond memories of you when I was growing up. Three months free to do whatever I wanted before school started up again. So many days were spent swimming at the pool or Burraston ponds, hiking around the mountains in my backyard, or just hanging out with friends.

Oh, how I’ve missed you these last six years! Working 40+ hours a week and spending all my time indoors, not even being able to enjoy you! Well, Summer, since this is the first time in a long time that I get to be with you, I intend to make the best of it. I’m planning to fill the time with trips (Mexico City, Canada, Utah), lots of hikes, lots of house guests, photography classes, and private Spanish lessons.

Summer, I realize my time with you is short. I also realize what is waiting for me on the other end of you (Intro to Human Rights, International Communications, and Strategic Management - Communication Campaigns along with more Spanish lessons), but I know that I will most likely only get to enjoy you twice before I return to work, so I promise not to take you for granted.

I am so close to joining you, Summer. I only have a short Spanish interview and a take-home final left to finish up. And then...it’s just you and me for the next 15 weeks!

Love Always,

Cassi

Meet Ellie

This is Ellie. She is coming to visit in July. I am excited to meet her and have a feeling that I might have to talk her into staying here to live with me. She is seriously the cutest dog I have ever seen.

Ellie, I can't wait for you to visit!

(Oh yeah, and it will be nice to see Danette again, too :))

Homework...

I am currently writing two papers. One on the dominant patriarchal paradigm and one on feminism.

Nic is afraid I am going to hate men by the time I finish this Culture, Gender, and Global Communications class. LOL

Trip to Estes Park

We decided to take a short road trip up to Estes Park yesterday to get out of the house.

Estes Park is a beautiful little town up in the mountains. It's sort of like a smaller Park City.

It is also home of the Stanley Hotel (which was Stephen King's inspiration for The Shining). They have ghost tours and play The Shining 24/7 on TV. I am determined to stay here sometime before I move away!

We drove through the national park which was beautiful!

We saw lots of local wildlife.

We took a longer way home through Glen Haven, Drake, and Loveland. We loved driving through the small towns and the beautiful canyons. One of the best finds on our trip was the Colorado Cherry Company. They had all sorts of jams, honeys, salsas, etc.

Overall it was a great day, and we can't wait to go back to Estes Park!

The Wild Animal Sanctuary

While Ben was here we decided to visit the Wild Animal Sanctuary. It is the largest and oldest sanctuary in the US that is dedicated to carnivores. In other words, they rescue carnivores that are being kept illegally (in homes, for backyard circuses, etc.) and bring them here to live out their lives. They told us that there are more tigers in captivity in Texas than there are tigers in the wild.

We saw some big cats in Africa, but these tigers are HUGE!!!

This is a video of the tiger cages. They put them in one of these by themselves when they first arrive. After awhile, if they've learned to play nice, they can move in with another tiger, and when they are ready, they place them in a large environment.

Whoever said cats don't like water didn't know this tiger!

Sleepy Lion

They have lions, tigers, bears, wolves, cougars, leopards, servals, and a camel. As Nic pointed out, camels aren't carnivores, but she was going to be euthanized, so they saved her anyway.

Nic and Ben loved these masks!

This sanctuary is a really cool place and we can't wait to go back again!

Death by Chocolate

Nic's little brother Ben has been in town this weekend, and we were all feeling like dessert. I told Ben to look through my 500 Cookies book (thanks Courtney!) and pick something.

This is what he picked. The recipe calls it "layered birthday cookie", but we call it "death by chocolate." Our goal was to put some pounds on Ben while he was visiting, and I think we succeeded. Here's the recipe:

Layered Birthday Cookie

For the Cookie:

1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter

2 cups light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 tbsp. Dutch process cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

For the Topping:

1/2 cup (1 stick) sweet butter

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup (9 oz) cream cheese (we only used 8 oz since that's a package size)

1 cup (8 oz) melted bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup (3 oz) M&Ms

1/2 cup (3 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Line two 11-in springform pans with parchment (we used two 9 inch cake pans and just used Pam instead of parchment).

Beat the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Sift the flour, Dutch process cocoa powder and baking soda and stir into the batter. Divide the dough in two, and press into the prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then transfer to a wire rack.

To prepare the topping, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together, then beat in the cream cheese and melted chocolate. Spread the topping over the cooled cookies, place one on top of the other, decorate, and top with chocolate chips and M&Ms.

Another option is to omit the cocoa powder, use whipped cream (2 cups heavy cream whipped with 2 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbs confectioners' sugar) instead of topping, and decorate with fresh fruit.

The Reporter

Last night Nic and I attended a documentary called The Reporter. It was about New York Times op-ed columnist, Nicholas Kristof (winner of two Pulitzer Prizes). He is known for bringing human rights abuses in Asia and Africa, such as human trafficking and the Darfur conflict to light. He writes about all the things the rest of the media should be covering, but doesn't. If you get the chance, I would highly recommend watching the film. In the meantime, check out his blog.