Humility

I think it has been established that I like to bake. Like a lot.

So when it came to my attention that my roommate was throwing a birthday party for her sister at our house I decided I would volunteer myself to be the cake baker.

My inspiration came from these two cakes:

Meaning, I baked the cake on the left and then did whipped cream and strawberries like the one on the right.

It was delicious. Lots of people liked it. Many told me how good it was. I was feeling like a really awesome cake maker. (You know, thinking stupid things like, "I should always make cakes." "I wonder if I could open a bakery." "I hope everyone here wants me to make a cake for their birthday.") Until I walked into the living room and talked to some new guy who I--

a) had not met, and
b) didn't know his name, but he has a stupid name, think Mormon church history type name*, and
c) have since decided we probably won't be friends, which I told him so later...

--told me that the cake was dry*.

Who tells someone they don't know that their food was bad??

Someone with no tact*. That's who.

And the worst thing is, he was right.

There were some inherent problems with the cake. The fact that I baked it the day before and left it in the fridge for almost 24 hours before releasing it from it's cling wrap binding; or that I  didn't give it enough time to warm up to room temperature before serving; or the fact that the whipped cream didn't get a chance to seep into the cake and soften it up a little either, all contribute to the problem.

But give me a break! I had a really busy day!

(I was also humbled at my softball game on Saturday, did I tell you I'm on a softball team? I'm on a softball team. But I was humbled at the game when I showed up to play, feeling really awesome because I had had a really good practice the week before and had been told that I had gotten, like, 110% better, which is saying a lot really because I'm not that good, but I think I could be good, but this is my first time ever playing so cut me some slack ok? But at my game Saturday I stunk it up so bad (try striking out more than once) that I was actually subbed out for more than one inning, try half the game. And you know who subbed me out? My roommate's boyfriend. Yup, that hurt. And I had thought the league was all about having fun! Guess I was wrong there...)

So since this was a really long story I'll give you the quick summary of what I learned this weekend:

1. I'm not that great of a baker.
2. I'm an even worse softball player.
3. Guys with church history names* aren't that nice* and probably won't be your new best friend.
4. Strawberries purchased at Trader Joes are DELICIOUS.
5. Even if one person says your cake is bad it's ok because this cake was gone in record time. So, it must have been really good.

*deal-breakers.

picture are from Martha Stewart and I am Baker

Deal breaker

"Sister missionaries talk about their missions way more than elders."
-Whispered the good-looking guy in front of me in during sacrament meeting while a sister who just got home from her mission described an experience she had had

I know I'm biased.

I know I talk about my mission a lot.

I can't help it! I have two sisters out! I get their emails twice a week. I email them the night before their P-day too. I'm thinking about "my missionaries" four out of seven days a week. I can't help it.

Really.

I read a funny blog post about deal-breakers today. And was asked by a friend what a deal-breaker for me would be.

A Lauren Kay Deal-breaker:
Someone who generalizes sister missionaries in a negative way.
Or, "sister-haters".
Or, someone who thinks girls shouldn't serve missions.

For me, that's a BIG time deal breaker. And practically unforgivable.

You know why? Because I love my mission. I didn't always have the fondest feelings for it, but I love my mission and I realize I always have. It means a lot to me and I don't want to feel belittled or demeaned because I gave up that time in my life to do something I truly believe in.

And, I can tell you now that I probably will not be friends with the cute boy who sat in front of me during church.
(Even if he did have glasses and attractive scruff and a nice colored gray suit.)
It's still a deal-breaker and left a bad impression.