Making my own sushi, checking off my Bucket List

In an effort to check one last item off my (our) Bucket List for 2010, my boyfriend and I decided to make our own sushi the other night. Aside from being a simply fabulous date night, the end product was actually pretty good! (Yes, the glorious sushi roll pictured above is in fact one of my own creations.)
Lucky for me, he knows me far too well, and bought me a Shirakiku Roll Your Own Sushi! Kit for the holidays. After that, all we needed to do was buy the fresh ingredients of our choice.
It was cheaper than eating out in a sushi restaurant (a total of around $30) and so much fun to do! I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

j.cole's all-time favorite sushi recipe

I shall call it...the j.cole roll. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Yam
Cucumber
Cream cheese
Avocado
Crab stick (imitation crab meat)
Nori (seaweed)
Sushi rice (short grain rice specifically for sushi)
Sesame seeds
Bamboo sushi mat
Small bowl of water

Directions

1. Cut all ingredients in long, thin strips.
2. Place Nori on bamboo sushi mat, lining up the edges closes to you.
3. Dab your fingers in water, and smooth drops over the Nori. Do NOT soak your Nori - wet it just enough so that it is not cracking.
4. Scoop a generous portion of sushi rice on to the bottom half of the Nori, and begin patting out evenly with your fingers. Make sure at least 50-60 percent of the Nori is covered in a fairly thick layer of rice.
5. Smooth a half-inch wide layer of cream cheese over a portion of the rice.
6. Add other ingredients on to cream cheese layer.
7. Fold over bamboo mat and Nori, creating the form of the roll, and squeeze together so it sticks. After that, remove the bamboo mat and roll the rest manually.
8. Once fully rolled, place bamboo mat over roll and squeeze again to get the best circular form.
9. Slice with a wet, sharp knife.

What great Bucket List items have you checked off for 2010? What do you plan to check off for 2011? Feel free to share.

Always,

j.cole (your sushi-loving twenty-something)

Free yoga for the unemployed!

Between managing my internship, job applications, money woes and an attempt at a social life, times have been pretty stressful lately. The daily grind is definitely starting to wear on me, and the pressure to start my career has never felt greater. I'm tired. I'm lost. And worst of all, my body is screaming out for physical activity.

So what's my sanity? Yoga. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge yoga fanatic, as that 90 minutes every week is often the only true relaxation I get. My yoga practice leaves me refreshed, grateful and excited to begin a new week for the chance to make a difference in my life.

Unfortunately, fellow yogis out there also know that while yoga is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind, it is not cheap. Classes are often $15-$20 for just one session. Without a real hourly wage or salary, that's definitely a stretch on my dollar.

But yogis take note: we may have new hope! While snooping around on The Huffington Post today, I noticed an article on how a few yoga studios across the country have begun offering free classes for the jobless.

Yoga teacher Zack Lynn teaches free classes at a Columbus, OH, studio and feels yoga shouldn't have to be pushed to the curb in hard times. "We didn't want them to have to choose, 'Should I eat today or go take this class?' We wanted to give them the ability to do both," he said in an interview with The Huffington Post.

Others say the stress reduction and improved concentration that result from yoga practice put the unemployed in a better place to manage their job search.

Unfortunately for me, free classes for the unemployed are currently being offered in Columbus and New York...miles away from my jobless existence. But for you lucky Ohioans and New Yorkers, here you go:

Columbus - Yoga on High

New York - Integral Yoga Institute

Now all I can hope (pray) for is that it catches on. Come on, Chicago!

Always,

j.cole

When you don't get the job...

I've spent the last four months of my life as an intern at an absolutely awesome public relations agency, stumbling my way through the in's and out's of the business, and learning more than I could ever imagine. In just four short months, I've gone from naive college graduate to aspiring professional, ready to greet the business world with loads of personal ambition and drive for success.

But after giving my absolute all day in and day out with long hours and work that I've never been more proud of, I was recently told that I will not be offered a full-time position at the end of my internship. I was (am) heart broken. Sure, everyone says business isn't personal. But how could it not be when it's so much of how we spend our lives?

So, in an effort pick myself up and move on, I've collected advice from the wise professionals around me and plotted out a few next steps to get to where I want to be.

1. Don't dwell. It's super easy to get down on yourself when things don't work out. You feel like you truly deserve something, and for some reason, others don't see it the same way. But the thing is this: someone, some day will see how valuable you can be for their company, and that is the person you want to work for. Trust that everything happens for a reason, and that your career ambitions need not be smashed just yet. Some day you will look back on this and smile because it brought you to a much better place.

2. Jazz up your resume. Chose a few professionals around you that you respect and trust, and ask them for their insight. Most of the time, people will jump at the chance to help a younger individual in their job search. You will be surprised at how much you never even knew your resume could improve!

No one you know to review your resume? There are tons of online resources you can comb through for ideas. That small, 1-2 page Word document is meant to be a reflection of you, so make sure you're proud of it. Plus, a new resume will likely make you more eager to apply for new jobs.

3. Link up and get Tweet-ing. Most all of the successful professionals I know are active on social media, and in an economy like this, networking is absolutely key. Expand your connections on LinkedIn and make sure your profile is exactly how you want to be conveyed. Search for jobs, find companies you like and get ideas for how you can improve your attractiveness as a potential employee.

And seriously - Tweet away! Don't underestimate the impact of these connections. As one my wisest, social media savvy coworkers said, "Ask each person you meet on Twitter to introduce you to two more connections. You never know who you might meet."

4. Stay busy. You're more like to be on your 'A-Game' in an interview if you're keeping yourself on your toes, so make sure to keep your schedule full and your mind sharp. Got too much spare time on your hands while trying to find a job? Take yoga classes, join a book club or find a professional seminar you might be interested in. You never know what knowledge will help you down the road! When you're bored, you become unmotivated, so keeping your mind busy is essential to staying on track.

Good luck! I know I'll need it. :)

Always,

j.cole (PR professional to-be)

tune of the week - dec. 17

Not going to lie, this holiday season has really got me in the spirit lately. Between secretly wishing for snow and enjoying the over-the-top Christmas decor at the mall far too much, my countdown to the big day this year has definitely been better spent than ever.

So, in light of being just a week away, I thought I'd pass along the holiday spirit with my new favorite Christmas song by Train. Yes, it is the Coca-Cola commercial, but it's still fabulous.

Enjoy!

Shake Up Christmas by Train

Ho, ho, ho...

Shake up the happiness
Wake up the happiness
Shake up the happiness
It's Christmas time

There was a story that I was told
And I want to tell the world before I get too old
And don't remember it, so let's December it
And reassemble it, oh yeah

Once upon a time in a town like this
A little girl made a great big wish
To fill the world full of happiness
And be on Santa's magic wish

Shake it up, shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time
Shake it up, shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time
Ho, ho, ho,
Ho, ho, ho,
It's Christmas time

At the same town miles away
A little boy made a wish that day
That the world would be okay
And Santa's pals would hear him say
I got dreams and I got love
I got my feet on the ground and family above
Can you send some happiness with my best
To the rest of the east and the west

And maybe every once in a while
You give my a grandma a reason to smile
'Tis the season to smile
It's cold but we'll be freezing in style

And let me meet a girl one day
That wants to spread some love this way
We can let our souls run free
And she can open some happiness with me

Shake it up, shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time
Shake it up, shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time

I know you're out there
I hear your reindeer
I see the snow wear
Your boots have been

I'm gonna show them
So they will know then
Then love will grow in
They believe again

Shake it up (shake it up), shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time
Shake it up, shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time
Ho, ho, ho,
Ho, ho, ho,
It's Christmas time

Shake it up, shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time
Shake it up, shake up the happiness
Wake it up, wake up the happiness
Come on all, it's Christmas time

Ho, ho, ho,
Ho, ho, ho,
Ho, ho, ho,
It's Christmas time

I refuse to become a gossip queen

I've never really been much of a gossip queen. Sure, I like juicy drama just as much as the next girl. But you would never catch me ranting about someone behind their back or deliberately spreading hurtful words from person to person. I've always felt like it was bad Karma to talk poorly of someone else behind their back, and that if you have something to say to someone, you should just say it to their face.

Until lately.

Amid workplace frustrations and a never ending daily to-do list, I've found it difficult to keep office hearsay and my own personal complaints from pouring seeping out. As the near and dear Lindsay Lohan once said in Mean Girls, it's word vomit. And for some reason, lately, I can't make it stop!

After digging around a bit, I found the following tips on the trusty eHow.com that I'm hoping can help my latest gabbing.

How to Deal With Work Gossip:

1. Sustain a positive attitude about your job and about the environment around you. Speak positive and avoid saying negative things to anyone about your job unless your intention is to change it with a positive solution.

2. Understand that what goes around comes around, and if you gossip about someone then the circle of gossip is still going. You need to stop it when it gets to you.

5. If the situation warrants your answer to be a little softer, then you can respond by adding something positive about the situation or the person being talked about. By countering the gossip with something positive, you have not only stopped the gossip at this point, but you have also stopped any further demeaning of that person.
6. Look into your mirror and examine yourself for perfection. It is inevitable that you will fall short of it. So remember that before you say negative things about others or mock their inabilities, you had better make sure that you don't have any yourself. Keeping that in mind, it becomes harder to gossip about others.

The Takeaway (and my new mindset for the coming week): When you gossip about others, you're helping to continue the circle of gossip. It has no end until it is broken, so stop it when it gets to you.

Back to my favorite quote: The way you live your days is the way you live your life. If I live my days complaining about others and spreading negative words, what does that say about my life? And how can that possibly make me happy?

The truth is that being nice makes you feel nice, and especially in the heat of the holiday season, a little goodness can go a long way. Be positive, be kind and find happiness.

Always,

j.cole

3.Avoid gathering with the small cliques at the water cooler or in the smoking area when you know that these are prominent places for gossip.
4. When you are approached with some "gossip", let your response be something like, "If what so-and-so did is so wrong, you should talk to them and not be telling me because I can't do anything about this," or, "If this really bothers you then you should go and talk to them about it, not to me." That usually stops all gossip dead in its tracks.

Chelsea calls Angelina a homewrecker, among other things

In a New Jersey performance last weekend, my favorite pop culture comedian, Chelsea Handler, tore Angelina Jolie's Hollywood existence to shreds, calling the actress a homewrecker and mocking her attempt at a worldly image.

"All the guys here are like 'Oh she's so hot,'" Handler says to her audience. "Yeah, she's hot. That's why she stole someone's husband. She's hot, and she has crazy sex, and then she cuts herself or whatever she does."

"And let me tell you something," she continues. "When a woman says, 'Oh, I'm a guy's girl. I'm a guy's girl. I don't have a lot of girlfriends.' Because you're a c**t. That's what you are...You have to have girlfriends, otherwise you're evil."

She also goes on to call Jolie a f**king homewrecker and a f**king b***h. If you didn't already guess by now, Handler is good friends with Jennifer Aniston.

Honestly though, why hasn't Jolie gotten more of a wrath from women everywhere? Hello?! This woman blatantly stole another woman's husband, turned him into a weird-looking hippie with a sudden desperate desire to make "No-Shave November" a year-long tradition, and made him the father of not one, not two, but six children in just four short years - 3 biological, three adopted.

Yes, I respect her involvement in organizations across the world, but let's be serious here. There are plenty of celebrities doing fabulous things to make our world a better place that aren't stealing other women's husbands. If a freakishly gorgeous seducing machine stole my friend's husband, I'd call her a homewrecker on national television (among other things) as well.

For more of Handler's comments on Angelina Jolie, refer to the video of her Jersey performance above.

Warning: Handler's remarks are usually merciless and possess a lot of expletives. If you don't like expletives, you probably shouldn't listen.

Enjoy!

Facebook's new look

Facebook fans, brace yourselves. All that you know about your social network is about to change.

Our favorite social media addiction has revamped the look of user profiles in order to make profiles a "more compelling visual experience," said Software Engineer Josh Wiseman in a blog post yesterday.

Profiles will now feature a quick summary at the top of the page including education, location and birthdate, as well as a row of recently tagged photos.

Other changes include a Featured Friends section (kind of like a MySpace Top 8), a New Experiences section that aims to show others what you've been into lately, improved Friends and Photos pages including an infinite scroll setting to better view the information.

Unfortunately, user comments on the blog post have been overwhelming negative. Please do note that once you switch to the new layout, there's no going back.

Good luck fellow Facebook'ers! Keep me posted on your experiences. Click here to preview the new layout.

Always,

j.cole (your fellow Facebook fanatic)

Norway: Female employees ordered to wear "period bracelets"

A boss in Norway recently demanded that all his female employees wear red bracelets while on their period to explain why they are using the restroom so much.

Apparently, according to the U.K.'s Daily Mail, company officials became obsessed with their business' loss of productivity due to "employees spending too much time answering the call of nature."

Okay, really? I visit the bathroom at least 5 times a day at work simply because I'm downing coffee, pop and other caffeinated beverages all day long, not because I'm hoping to be unproductive. If the Norwegian creep job is truly concerned with his female employee's loss of productivity during that time of the month, maybe he should buy them extra strength menstrual products so they don't have to visit the bathroom as often.

One of my new favorites, The Stir, says:

"Honestly, I'd be concerned that a red bracelet wasn't a significant enough reminder that I was on the rag. Therefore, in an effort to be entirely obvious about my condition in the workplace, I would employ the following tactics in an effort to convince this boneheaded boss that it really was that time of the month:

I would eat lots of chocolate. I would bring my heating pad to work. I would fill my cubicle with tampons and Midol. I would even clutch my lower abdomen screaming, 'Owwwwwww. Menstrual cramps are the worst!'"

Read more about the strange Norwegian toilet policies here.

tune of the week - dec. 4

Okay, I know it's a day early, but I just couldn't help myself. This song soothes the soul, and seemed completely fitting on a weary, snowy Saturday afternoon. So here it is.

Cold Desert, Kings of Leon. I couldn't find an official video, but this will do.

I'm on the corner waiting for a light to come on
That's when I know that you're alone
It's cold in the desert, water never sees the ground
Special unspoken without sound

Told me you love me, that I'd never die alone
Hand over your heart, let's go home
Everyone noticed, everyone has seen the signs
I've always been known to cross lines.

I never ever cried when I was feeling down
I've always been scared of the sound
Jesus don't love me, no one ever carried my load
I'm too young to feel this old

Here's to you, here's to me
On to us, nobody knows
Nobody sees, nobody but me

courtesy of elyrics.com