Category Archives: Vegetarian or Vegan

Better But Not Full Steam

Posted on 4 February 2010 | 1 comment

Today was a better day after I had the chance to ditch the Louisville conference. Saying no to one thing lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. Now I get to spend the weekend working on my dissertation and grading the papers for the classes I am teaching. It isn’t as if I am not interested in the topic of my proposed conference paper. I am. I just don’t have it in me to go spend three days away from getting meaningful work done on my dissertation proposal and my classes. I have to capitalize on the little bit of spare time I do have to work on interests that will further my academic advancement, and I don’t have enough time to spare to work on things that are drawing my attention away from those pursuits. In short, I just am overbooked and something had to go. Sadly, it was a conference opportunity.

*

I am thankful for sound advice and good friends.

Food: banana, juice, chocolate milk, muffin, apple, grapefruit, tall decaf soy vanilla latte, tall soy hot chocolate, biscotti, bean and rice wrap with waffle fries

Exercise: walked the dogs, ran 3 miles, rode bike to school

1 Comment

Posted in Coffee, Dissertation, Food, Running, School, Vegetarian or Vegan

Vegan Pot Pies

Posted on 31 January 2010 | 1 comment

I made amazing vegan pot pies today. They are probably some of the best things I have made in a while as far as the flavor goes; however, because I made whole wheat crusts, they are a little dry. I could eat the hell out of them, though. I had one for dinner, and I feel full but not stuffed. The combination of rice, beans, veggies, mushrooms, and onions is perfect, and the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper rounds out the flavor in a nice home-cooked way. Now to make the chocolate chocolate-chip cookies!

Today is the first day I have skipped my workout for my Indy-Mini training. I feel a little guilty, but given the fact that I can’t breathe out of my nose, I feel a little justified in making this decision. Tuesday, it’s back to the regimen in full swing.

*

I am thankful for overall health of mind and body.

Food: banana, juice, oatmeal, chocolate milk, two pieces of leftover pizza, pot pie, tea

Exercise: absolutely none; I barely moved from the couch

1 Comment

Posted in Food, Running, Vegetarian or Vegan

Meerkat Update. Two Johnny’s.

Posted on 30 January 2010 | Leave a comment

They have teeth and claws. No matter how many of them you release, they keep breeding and building, breeding an building. Now they have expanded their domicile to include the left sinus as well, and possibly the throat. This diagram neglects to mention their sharp little incisors. In fact, this diagram makes them look downright lovable, which I suppose they are when they are not taking residency in your head.

Tonight we had a splendid time at Two Johnny’s, and I recommend it. Though it is not a restaurant you should explore if you are in a hurry. They have one person working the floor and it seemed like the same number in the kitchen. I don’t mind waiting for my food, but this is a friendly warning that our salad and sandwich dinner took almost 2 hours. Of course, we passed the time quickly because we haven’t spent time with the Combers for a while, so that wasn’t an issue. If I went there alone for a quick bite, however, I might be annoyed at the fact that it took so long. Our waiter was friendly, so that made our experience even better. Also, if there is any doubt just order the large salad. The small is probably fine for lunch, but for dinner it was a bit skimpy. And, try the Old Fashioned Cream pie, even though mine is better.

*

I am thankful for spending time with my brother today, even though we moved furniture.

Food: banana, juice, apple, almonds, soup in a bread bowl, veggie bagel and cream cheese sandwich, chips, cheese bread, old fashioned cream pie

Exercise: walked the dogs, ran 4 miles

Leave a comment

Posted in Family, Food, Running, Vegetarian or Vegan

I didn’t post last night

Posted on 30 January 2010 | 1 comment

because I was tired and the right side of my face feels like a colony of meerkats has invaded and taken up residency. I think they spent a good portion of last night constructing their little huts/tunnels in the sinus cavity directly below my right eye and near my jaw. In fact, I think they are using my upper-right molars as grounding for their infrastructure.

Mucinex does nothing to get rid of meerkats. The huge horse pills don’t work on meerkats at all in the same way they work on the Mucus family in the commercial. The Mucinex is probably being used by them, as we speak, to paint their walls, carpet their floors, and spruce up their kitchens and bathrooms. The one side of the pill is a pretty blue color, similar to the blue of my living room. It might look nice inside my sinuses.

Since I didn’t write yesterday, I will use this post as a moment of foreshadowing today. In just a few minutes, I am going to go get dressed in my running clothes, drive to Anderson, and run around Shadyside Park with my brother. Today’s run is a four-miler in 18º weather with a bit of a breeze. After we run, we are going to go back to his house and move his bedroom downstairs, or we will go eat lunch. Then we will do whichever we did not do first.

After spending some time with my brother, I plan to come home and make some pot-pies for a family at school whose lives are being disrupted by cancer. I am making vegan pot-pies, chocolate chocolate-chip cookies, and salad. I hope they like the meal; if not, I hope they are comfortable ordering pizza. Whenever I hear of someone with breast cancer, I always think of Suzie and how I should have been there more for her, done more for her family, or at least sent a card every once in a while. I just feel this intense guilt when I think about it, that I could have done more.

Finally, tonight we are going to try out a new restaurant in Muncie. We are going with the Combers to Two Johnny’s. On their website, which takes forever to load, the restaurant looks much fancier than what I think it is. Essentially, from what I can tell, it is a soup and sandwich joint that offers other cuisine for dinner. I am going to try some soup and a veggie sandwich. I love soup in the winter.

*

I am thankful for sleep and kleenex.

Food: banana, juice, oatmeal, chocolate milk, almonds, apple, chinese buffet, superman ice cream

Exercise: walked the dogs, walked from Burris to RB

1 Comment

Posted in Food, Relationships, Running, Vegetarian or Vegan, Winter Weather

Productivity and Me.

Posted on 25 January 2010 | 1 comment

We go together like rama lama lama ke ding a de dinga a dong, remembered for ever like shoo bop shoo wadda wadda yipitty boom de boom. If you know me, you know this isn’t true. Productivity and I don’t dance in the amusement park “Trailer of Terror,” ride the Ferris wheel together, or float off into the clouds in the front seat of “Greased Lightening” with our arms around each other. In fact, we are much more like the scene in the diner where Rizzo throws a milkshake in Kenicke’s face. “Finish this! To you from me, PinkyLee!” is the expression I find myself saying over and over to productivity.

Today, however, I tried my best to be productive, and you know what? I actually got stuff done. Of my goal list, which is always ridiculously long, I only have left to read three chapters in my lovely children’s literature textbook before teaching tomorrow night. And, I have to reread “A Wagner Matinee” by Willa Cather. It’s a quick read, though. A beautiful, quick read.

I got a lot accomplished today and now on to tomorrow to work on my dissertation proposal. I should have a revision finished for Debbie by next Monday, so we can meet on Thursday. I sort of had a nervous breakdown yesterday over the whole revision thing. I felt like I was completely rewriting the thing, and I wasn’t sure how that was supposed to go or if it was even what I was supposed to be doing. I tried just moving things around in the document I have already completed, but it wasn’t working. I ended up sitting there staring at the screen for about five hours, occasionally breaking to play Snood or check Facebook. Most unproductive.

I typically don’t revise academic papers, so I am not used to moving logical arguments around. Moving pieces of my life around to tell a story? Yes, I can do that. Moving around academic arguments to make them more sound? Nope, not so comfortable. I think I can do it now, or at least I know how to attempt it. I was thinking I was making it too much work, but alas, I was not. I must be one of those lucky people who simply has to retype things in order for them to make sense in a different order. Oh, to be gifted at revision and editing!

*

I just made some vegan strawberry, oatmeal, brown sugar crusted muffins. I haven’t tried one yet, but I plan to eat one tomorrow after I run. They look and smell delicious. Aren’t you jealous?

*

I am thankful for people of all types.

Food: banana, juice, pure bar, chocolate milk, pizza, pasta

Exercise: walked dogs about 3 miles

1 Comment

Posted in Dissertation, Food, Literature, Reading, Running, School, Teaching, Vegetarian or Vegan, Writing