Check out my progress on A Grammarian’s Dilemma
**Warning: trivial discussion of proper grammar follows. If you wish to skip to the food, please feel free to scroll down:)**
So we all know that I have a long list of grammatical pet peeves. Amidst my collection of linguistic annoyances is the word “orientated.” I cringed every time I heard friends recount their freshman orientation experiences; I scoffed when I heard educated adults use the word in conversation. After all, I had always assumed that the correct past participle is “oriented,” but a recent dictionary search revealed that “orientated” is a real word. Damn.
Anyway, this whole grammarian’s dilemma arises this evening because I want to share my graduate orientation with you. I spent the afternoon touring the campus, learning the secrets of Blackboard, and socializing with fellow graduate students. I even got a swag bag full of Meredith-themed goodies.
Classes start tomorrow, and I feel, well, oriented. Details on this semester’s classes will come in a future post…but let’s just say I’ll be doing plenty of cooking!
As a result of the afternoon’s orientation activities, I’m running a bit behind tonight—let’s get to the food already!
After several months in storage, my blender was itching to get some exercise this morning, hence today’s strawberry-mango smoothie.
Before heading out for the afternoon, I prepared myself a Greek salad, complete with the elusive whipped cottage cheese. I found it at Fresh Market, and I can foresee future trips there, for the express purpose of stocking up on this magical substance.
Dinner was provided as part of orientation. The offerings were surprisingly non-nutritious and less than veg-friendly. Nonetheless, the marinated veggies were delicious (I went back for seconds!).
OK, off to get some rest before my first day of class. Nighty night.
Filed under: Meals
Caroline Yoder, dietitian-to-be and all-around foodie.
Completely understand your pet peeve w/ improper grammar. I was not aware that orientated was actually a word!
Looks like you got a fabulous welcome to Meredith! At OSU, I think I got a campus map and that was about it, haha. Oh well!
I start tomorrow too! How come you never talk about your running on the blog? I need someone to talk running with
Elusive whipped cottage cheese? They seem to have it everywhere in shops in Australia! I’ve often wondered….what’s so special about it? I’ve been hesitant to buy it for some reason!
I felt the same way about orientated for years, but it is particularly common (and considered proper) in England and the Commonwealth countries. It’s just never sounded right to me!
Orientated is a word… whaaaat? That has always annoyed me too.
Can’t wait to hear more about your classes!
Hope you have a great first day of classes!
your class starts tomorrow?? oh… mine! I’m glad I have 10 more days to go.
love your cherry placemat.
I went through a huge whipped cottage cheese trend last year, but now I’m back to standard 1%. I go through spurts.
Enjoy your first day of classes!
Ew. A “nothing but grilled veggies” vegetarian dinner. Never fun!
My pet peeves: “disrespect” (as a verb) and “impactful” (as an adjective).
just curious, but HOW do you get your food to look so gorgeous? do you take the time to pose it and everything before the picture? i’m usually too impatient, i just want to EAT!
I will now have to go out and try some of this whipped cream cheese, I have never heard of it before! Thank good-ness for their at least being a fresh market back home. It sounds delish a-top salads
Orientated? Really??? Ugh. I hate that word.
Good luck in class.
Love that smoothie photo. Great composition and color contrast.
Hi Caroline,
Love your blog girl. Had to comment this time because you completely blew my mind….orientated? for real? a real word? Who knew. Let’s me and you continue to refrain from using it anyway!
AND, I must say that I am a huge fan of the whipped friendly’s cottach cheese. That stuff is a miracle.
Not only does it do awesome in sweets….try subbing it for like a “ricotta” deal in Italian recipes and creations.
MMM. Mangia!
~Missy
That’s a neat take on the Greek Salad – I like how you swapped out feta for a spiced cottage cheese mixture. I’ve never been a huge fan of cottage cheese myself, but I may try to make a raw/vegan version of this cheese and see how that adds a twist to the traditional Greek dish. Great idea!
I have serious grammar OCD as well – especially when it comes to texting. I seriously contemplate just deleting texts that are send to me along the lines of “What r u doin?”
Sad but true
Haha! I’m a grammar nazi as well. I feel your pain, I truly do. Haha. I never knew orientated was a real word as well! It’s too gross to be a real word. Orientated…. Your eats look amazing, by the way!