MBTI

Have y'all ever heard of MBTI?  It's a personality assessment instrument that's used quite frequently in the workplace (including my own).  Basically, each person has a four-letter "type" that's supposed to describe general personality inclinations along 4 dimensions:

Extroversion (E) vs Introversion (I) -- where you get your energy
Sensing (S) vs Intuition (N) -- how you gather and interpret information
Thinking (T) vs Feeling (F) -- how you make decisions
Judging (J) vs Perceiving (P) -- orientation towards outside world

In the past, I never gave much credence to MBTI but that's all changed!  Because of a recent training I attended, I reevaluated and changed my type and can now confidently say that I'm an INFJ.  I googled INFJ and reading the descriptions of INFJ personalities is like reading about myself!  I totally identify with the "type" and it's actually helped me to better understand why I react to different circumstances in the way that I do.

There are lots of free online tests (click here for one) to help you determine which combination you are... I recommend taking one of these as a starting point, but then reading through the different type descriptions to really pinpoint which type you are.  (Don't be surprised if it's different from your test results, since the questions can be interpreted very differently)

Next step... get hubby profiled :-)

Ladies menu

This post title reminds me - when I went to Tokyo this May, most restaurants had a "Ladies Menu" featuring smaller portions.  Is it just me or kind of sexist?

Anywhooo... I am very excited to be hosting a dinner party this Thursday for 6 of my girlfriends who I rarely get to see during the week.  I don't have much time for prep since I have to drive into the LA office that day (at least 3 hours round trip), so here's the menu I'm planning on.  Wish me grocery-shopping luck today!

Warm Asparagus, Gorgonzola, and Steak Salad
Recipe here
This is basically the easiest, most delicious recipe I have.  Just stick it all under the broiler and voila!  Perfect for summer.

Strawberry Tart
Recipe here
Now this takes quite a bit more time and prep than the salad, but it's worth it!  Great summer dessert.
A few notes:
- You need to make the tart dough and pastry cream ahead of time and chill for at least 4 hours.  Think I'll make the dough tonight for Thursday's dinner.
- The pastry cream is the most difficult AND most delicious part (ain't that how it always goes).  The first time I made this, took a few try's.  My advice is, although the recipe says bring to boil and keep it at boil for 1-2 minutes, do not expect it to to be a rolling boil (this may be obvious to some but certainly wasn't to me).  As long as the cream looks light and fluffy and there are a few air bubbles, that's a good stopping point.
- This pan (removable bottom is key) and these pie weights make baking the tart SO much easier

Still not sure what I want to do for wine / appetizers... any recommendations?

Verse: The Way Through the Woods

Hmmm, let's forget that 6 month lapse in posting, shall we?  (Tess, thanks for the push to get back to blogging!)

I wanted to share a poem that's inspired me today.  As the tail-end of summer approaches, I feel like I'm at somewhat of a cross-roads at work, trying to figure out what path forward makes the most sense. Without going into too much detail, there are many different opportunities within my firm and now more than ever I feel like the director of my life movie in terms of what type of work I do, which clients I serve, and what role I want to play (perhaps even outside of consulting).

Reading this poem by Rudyard Kipling evoked 2 thoughts:

1. Veering away from the traditional, well-laid-out path at work can be scary, and I'm trying to figure out how much risk I want to take for the uncertain chance that I can find something that makes me happier.  However, I should remember that just because it seems scary and unknown to me does not mean that others have not walked it before with success.

2. It's so easy to get caught up in the hamster wheel of the day-to-day and forget about your deepest desires, passions, and goals for life.  But, like the old road through the woods in this poem, my true inner self can always be rediscovered.  I love the imagery of entering the woods on a late summer evening and just listening - it reminds me to take the time for introspection; just sitting and listening to myself can reveal a great deal.

THE WAY THROUGH THE WOODS, Rudyard Kipling, 1910

THEY shut the road through the woods
Seventy years ago.
Weather and rain have undone it again,
And now you would never know
There was once a road through the woods
Before they planted the trees.
It is underneath the coppice and heath,
And the thin anemones.
Only the keeper sees
That, where the ring-dove broods,
And the badgers roll at ease,
There was once a road through the woods.

Yet, if you enter the woods
Of a summer evening late,
When the night-air cools on the trout-ringed pools
Where the otter whistles his mate,
(They fear not men in the woods,
Because they see so few.)
You will hear the beat of a horse's feet,
And the swish of a skirt in the dew,
Steadily cantering through
The misty solitudes,
As though they perfectly knew
The old lost road through the woods.
But there is no road through the woods.

Pearson-Arastradero Nature Preserve; this was behind
our house when I was at Stanford and I loved walking
here in the evenings

Another photo from one of my walks in the
nature preserve - a hidden lake

Silver screen

Saw a couple movies over the holidays, and here are my thoughts:

Les Mis -- eh.  My expectations were so high for this one!  I mean, I love historical movies, Frenchies, and musicals.  But I must say I got kind of bored during this one.  Sigh

Silver Linings Playbook -- So good!  For the first time, I finally get why people love Bradley Cooper.  And Jennifer Lawrence was so pretty/amazing.

Lawless -- This is out on dvd, we watched it on demand.  I was surprised, but I really liked it!  Caveat - I love anything set in the olden days and/or involving cowboys.  Although I guess these guys aren't technically cowboys because they don't ride horses.  But they are dirty and have accents and beat people up.  It's  got a lot of violence, but if you aren't too squeamish I'd definitely recommend this.  One of the my favorites this year!

Movies I want to see:
Argo
Gangster Squad - although I think it's totally unfair whats-her-name gets to be in two movies with Ryan Gosling (first was Crazy Stupid Love which I didn't love in the movie theater but now watch every time it's on tv)
Broken City - 2 words: Marky Mark!

And finally, I know this is a tv show and not a movie but I started watching Homeland when sis in law came to visit and now I'm HOOKED.  It is so suspenseful!  And Claire Danes is such a good actress - I totally believe her.  Although it does nothing to alleviate my childhood fears that one day I will go crazy.  I'm just now starting season 2 so no one tell me spoilers!

Update

The holidays are over and back to work for me.  I've been derelict in my blogging duties as of late, so this post is full of random updates to make up for it!

First of all, who else is excited for the Bachelor premiere tonight??  I'm watching it right now... the awkward intros are always my fave.  I'm hoping Sean will be a good bachelor, although I see the potential for him to be a little boring.  And does anyone else think it's weird that the girls are chosen for the season before the bachelor is?  I think the show would be so much better if they chose contestants based on who the bachelor/bachelorette is!

UPDATE: omg, just saw the one-armed girl
UPDATE 2: OMG, just saw the back flip girl

Also, I got my first ever gel manicure this weekend.  I know, I'm way behind the times.  Secretly, I've been afraid my nails would get damaged if I ever did gel but I know so many people who get it I decided to take the plunge.  Overall I like it!  My one complaint is the color didn't turn out the way I was hoping and, since it's gel, I couldn't change it.  What do y'all think?  Too Barbie?

Last night I made lasagna in the crockpot!  Who knew?  It actually turned out very tasty and was so easy to make.  Hubby has leftovers for the week now.  Recipe here.

Alright, that's all I've got for now.  The Bachelor (and work) are waiting!

Sky shopping

If you ever want a good laugh while on a flight, just open up the Sky Mall.  Seriously.  The stuff in there is almost purposefully ridiculous.  On a flight awhile back, I ran across this product and snapped a photo to text to friends.  One glass can last you the whole night!

Each glass holds a full bottle of wine!

Who would ever buy this?  Well I'll tell you who - the St. Regis.  Evidence below: my room service dinner from last week - this glass is holding half a bottle!

Word

I know this is random, but...

Whilst facebooking last evening, I found this quote (posted by a "friend" I haven't spoken to in about 10 years) and really liked it.  Good reminder of the futility of dwelling on negative thoughts:

"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies" - Nelson Mandela