Welcome to the real world

...that's what they told us when we graduated highschool but I guess this time it's fer real. Convocation was yesterday and it was bittersweet. The founder of WarChild Canada, Samantha Nutt, received an honorary degree from Western and she gave a very powerful and eye-opening speech. It was kind of depressing at parts because of the reminder that we're graduating into a world of financial collapse, environmental tragedy, and 24 active war-torn countries. The age of irresponsible self-interests is over, although she believes that it is not something to be feared or grieved. She urged us to tackle the many problems that our parent's generations have left behind for us, reverting the damage that they have left on our planet.
"Ask yourself the big questions, "who am I?" and "what do I want to do with my life?". At this crossroads of our lives it's important to not lose sight of those important age-old questions. We all want to live the "good life" but it's so easy to get lost in the daily grind and become short-sighted about our goals in life. After all, as my neuroscience prof once said, "the most important thing you learn from going to university is how to delay gratification and to work towards a higher goal". Even though I have chosen a long and arduous path with graduate school, delaying gratification until my early thirties, I know that ultimately it is the only path that will truly satisfy my intellectual needs and will make me happy.

I had to be at the University at 8:45 am, which meant waking up at 5 am to drive there. I did my makeup in the car lol. Finally some "outfit posts" of me in my graduation regalia!

Honors Bachelor of Science! The outfit is all about the shoes because you can't see anything else. I had huge blisters on my feet by the end of the day >< Good bye Western. It has been a bumpy yet thoroughly satisfying ride.

I'm off on vacation next week to Punta Cana! I've never been to the ocean (nor do I know how to swim...). I can't wait to sip pina coladas, swing on a hammock between palm trees and soak up the sun ^_^

only food

I thought I'd update with some food pics since I haven't been out much lately. But I did read alot...finished reading 1984 after starting it last summer. It was disappointing because the ending was so grim...I was so hopeful for the Brotherhood to exist! I definitely enjoyed Brave New World more because it wasn't as bleak. At least in Brave New World they were trying to create a utopian society where everyone was happy despite not having any freedom. Now I'm reading Love the one you're with by Emily Giffin. I haven't read chick lit in a looong time and this one is not bad. I would say it hits a little too close to home.
Anyways, I recently downloaded a program called Picasa and it has a really cool collage-making feature.

Some food that Mack and I made in the past year. Top left to right: caramel apple cheesecake, maple salmon, pistachio macaron, butternut squash soup with sage croutons, xmas biscotti, tiki masala, veal chops, and vanilla-cinnamon cupcakes.

The makings of my caramel apple cheesecake dessert that I made last week. It was alot of work but was very successful in the end :) The most time consuming part was peeling and cutting the apples. The recipe was found here: http://annies-eats.com/2009/10/26/caramel-apple-cheescake-pie/
That's all for now...hopefully I will have outfit posts on my next post! and maybe I will finally upload my NYC pics.
ttyl xoxo