As one of the recipients of the latest award (bottom of blog), I am to post seven things about me.
1. My favorite American painters are (deceased) Childe Hassam and (living) Loren DiBenedetto, who is best known for her still life pieces. [I love paintings and sculptures of all types though.]
2. In my (much) thinner days, I often enjoyed hang gliding. [Adventurous, hey?]
3. I've never been to NYC, but always wanted to go. [The last time I was booked to FINALLY visit NYC, planes were grounded due to the 9/11 attacks.]
4. I do not have pierced ears. [I'm adventurous, but not enough to want to add holes ...]
5. I'm a dog person, who happens to have a fondness for cats with personality. [No, I do not own a cat personally, but have friends and family who do, and I love 'em ... the friends and family too.] ha!
6. I've hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and back out again, all in the same, long, day. [Again, I was in a normal weight range then - plus I had no clue what I was letting myself in for at the time ...]
7. Secretly, I hope one day a group of us can get together and enjoy a cruise somewhere, but know that is unlikely. [Still, fun to think about, meeting everyone over salads ... haha!!]
Now, I am supposed to think of ... 15 ??!! ... people to nominate for the award. Goodness, I don't know that I know 15, who haven't already received this. I'll have to research this for a few days.
Happy Labor Day (early) ...
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Lost My Pants in Aisle 4
Well, the grocery shopping was completed yesterday afternoon. Halfway through, as I reached up to take something down from a shelf, I nearly lost my pants. That was interesting. I never moved so fast in my life - whew! I spent the rest of the shopping experience trying to stick my stomach out (there's a change!!), just to help me hold the pants up.
I'm going to take them to the cleaners (who does alterations too), and just have them take it in an inch, and hem them up an inch too. I'd rather spend $8 than to have to buy another pair of pants just yet.
Back to my "vegan" shopping experience. Can you believe, the hardest thing to find was simple old BARLEY? I love BEEF barley soup, especially in the fall and winter, so I don't think of barley as such an odd thing to shop for, but the manager had to finally locate some. (I don't suppose this 21-day kickstart program has beef barley soup though. haha)
I had to get several things from the health food store. I was not surprised to see a lot of college kids and 60-year old hippies in the place, but I was very surprised at how many "everyday" people were in there too.
I was the largest person in the place, of course. No surprises there.
The health food store was foreign to me. Usually, when you walk into a grocery store (ANY major chain grocery store, in any part of the country), there is a familiar look and style to the place. This was none of those. But, it isn't about the store. It is about the products they carry.
My first impressions? The picture of the whole grain vegan waffles (on the box) even look cardboardy. Still, I'll reserve judgement for when I have to try them. I also bought something called "soy yogurt" while there. I like yogurt. Normal yogurt. So we'll see ...
Most of the regular (familiar) grocery store shopping was spent in the fresh produce area, with a little visit to the frozen food and grain/legume aisles. I enjoy fruit, and I certainly seemed to buy a lot of it this trip. The Kickstart site had us buy a much bigger variety than I would otherwise bother with: apples, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, peaches ... all for one week. Usually, I'd get maybe two different fruit, so I can see variety won't be an issue.
But what about vegetables? That is, of course, my primary reason for trying this out. I want to learn to incorporate more veggies.
I think my first myth has been popped. I thought vegetarians ate veggie-laden, vegetable-heavy diets. However, the list for vegetables wasn't half as long as for fruit. So, either they are breaking us meat-eaters in slowly, or they don't seem to eat that many more vegetables than we do. We shall see if I still think that way next weekend.
Anyway, shopping done, and pants held up with one hand, I made my way home and my refrigerator and pantry are now stocked for tomorrow's first day.
Today, I'm wearing an old pair of stretchy pants (the ones with the elastic waistband). I wanted NO surprises in church this morning.
The AP wires are saying the Christchurch earthquake created a new fault. That is amazing ...
I wonder if Australia is just trying to pull NZ closer. Everyone likes kiwi.
I'm going to take them to the cleaners (who does alterations too), and just have them take it in an inch, and hem them up an inch too. I'd rather spend $8 than to have to buy another pair of pants just yet.
Back to my "vegan" shopping experience. Can you believe, the hardest thing to find was simple old BARLEY? I love BEEF barley soup, especially in the fall and winter, so I don't think of barley as such an odd thing to shop for, but the manager had to finally locate some. (I don't suppose this 21-day kickstart program has beef barley soup though. haha)
I had to get several things from the health food store. I was not surprised to see a lot of college kids and 60-year old hippies in the place, but I was very surprised at how many "everyday" people were in there too.
I was the largest person in the place, of course. No surprises there.
The health food store was foreign to me. Usually, when you walk into a grocery store (ANY major chain grocery store, in any part of the country), there is a familiar look and style to the place. This was none of those. But, it isn't about the store. It is about the products they carry.
My first impressions? The picture of the whole grain vegan waffles (on the box) even look cardboardy. Still, I'll reserve judgement for when I have to try them. I also bought something called "soy yogurt" while there. I like yogurt. Normal yogurt. So we'll see ...
Most of the regular (familiar) grocery store shopping was spent in the fresh produce area, with a little visit to the frozen food and grain/legume aisles. I enjoy fruit, and I certainly seemed to buy a lot of it this trip. The Kickstart site had us buy a much bigger variety than I would otherwise bother with: apples, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, peaches ... all for one week. Usually, I'd get maybe two different fruit, so I can see variety won't be an issue.
But what about vegetables? That is, of course, my primary reason for trying this out. I want to learn to incorporate more veggies.
I think my first myth has been popped. I thought vegetarians ate veggie-laden, vegetable-heavy diets. However, the list for vegetables wasn't half as long as for fruit. So, either they are breaking us meat-eaters in slowly, or they don't seem to eat that many more vegetables than we do. We shall see if I still think that way next weekend.
Anyway, shopping done, and pants held up with one hand, I made my way home and my refrigerator and pantry are now stocked for tomorrow's first day.
Today, I'm wearing an old pair of stretchy pants (the ones with the elastic waistband). I wanted NO surprises in church this morning.
The AP wires are saying the Christchurch earthquake created a new fault. That is amazing ...
I wonder if Australia is just trying to pull NZ closer. Everyone likes kiwi.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Day 45 - The More, The Merrier
How fun is this? I've heard from a half dozen people already, who were all like me - curious about vegetarian diets, but knowing next to nothing about them! I think I won't be alone in trying something new, which will make it less intimidating.
Kathy, my challenge buddy, said there was even an article in Women's World about a vegetarian diet. (I forgot to ask what issue, Kathy. Is it the current one?)
I'm officially starting on Monday morning, and I'm glad it is a holiday. I don't know how much, or how little, work this will be.
In other news ... we're seeing pictures out of Christchurch, NZ. I've been there - gorgeous town on the south island. To my blog-buddies living in New Zealand, please keep us posted as best you can. It is a miracle (literally) that no one was killed. I've said prayers for all those affected by the event. New Zealanders are a hearty and independent bunch, but they could use (at least) prayerful support right now.
The puffiness I reported of the other day seems to have receded. It was probably the pizza ... Umpf. Even though I ordered it without cheese, it apparently had enough hidden oil in it (somewhere) to stain my shirt. Yes, after washing it several times (even using oxyclean), you can still see the oil stains where it hit my shirt and tumbled (well, more like cascaded) down the shirt front. The shirt wsa only about 2 weeks old. Oh well. On the plus side, I now have a VERY nice shirt to wear around the house for chores. (sigh) I'll be the best dressed gardener in the neighborhood.
No plans for the holiday weekend this year, aside from grocery shopping for the vegan 21-day kickstart supplies.
Enjoy this Labor Day weekend!
Kathy, my challenge buddy, said there was even an article in Women's World about a vegetarian diet. (I forgot to ask what issue, Kathy. Is it the current one?)
I'm officially starting on Monday morning, and I'm glad it is a holiday. I don't know how much, or how little, work this will be.
In other news ... we're seeing pictures out of Christchurch, NZ. I've been there - gorgeous town on the south island. To my blog-buddies living in New Zealand, please keep us posted as best you can. It is a miracle (literally) that no one was killed. I've said prayers for all those affected by the event. New Zealanders are a hearty and independent bunch, but they could use (at least) prayerful support right now.
The puffiness I reported of the other day seems to have receded. It was probably the pizza ... Umpf. Even though I ordered it without cheese, it apparently had enough hidden oil in it (somewhere) to stain my shirt. Yes, after washing it several times (even using oxyclean), you can still see the oil stains where it hit my shirt and tumbled (well, more like cascaded) down the shirt front. The shirt wsa only about 2 weeks old. Oh well. On the plus side, I now have a VERY nice shirt to wear around the house for chores. (sigh) I'll be the best dressed gardener in the neighborhood.
No plans for the holiday weekend this year, aside from grocery shopping for the vegan 21-day kickstart supplies.
Enjoy this Labor Day weekend!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Day 44 - Trying Something New
I've tried a LOT of different diets over the years. (Most of us probably have, no surprise there.)
Well, I've been basically doing my own thing this time around. It is essentially a low-fat diet, and I'm switching to smarter carb choices (trying to incorporate more whole grains and lower glycemic indexed choices). So far, it has been working just fine for me.
Well, I'm not opposed to trying new things, and I am constantly reading on ways to improve my health through dietary adjustments. I ran across a website the other day, and I think I'm going to give this a try. It is just for three weeks, and I can do anything for three weeks.
I've always been a little curious, so this will satisfy that, if nothing else. And it certainly can't hurt ...
I ran across this: http://www.21daykickstart.org/
I don't have to pay anything. I can do my own shopping for (mostly) normal stuff. And I can give this a try and see if it does anything for me.
What is it? The "Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine" is hosting a free online 3-week introduction to vegan eating. Vegan, as in no meat. (ME? Really? I can just hear my extended family members guffawing at the thought of me giving up meat for three weeks.)
I can barely live without cheese - for now - so I'm not too sure about this. However, as I said, I can give anything three weeks ... as long as "no meat" is over by Thanksgiving. LOL Okay, probably not the attitude I need, going into this, but I have been curious what the vegetarians seem to like so well.
Keep in mind, I am the world's WORST eater of vegetables. I struggle all the time to get in SOME veggies, never mind meeting the quota for suggested daily servings. That is part of what motivates me to try this. Perhaps there is some vast vegetarian secret way to actually like veggies.
Yes, me, the non vegetable eater, is going to give the vegan diet a shot. A three week tryout.
The three week period formally starts on the 6th. I am going to take their shopping list to the store tomorrow, and stock up for their week's worth of suggestions and recipes, etc.
The site says "... this program is designed for anyone wanting to explore the health benefits of a vegan diet." Well, that would be me. I am curious. And I figure it can't hurt any. So, can I do this?
I'm willing to try something new. And then, if nothing else, I can say for three weeks, I was a vegan. Sounds cool and hip, which I'm not.
I'm refusing to eat bark or pine cones, so if there is anything weird like that, I'm not THAT experimental (or curious), but I imagine, since this is an introduction to vegan eating, it will be much more gentle than that.
PCRM "promotes preventive medicine" among other things, so this should be interesting. They have a 21-day meal plan. They'll send a daily menu to my email.
People are signing up now, which is really just supplying an email for them to send the recipes and daily meal plans, so everyone will be ready to go on the 6th. I just signed up (for free), so this is my great experiment.
If you read of my pizza fiasco from last night, then you know I often look at things for their potential "future story" status. I'm thinking this could be one of those. I can look back and say on my 4xth birthday, I was a vegan.
Say, they don't meet at Stonehenge in togas every full moon, do they? I don't do druid ... not that there's anything wrong with that.
:D
Wish me luck next week!
Well, I've been basically doing my own thing this time around. It is essentially a low-fat diet, and I'm switching to smarter carb choices (trying to incorporate more whole grains and lower glycemic indexed choices). So far, it has been working just fine for me.
Well, I'm not opposed to trying new things, and I am constantly reading on ways to improve my health through dietary adjustments. I ran across a website the other day, and I think I'm going to give this a try. It is just for three weeks, and I can do anything for three weeks.
I've always been a little curious, so this will satisfy that, if nothing else. And it certainly can't hurt ...
I ran across this: http://www.21daykickstart.org/
I don't have to pay anything. I can do my own shopping for (mostly) normal stuff. And I can give this a try and see if it does anything for me.
What is it? The "Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine" is hosting a free online 3-week introduction to vegan eating. Vegan, as in no meat. (ME? Really? I can just hear my extended family members guffawing at the thought of me giving up meat for three weeks.)
I can barely live without cheese - for now - so I'm not too sure about this. However, as I said, I can give anything three weeks ... as long as "no meat" is over by Thanksgiving. LOL Okay, probably not the attitude I need, going into this, but I have been curious what the vegetarians seem to like so well.
Keep in mind, I am the world's WORST eater of vegetables. I struggle all the time to get in SOME veggies, never mind meeting the quota for suggested daily servings. That is part of what motivates me to try this. Perhaps there is some vast vegetarian secret way to actually like veggies.
Yes, me, the non vegetable eater, is going to give the vegan diet a shot. A three week tryout.
The three week period formally starts on the 6th. I am going to take their shopping list to the store tomorrow, and stock up for their week's worth of suggestions and recipes, etc.
The site says "... this program is designed for anyone wanting to explore the health benefits of a vegan diet." Well, that would be me. I am curious. And I figure it can't hurt any. So, can I do this?
I'm willing to try something new. And then, if nothing else, I can say for three weeks, I was a vegan. Sounds cool and hip, which I'm not.
I'm refusing to eat bark or pine cones, so if there is anything weird like that, I'm not THAT experimental (or curious), but I imagine, since this is an introduction to vegan eating, it will be much more gentle than that.
PCRM "promotes preventive medicine" among other things, so this should be interesting. They have a 21-day meal plan. They'll send a daily menu to my email.
People are signing up now, which is really just supplying an email for them to send the recipes and daily meal plans, so everyone will be ready to go on the 6th. I just signed up (for free), so this is my great experiment.
If you read of my pizza fiasco from last night, then you know I often look at things for their potential "future story" status. I'm thinking this could be one of those. I can look back and say on my 4xth birthday, I was a vegan.
Say, they don't meet at Stonehenge in togas every full moon, do they? I don't do druid ... not that there's anything wrong with that.
:D
Wish me luck next week!
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