On Writing: Publishing eBooks
This week, I published a short eBook on Amazon; it’s
basically a reprint of a paper that I wrote for school a couple of years
ago. It’s pretty short and basic, and I
published it mostly to get an idea of what the publishing process on Amazon
looked like. If you want to check it
out, it’s here, available for $2.99: Trader Joe’s versus Whole Foods Market.
My Squidoo articles have basically done nothing. I’ve applied to one Squidoo database in order
to get some backlinks, but I need to do more to work them up. I have a couple that I need to update more by
adding more information and fixing things.
Food: Pork Stir Fry
So, I’d had some foods already picked out for this week…and then I didn’t do any of them.
Instead, I made pork stir fry, using bok choy, cilantro,
mushrooms, carrots and bell peppers. I
wrapped it up in rice paper, and made summer rolls. This last Christmas, Peter got me a mandolin slicer, which I decided to use for cutting veggies.And then, like a doofus, I cut my finger on it. :P
So, moral of that story is to be careful using a mandolin
slicer.
This article is well worth reading; it discusses how tax
return fraud works with e-filing and direct deposit or payments, and what to do
if it happens to you. Unfortunately,
this seems to be one of those things where the government’s technology hasn’t
kept pace with fraudsters, and there’s little that you can really do to protect
yourself.
Something cute: R2-D2USB Cufflinks
Okay, so this is pretty useless, and expensive, but it is very
cute! :)
Food: Cake Bites, ala
Bakerella
A couple of years ago, Peter got me Bakerella’s (that is,
Angie Dudley) Cake Pops book. It’s a
great book, and very nice to look at, but I’ve never made any of the pops
because it just seemed like too much work.
Saffron, my eldest, found it the other day, and asked if we could make
some, so I decided “what the heck?” Because
I’m still myself, though, I decided to do it using the least amount of actual
work.
Rather than hand crumbling the cake, I quartered it and put
it into a gallon sized plastic bag.
Then, the kids and I mushed it up, which did a pretty good job.
Then, rather than using a spoon to mix the frosting in, I
used my Kitchenaid mixer, with the beater attachment. I put it on Stir for a minute or two, and
then it was perfect consistency.
Peter and I picked up some chocolate molds from the craft
store, and Saffron helped by putting the balls into the cups that I’d filled
with chocolate.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed them, though Peter thought that they would be better without the chocolate pedestals. I think, in the right colors, it would make for a brilliant hot air balloon themed party. I have high hopes for my littlest boy’s first birthday party. Unfortunately, it’ll probably be ruined by my capstone class. Sorry Ozzie, your first birthday party will be after May 17th. D:<
(Photos via Bakerella, Amazon, and Squidoo).
