A Helping Hand

I started a 10 month fellowship with this organization back in August. I love what I do and we were recently featured in a local newspaper. Here's the the link for the article.

http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2010/11/28/60983/give-it-a-rest-help-is-available.html

Teri's Ridiculous Frosting

Ok, so my first day of work was... interesting. I pretty much screwed up big time in the first 3 hours of work, met with a client, became a running joke, and subsequently fell in love with the ladies I work with.
Any way, we're having a potluck tomorrow for a client who's turning 103. (Yeah, I know! That's amazing!!) I volunteered to bring chocolate cake. It's the same cake recipe I used for my sister-in-law's wedding. But, because I messed up the batter on the first time around, I didn't have enough cocoa powder for the frosting recipe. So I made one up. And it was ridiculously good. :) Here it is!

Teri's Ridiculous Frosting

• 6 oz (or half a bag) of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbls chocolate sauce

 Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave and stir until smooth. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer (because this next part will be *really* difficult without it) beat the softened cream cheese into the melted chocolate. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and chocolate sauce and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy. If you want your frosting stiffer, add more powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Likewise, if you want your frosting more fluid, add more chocolate sauce.

I think I might be in love with my new creation. *sigh* I'll try to get a picture of the cake tomorrow before we cut into it. :)

*update* So, I got to work that morning and frosted the cake (so it wouldn't get smeared all over the lid to my cake pan) and then they told me that I would be going on a client visit during the party. I got to meet and read to a pretty amazing woman, but when I got back, the cake was gone! So, no photos of the cake other than the ones taken by the official A Helping Hand camera, so I don't know if I'm allowed to post them or not... Any way, everyone said the frosting was delicious! I'm glad the cake was a hit!

I am NO longer depressed!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got a phone call from the lady at A Helping Hand and they offered me the fellowship position!!!! Hurray! I can't even tell you so very excited I am right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I think the gratuitous use of exclamation points might help though) It is such a relief to finally have employment prospects. And employment prospects that are pertinent to my field as well!

I just can't believe that I'm getting a real-person job! I'm just so happy!! :) Now I am going to celebrate by buying new work clothes (as it turns out I only have one pair of dress pants that fit). Hurray for me!! :)

On a totally unrelated noted, I think that all cities should install a "fast lane" in all stair wells.

Interesting informations

Have you ever wondered if people actually read your blog or whether you're sending your thoughts into the proverbial e-void? Well, for those of you who wonder, wonder no more! Google analytics is here to save the day! I love looking at my stats on it. I think it's really neat that you can see how many view your website each day and where those visitors are from. For instance, I have people who have viewed my blog from the following states (in order from most to least): Utah, North Carolina, Texas, Colorado, New York, New Hampshire, Idaho, California and Minnesota. For the most part, I can guess who's reading it from where. My mom checks my blog daily I think and I have family in a few of the other states. It's the states like Minnesota and Texas that surprise me!

Any who, I had my last day at work today. I'm kind of sad because this means no more monies will be coming in my specific direction. I actually liked this job (as opposed to several others that were merely means of earning income). I was working for the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. I was a data collector for a study they were managing for the college. I got to interact with parents and children in a public health setting. I really enjoyed it (for the most part). I got to play with kids and get paid for it. Hopefully, there will be another round of recruitment for this same study and they'll call me and see if I can work for them again, but it won't be for another few months. *sigh* I hope that I can find another job that has been this great. And by the way, thanks again Greg for hooking me up with the connection!!