Spring fresh

I've just made a few design changes to my blog.  The are subtle little things like fonts, color, and other small adjustments that you probably won't explicitly notice but that should make viewing and reading my blog easier.  Because I know I have friends and family who read from iPhones and Kindle's (shout out to my Grandmother!) I tried to keep the center text box as small as possible so that way it relates itself well to those other mobile formats.  If it isn't looking quite right let me know.


On another note, I have finished up Winter Quarter 2012.  I technically finished on the 13th but I took a couple days to sit around in my underwear and reflect.  Hopefully my Spring Break will continue to be as restful and relaxing as it has been so far.  I'm headed home this weekend to visit friends and family for a while, and I will be moving in to my new dorm room at the close of next week.  (Look forward to a post with pictures about the new room and my new RA position- I am SO excited!)


Sending you and yours the love of Spring,
Logan

Safe keeping.

A friend posted this on Facebook and I wanted it here for safe keeping.  Since this is where I come to post about the things I love and the things that move me, this short little quote deserves a space here.   

It is easy to take off all your clothes and have sex, people do it all the time.
But opening up your soul to someone; letting them see into your spirit, thoughts, fears, future, hopes, and dreams... that’s being naked.

-Rob Bell

Dates.

So you put yourself out there.  Mind, body, soul.  You answer the questions, reciprocate with the most honest and sincere answers that come to mind.  Engage in really great stories that leave your date smiling and laughing.  You ask all the right questions... open ended, profound yet not intimidating. 
You smile.  You make direct eye contact.  You do every single thing you can to make that positive connection with the person across from you. 

The question is... how often can a person put themselves out there?  Bear all?  Make yourself so vulnerable?  It's been my experience that all that emotional energy doesn't really come back to me.  Maybe one of these days it will all be worth it.  All of this physical and emotional energy will be returned to me when the fates align and something actually comes from it.  Here's hoping.

I'm the type of person who dreams big, but plans small.  So in order to make my dreams a reality I set up small goals along the way towards that big dream.  But this dream... this relationship dream... it's really only halfway my responsibility.  I've got to find the person who shares this dream with me.  When you think about it like this, when you type the words out onto a page it becomes so starkly real.  And the reality is that this may be one dream that just never comes true.  It just might not ever come to fruition.

Wherever you are, whoever you are.
Wheather I've met you already or I have yet to meet you.
I miss you, and I want you in my life. 
So when you're ready.  Show up.
I'll be very patiently waiting.

-Logan

Homemade Crab Rangoon

Homemade Crab Rangoon
Yield: approximately 30 pieces

8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup chopped fresh green onion
1 package (16 ounces) chunk crab meat*
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
30 wonton wrappers
Deep fryer or a medium sauce pan with oil
Cookie sheet with wire cooling rack

*I used artificial crab because I am a poor college student.  If you want to spend $16 on a can of the actual stuff, more power to you.

1. Cream together the cream cheese, green onion and crab meat.  You want the onion and crab meat to be chopped up very finely because the large chunks make filling the wontons more difficult.
2. Add in the soy sauce and worcestershire sauce, mix completely.
3. Lay 1 wonton wrapper out, place a small mound (1 tsp?) of the crab mixture into the center. 
4. Moisten 2 sides of the wonton wrapper and then bring the corners together.  Remove as many air pockets as you can without ripping the wonton.  Seal the edges to form a triangle.  This takes practice but it gets easier as you go.  Working with clean fingers is important (keep a towel nearby to wipe fingers) so you get a proper seal.
5. Fry the filled wontons until golden brown.  Watch carefully and only fry a few at a time.  Tongs are extremely helpful here.  Brown both sides.
6. Let cool slightly on racks, serve with Sweet Chilli Sauce.
7. Enjoy!


Enjoy my pictures! 

 I ran 6 different trials of shapes before I finally decided that the simple triangle fold-over was the best option.  I had all sorts of strange shapes, and I really enjoyed working with the wontons.  Just make sure you get them separated, they are about the thickness of a dime. 

 Just moisten 2 sides, and don't use too much water.

 Fold in half, remove air pockets, seal.  Make sure they're sealed.

Fry!

I found this sauce in the Internation isle of my grocery store.  I love it's flavor (mildly spicy) and it is very similar to what they serve with Crab Rangoon at Thanh Linh in Peoria. 

Happy Valentines Day!

Well... it's here!  Happy Valentines Day!  Woo.

I know, I know.  Hallmark holiday, I hate being single blah blah blah.  I get all of that.  I really truly do.  But I love this day.  How can you not LOVE a day with so much LOVE in the air?  Not even just romantic love... but all kinds of love.  That's why I've been collecting some of my Facebook friends' favorite love songs for about a week now!  I've compiled them all here... with videos from YouTube!  So everyone who has commented has their favorite love song posted here.  Now you can sit back and enjoy some really great (and some not so great) love songs.  

EDIT: I removed the direct link videos from this post because it wasn't loading right.  You can look up all these songs if you wish. 

Logan Oates: So much love by the Rocket Summer 

 Haley Kopis: At last by Etta James

Stacee Houser: Groovy kind of love by Phil Collins

Alan Blankenship: Don't know much by Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt 

Kelley Blankenship:  Wind beneath my wings by Bette Middler

Murray McKinsley: Heart of gold by Neil Young

Tristen Carter: Woman like you by Lee Brice

Joni McGrath: Into the Mystic by Van Morrison

Darlene Carter: Love me tender by Elvis

Robin Thompson: Home sweet home by the Motley Crew

Levi McFadden: Man in the mirror by Michael Jackson 

Sherri Chaney: Its now or never by Elvis

Roxanne Uhrig: It's your love by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

Cathy Adams: At last by Etta James

Kelli Jo Fultz: My best friend by Tim McGraw

Kelly Mettler: Everything I do I do for you by Bryan Adams

My mommy: Grandpa tell me about the good old days by the Judds

Sarita Andrus: Thats the good stuff by Kenney Chesney

 

Bailey Deiner: Hero by Enrique Iglesias

Erica Tisdale: I'll be by Edwin McCain

TJ Klockenga: Endless love by Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie 

Abby Prickett: Swept away by the Avett Brothers

Sarah Hamner: Ladybug by Nevershoutnever

Fadi Halliwell: Shefto Mn Be'eid by Yara

Daniel Ehrman: Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer

Michelle Haney: The girl by The City and Colour

Tessie Lucas: You wont ever be lonely by Andy Griggs

Zachary Thompson: Not that different by Collin Raye 

Hannah Antonacci: Some kind of wonderful by Michael Buble

Jay Bowman: If these walls could speak by Amy Grant

Rhonda Deiner: Lady in red by Chris Debugh

Lindsey Oates: That's how your love makes me feel by Diamond Rio

Brenda Antonacci: You light up my life by Debbie Boone

Max Kerr: Never gonna give you up by Rick Astley 

Lindsey Scypta: Still the one by The Orleans

I'll leave you with this... use today as an excuse to tell all the people you love in the world how you feel.  Call your Grandmother, your long lost best friend, or crazy Aunt Mel.  Use today as an excuse to put a little more love into the atmosphere.  We should never need an excuse to show love to one another, but sometime we all need a little reminder to show love to one another.

With love,
Logan