A few faves for the New Year

I know it's almost February and I've been MIA for quite a while. That's ok. I started blogging for fun, not out of obligation. But I have collected some things that have made my new year/month rather enjoyable, and I thought I'd share them.

1. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook. This book on muscle tension is changing my life and helping me address pain issues I've had for seven years and three chiropractors. It's clear, easy to understand, and is teaching me to throw around words like "suboccipital" like I know what I'm talking about. And it's rocking my world, showing me where to massage my neck to get rid of a headache. Amazing and totally worth the $20.
2. These t-shirts from American Eagle. I feel utterly, shamefully teeny-bopper admitting that I still shop at this store, but it's true. And I have been on a years-long quest to find a perfect t-shirt. So if I find one, I don't really care where it's from. The length on the large is a glorious 29 inches, which means it is perfect fit for me. I want 12 in every color. So far, settled for two white and two gray. But don't think I'm done...just waiting for clearance.
3. Angry Birds on Todd's iPad. I LOVE Angry Birds. According to recent statistics, I have played Angry Birds for 6 hours (not counting the several hours I spent playing the free version before ponying up the $4.99 for the full game), killed 500 pigs (or something like that) and shot 10 birds backwards.
4. Baking. OK, so this isn't a new favorite, but over the weekend, I had this little experience: I opened a cabinet, pulled out a cutting board, and thought, "I haven't done this in a month." Which was true. I hadn't made anything more complicated than a bagel and cream cheese or a can of soup since mid-December. Between being sick, going to Chicago, getting a sinus infection that put me out for two weeks, my relationship with the kitchen had...cooled (pun definitely intended).

But last week, I made candied orange peel for the first time, and it was basically all I ate that day. WOW. I didn't take any pictures because I ate all of it in short order.

Then on Monday, I had to make something for the book club (!!!) I was invited to join. It just so happened that February's BHG came on Saturday, featuring some really spectacular-looking cakes. So I made this cake in my new, high-walled, eight-inch cake pans.
Bummer the picture's so crummy...I frosted it in about 5 minutes and ran out the door. I REALLY need a cake plate I can transport. That is my pizza stone, covered in foil. Anyway...THREE LAYERS! I am super proud of myself. My last three-layer cake had directional issues, by which I mean, the top layer was headed south while the bottom and middle layers were not.

And look how flat the top is! Sigh...maybe I shouldn't have sent the remainder to the office with Todd.

5. Lastly, clementines. YUM. Also, the MacBook in the background, which I was bequeathed with by my sister. It was in a car accident and she got a new one, so she gave it to me. It's only slightly dented and seems to be working fine. Definitely an upgrade from the five-year-old Dell I'd been using. Thanks, Rachel!