Category Archives: Food

January is coming. Hide the sweets!

Posted on 28 December 2009 | Leave a comment

Today is December 28. 2010 is only three days away. My how time flies, some people say, but I think time drags like a three toed sloth walking through molasses in April. I just want to be about five years out from now, so I can see if all of this is really worth it. What will I be doing in five years? I would like to know, but time insists on dragging its slow ass along instead of speeding up. In short, time is me when I am running. It is not Zola Budd. It is not Flo Jo. In fact, it isn’t even your local cross country hero. Time is slow, fat, and dawdling along. Do you get it? Are you picking up what I am putting down? Is this extended and overwrought metaphor helping you to understand that I would like for this chapter of my life to speed the fuck up?!? Okay. I will stop belaboring the point.

I can’t wait for the holidays to be over, so I can return to a normal schedule. My body is in some kind of shock right now because of all the food (no matter how healthy) I have eaten, the way my sleep patterns have been destroyed, and because my body flat out does not like all the sugar I have been consuming. On Friday, after my brother and I run our “First Annual New Year’s Day Run in Circles for Fun,” I am going to purge all the unhealthy snacks from the cupboard and work on losing this other 50 pounds, some of which is the same 45 pounds I had lost since June, which crept back on somehow (no doubt via mint M&Ms and Christmas Nougats, damn them). Regardless, I am going to get rid of this weight if for no other reason than being able to run faster.

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I am thankful that Bec is going back to school, and I can’t wait until she can set up her own nursing practice!

Exercise: For the past few days, I have pretty consistently run two or three miles and walked the dogs three miles. Today I simply walked the dogs two miles, running with them for about 3/4 of a mile.

Food for today: decaf Americano so I could break a $20 and have money for parking, orange juice, chocolate milk, salad with honey mustard and sunflower seeds, grilled cheese, some sweets and ice cream, spicy lentil soup, diet cream soda, garlic bread

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Posted in Fat, Food

Shortbread and Chai.

Posted on 23 December 2009 | Leave a comment

Never let anyone tell you that making chai tea from scratch is less expensive than buying tea bags of chai at the store. That person is lying to you. And probably smiling while they are lying to you. It is not less expensive. In fact, it is much more expensive, but the taste is outstanding and you can add your own mix of spices, which only includes those you enjoy. This is the trade-off in the land of chai.

Do you remember in middle school when you watched those economics movies that talked about trade-offs, supply and demand, and other economic concepts that seemed so cut and dry. They seemed too easy to be true, and for the most part, they were. Maybe they were true, just not simple. For each action there are multiple trade-offs. It isn’t like you choose the yo-yo or the teddy bear. You are also choosing the American factory worker or the Malaysian factory worker, you are choosing the plastic verses the fabric, you are choosing minimal packaging or no package or excessive packaging, and you are choosing a sedentary activity (cuddling the bear) or a more active toy (if moving your arm can be non-sedentary). Those fucking films made it seem like the choice was simple. One toy or the other toy. They lied, too, like the articles online that said homemade chai is cheaper.

I guess I am not so concerned with the cost of the chai as I make myself out to be. I really am not concerned with the price at all, because the tea is part of my Christmas gift to my family. (I am hoping none of them read this before Friday. Sorry, Abs; though you already knew anyway.) I also made some other delectable snacks that will join the chai in the gift bags. However, I sort of cheated on part of the presents because I reused instead of hand-making; I recycled instead of creating my own.

I cheated completely on William and Shannon’s gifts. I tried in vain to make hot cocoa mix from scratch, and it kept tasting like dried milk, cocoa, sugar, and salt. So, I went and bought a big container of cocoa mix and marshmellows and simply divided it into bags for their gifts. I am sure they will appreciate my generosity without even knowing it. They should; I am making special cookies for them, too.

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Today has been a weird day because I got up so early to take Elizabeth to Indianapolis to catch her train. The Amtrak station is a little sketchy. There is no checking in like there is at the airport. You just sit on the bench and wait until someone comes walking through and says, “All aboard!” For real, the woman came out of the back room and yelled, “All aboard,” as she walked toward the elevator. Then everyone just walked up the stairs or took the elevator to the upper level of Union Station where the train sat outside. The way it is set up is weird because the trains sort of go next to the train station now instead of going through it like they used to. I mean, seriously, “All aboard!” I loved it. I hope Elizabeth makes it to Dallas unscathed, and I can’t wait until this summer when we take the Greyhound to see the Chavez/Lewises.

When I got home from taking her, it was around 6:30 AM. I walked the dogs, took care of the cats, and then fell asleep on the couch at around 10:30. I hadn’t fallen asleep last night until 11:30 or midnight, so I was exhausted. When I woke up, it was 1:30 PM and  most of the day was shot. I took care of the other critters I am watching, and then came home and worked on Christmas presents.

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My brother and I decided to create a fun event: instead of paying to go to Indy to run on New Year’s Day, we are holding our own run around Minnetrista. I think it will be fun. Basically, the idea is that we are just running for fun. You can run around the loop as many times as you want n two hours, and then we will all have some food and hot cocoa together. I am making cheap shirts for me, Bec, Adam, and William. Everyone else will be jealous. I think it would be fun if this turned into an annual event, but I won’t hold my breath.

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I am thankful that Georgie’s surgery went well.

Exercise: walked the dogs three miles

Food: chili, milk, toast, tea, shortbread

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Posted in Christmas, Family, Food, New Year, Relationships, Running, Winter Weather

My Bald Head Scares Iz

Posted on 22 December 2009 | 3 comments

I went to the 505 tonight to spend some time with Ed and Abs. They just got back from Frankenmouth and brought all sorts of amazing gifts back with them. Iz picked out some sweet breast cancer socks and a rubber ducky Christmas ornament for me. They also brought back bread and fudge. I am so spoiled.

I learned tonight that my bald head scares my god daughter. I took off my Oscar the Grouch hat because my head was getting hot, and she ran over to her dad and gave me a strange look. I put my hat back on. When her mom came back into the room, I tried to get Iz to make the same funny face so I took off my hat. Iz started crying and ran to her dad again. We were completely stumped by her reaction, though, because she has seen my head bald countless times. However, this time she freaked out.

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Today I was able to purchase all the supplies to make my Christmas presents. All in all it is considerably less expensive to make gifts for people than to buy gifts. I would love to explain what I am making, but I will have to wait until after Christmas to explain because some people who will receive these gifts read this blog and I don’t want to ruin what little is left as a surprise. I hope it all works out okay.

I think I can experiment tomorrow after working some more on my dissertation proposal. Tomorrow will be a long day. Getting up at 3AM to take Elizabeth to Indianapolis will be a good way to start the day. My plan is to take her down there,  to come home and walk the dogs, then to go back to bed for a bit before getting up and reading and writing for the day. I will also be cat patrolling tomorrow, cleaning litter boxes and feeding felines. Sweet.

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I am thankful for time spent with family, even when it is stressful.

Exercise: walked the dogs, ran 2 miles

Food: banana, juice, chocolate milk, tea, decaf Americano, Indian buffet (too much food), chocolate mousse cake

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Posted in Christmas, Dissertation, Family, Food, Relationships

Dinner Concoctions and Coffee With Friends

Posted on 21 December 2009 | Leave a comment

After I rode my bicycle across town from the 505 to the Mission and back to the 505 (a twenty minute jaunt each direction because of the lovely snowice), I spent the better part of my day meeting with young people. I had coffee with both Natalie and Elizabeth, which was fantastic on both counts. We talked about things practical and theological, zany and secular. In short, I learned a lot, like I always do when I spend time with teenagers, though Elizabeth no longer qualifies as a teenager. In fact, she is soon going to be an old, married woman. Well, I guess a year from now is hardly soon, but I feel old none the less.

When I got home, I had to go run a few errands, which left Bec to make dinner. She concocted a noodle, alfredo, broccoli, mushroom mess. She said it only tasted good with pepper because it was bland otherwise, but I found it to be just fine. (I think by bland she meant not overly salty. She does like her salt.) At any rate it filled me up, but now I think I need some ice cream. I may have to make a trip to the store to fetch some Klondike bars.

Oh, and I found my Oscar the Grouch hat under the stack of sweatshirts on the floor of the closet. I would say it has been a good day.

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I am thankful for stacks of books and writing.

Food: tea, chocolate covered grahams, decaf Americano, Vanilla Bean frappuccino, left over Dominoe’s pizza, orange juice, alfredo mess, maybe a Klondike bar

Exercise: bike riding and dog walking

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Posted in Food, Relationships, Religion

Mostly Finished. Running.

Posted on 20 December 2009 | 2 comments

I get to pick up my running again on Tuesday. I can say that I genuinely miss it when I don’t do it. And, I have been sick, so this has been a perfect time to not have enough time to run anyway.

I sat in my office for hours this weekend working on my grades. I was here all day yesterday, stopping only for lunch (Pita Pit) and dinner (Bella Avanti). I also consumed too many chocolates and cookies and one divine pear, which I will write more about later when I can describe it without it sounding like a sexual tryst instead of consuming a piece of fruit. I need some space from that succulent moment like I need space from steamy encounters with beautiful people who will remain nameless.

I graded all day today, too. I didn’t stop for anything, eating my lunch (cheese, almonds, an apple, and a clementine) in my office. I graded up until right now. I am leaving this place, the walls of which are becoming more like a swiftly closing coffin than a warm comforting professional space, and moving the party to my friends’ house where I am house sitting tonight. I vow to watch at least one movie after finishing the comments for my students’ memoirs and before falling asleep.

With any luck, Bec will come visit me before she falls asleep on our couch. If she doesn’t, I don’t blame her. She is probably worn out from all the excitement she’s had today.

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I am thankful for finishing semesters. I feel like I have really accomplished something each time it happens.

Exercise: just riding my bike from place to place

Food: listed above

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Posted in Food, Teaching