...or not. For those of you who knew me in college, you are aware how much I despised the standard college parties with their cheap beer and mysterious punch. I had such a loathing for beer from those early experiences that there was little motivation to start drinking beer until I got to graduate school...and then it was the social lubricant of choice for all of my friends. So I tried, and tried, and found a few beers tolerable, but quite honestly, I still much prefer a glass of red wine (or white) to any beer you could hand me.
That is, until I discovered vodka. Vodka and I have made quick friends (no no, not like that!) so now when I reach our destination bar, I can quickly order a vodka soda, especially one of the flavored varieties, and be quite happy all night! Can I suggest a rootbeer vodka and soda? Or a sweet tea vodka and lemonade? Even Stoli raspberri is acceptable in these circumstances.
I miss out on all the bloated feelings that beer gives, the dreadful aftertaste, and the beer breath. Oh darn. I feel like I have finally reached adulthood now that I have come of age enough to have specific taste and opinions about the alcohol I ingest. Cheers to my favorite drink, and yours!
25 March 2010
05 March 2010
Slicing and dicing
I like fruit, really I do. But I have this bad habit of buying a few apples/bananas/pears/etc and letting them sit around till they become putrid, instead of enjoying them at their prime. As much as I am not proud to admit it, I realized this stems from sheer laziness. Or mental block, depending on how you look at it.
There is a certain activation energy for me to pick up a piece of fruit - especially an apple-type fruit - and want to eat it. There is this mental obstacle that comes from some inexplicable place that causes a wave of disgust to rise inside me when I think of eating an apple directly off the core. Maybe it stems from getting apple skin caught in my teeth when eating that way, or maybe it's the stream of apple juice and detritus that dribbles down my arm, but either way there it is - I can't bring myself to do it.
It has taken me this long to realize my obstacle, and finally do the obvious thing: cut the darn apples before you actually want to eat them! I devoured 2 whole shingo pears over the past few days because I took the time to prep them for easy eating. And I LOVE that fruit too!
Part of the motivation for all this fruit-eating pleasure is the crazy diet that J and I are on for Lent again this year. We gave up refined sugar and refined flour, as well as red meat and caffeine, which leaves this girl's sweet tooth unsatisfied. We are allowed honey and agave nectar, which have been lifesavers when that craving was too great, but so far it hasn't been nearly as bad as last year's experiment. Granted, last year we also tried giving up white rice - which meant no sushi, and that was pretty much unacceptable, so we modified the restrictions a bit this time!
Back to the point, though, fresh fruit has been a really nice dessert option for us during this season that may actually continue past Lent this year. Some frozen berries (thawed, with a drizzle of agave) and plain yogurt have also been a delicious, and healthy, substitute for those nights when we would otherwise have had some chocolate or ice cream. (That being said, I look forward to having chocolate again. I am a girl, after all)
There is a certain activation energy for me to pick up a piece of fruit - especially an apple-type fruit - and want to eat it. There is this mental obstacle that comes from some inexplicable place that causes a wave of disgust to rise inside me when I think of eating an apple directly off the core. Maybe it stems from getting apple skin caught in my teeth when eating that way, or maybe it's the stream of apple juice and detritus that dribbles down my arm, but either way there it is - I can't bring myself to do it.
It has taken me this long to realize my obstacle, and finally do the obvious thing: cut the darn apples before you actually want to eat them! I devoured 2 whole shingo pears over the past few days because I took the time to prep them for easy eating. And I LOVE that fruit too!
Part of the motivation for all this fruit-eating pleasure is the crazy diet that J and I are on for Lent again this year. We gave up refined sugar and refined flour, as well as red meat and caffeine, which leaves this girl's sweet tooth unsatisfied. We are allowed honey and agave nectar, which have been lifesavers when that craving was too great, but so far it hasn't been nearly as bad as last year's experiment. Granted, last year we also tried giving up white rice - which meant no sushi, and that was pretty much unacceptable, so we modified the restrictions a bit this time!
Back to the point, though, fresh fruit has been a really nice dessert option for us during this season that may actually continue past Lent this year. Some frozen berries (thawed, with a drizzle of agave) and plain yogurt have also been a delicious, and healthy, substitute for those nights when we would otherwise have had some chocolate or ice cream. (That being said, I look forward to having chocolate again. I am a girl, after all)
15 February 2010
Hot smoky valentine's
J requested something chocolate for our dinner, so I consulted my stack of yet-to-be-tried magazine recipes for inspiration. We agreed upon a mocha-chocolate cake with chocolate marscapone frosting. It sounded amazing (and the pictures were even more mouthwatering!), so we ventured out to the store for some esoteric ingredients - marscapone and instant espresso powder - that don't usually grace our shelves.
Everything was going well, albeit a little hectic since I was making the cake and frosting simultaneously, until the cream that was coming to a boil on the stove did just that. It boiled, and boiled over before I could catch it! Needless to say, the cream was quickly removed from the heat, and I went about finishing the rest of the cake and frosting. I popped the thick, gooey cake layers in the oven and proceeded to the park with J and the dog to enjoy a little fresh air while the cake baked for 30 min. We got home just in time for the first timer to go off, and luckily the cakes needed a few more minutes so I took my damp coat and muddy shoes off and went back to the kitchen. At the second timer, the layers looked perfect and out they came, onto the stovetop. I thought nothing of it while I left them to cool, and sat down on the couch with my sweetheart. A few minutes later, though, he looked at me and said, something is burning. I could have sworn everything was turned off, but something was definitely charring, so I ran to the kitchen only to find that I had left the burner that had been heating the cream earlier on and it was now in the process of heating my cake layer!
I was horrified! J ran to my aid, and we attempted to rescue or salvage what we could of the burnt layer, but it was no use. The burnt aroma from the parchment paper/cake crumbs/pan had penetrated the entire thickness. No amount of cutting (or frosting) was going to make it better. The saving grace was that he was perfectly happy having a one-layer Valentine's Day cake instead, and the mocha marscapone frosting made up for the lack of a second layer. Here is to love (and chocolate) making all things better.
Everything was going well, albeit a little hectic since I was making the cake and frosting simultaneously, until the cream that was coming to a boil on the stove did just that. It boiled, and boiled over before I could catch it! Needless to say, the cream was quickly removed from the heat, and I went about finishing the rest of the cake and frosting. I popped the thick, gooey cake layers in the oven and proceeded to the park with J and the dog to enjoy a little fresh air while the cake baked for 30 min. We got home just in time for the first timer to go off, and luckily the cakes needed a few more minutes so I took my damp coat and muddy shoes off and went back to the kitchen. At the second timer, the layers looked perfect and out they came, onto the stovetop. I thought nothing of it while I left them to cool, and sat down on the couch with my sweetheart. A few minutes later, though, he looked at me and said, something is burning. I could have sworn everything was turned off, but something was definitely charring, so I ran to the kitchen only to find that I had left the burner that had been heating the cream earlier on and it was now in the process of heating my cake layer!
I was horrified! J ran to my aid, and we attempted to rescue or salvage what we could of the burnt layer, but it was no use. The burnt aroma from the parchment paper/cake crumbs/pan had penetrated the entire thickness. No amount of cutting (or frosting) was going to make it better. The saving grace was that he was perfectly happy having a one-layer Valentine's Day cake instead, and the mocha marscapone frosting made up for the lack of a second layer. Here is to love (and chocolate) making all things better.
08 February 2010
Getting back up again
I have a terrible confession to make: I fell off the diet horse last week.
I could attribute it to the pre-surgery stress, or the accumulation of my thesis project failures - this whole grad school thing has been a rollercoaster of emotions regarding success or failure of these grand ideas my advisor has - but quite honestly, whatever the underlying distractions, it does not excuse the extreme lack of willpower or qualifications I gave myself these past few days!
Here is to (falling but having the courage to) get back up again and face this week in a stronger, more resolute manner with my self-control! Take that, Mondays!
I could attribute it to the pre-surgery stress, or the accumulation of my thesis project failures - this whole grad school thing has been a rollercoaster of emotions regarding success or failure of these grand ideas my advisor has - but quite honestly, whatever the underlying distractions, it does not excuse the extreme lack of willpower or qualifications I gave myself these past few days!
Here is to (falling but having the courage to) get back up again and face this week in a stronger, more resolute manner with my self-control! Take that, Mondays!
28 January 2010
Take your vitamins!
When we were kids, my mom rarely made us take any vitamins since she assumed we were getting proper nutrition through her cooking. Vitamins were for those people who just didn't know how to eat right, or didn't want to. There were (and still are) Flinstones multivitamins for kids which are fabulous, but those are for kids, right? We adults suffer through swallowing foul tasting horse pills all in the name of good health, and until recently, I thought that was going to be my fate. Enter gummy vitamins.
Anyone who knows me should know I have a pretty serious affinity for gummy bears, or for that matter, almost anything gummy. Sour patch kids, gummy bears/cola bottles/frogs/etc. - they all tempt my palate! This newest spin on "taking care of yourself" is just what I needed to be a regular vitamin taker! I don't miss one morning of multi-vitamins or calcium now, all thanks to the ingenious little gummy vitamin bears. Now if only they could make flossing your teeth this much fun too!
Anyone who knows me should know I have a pretty serious affinity for gummy bears, or for that matter, almost anything gummy. Sour patch kids, gummy bears/cola bottles/frogs/etc. - they all tempt my palate! This newest spin on "taking care of yourself" is just what I needed to be a regular vitamin taker! I don't miss one morning of multi-vitamins or calcium now, all thanks to the ingenious little gummy vitamin bears. Now if only they could make flossing your teeth this much fun too!
21 January 2010
Day 5 and other rambling thoughts
It's midway through my 5th day of counting calories and valiantly trying to get to the gym regularly (2 times is better than none, right? It would have been 3 but I forgot my shorts on Wednesday...) Save for the *freakin'* raisin bran muffin from Costco - who would have thought a bran muffin would equal 600 calories? I thought these were good for you - I have made it through with pretty reasonable calorie counts this week. Every day except yesterday netted around 1400 calories, and I did not feel very hungry either. One of the biggest obstacles when you are dieting is feeling hungry or deprived!
I work in a few calories "wiggle room" so that I can have a piece of chocolate or a cookie here and there, which makes the rest of the journey seem not quite so bad! You can't feel that deprived at the end of the day when you finish with a Ferrero Rocher!
I work in a few calories "wiggle room" so that I can have a piece of chocolate or a cookie here and there, which makes the rest of the journey seem not quite so bad! You can't feel that deprived at the end of the day when you finish with a Ferrero Rocher!
18 January 2010
Looking behind, looking forward
January seems to always have something in store for me, and this year is no different. I started the year off in Manila with my boyfriend, his brothers, and a few of their friends. We drank bubbly in the hotel lobby bar while enjoying an 80's cover band interspersed with breaks played by a Beatles cover band. They were both pretty impressive and got a lot of people up and moving to their tunes!
After many, many miles, two planes, and a 13 hour drive, we arrived last Sunday evening to an icy, snowy Atlanta! Back to our little place, our kitchen, our own bed, and the comforts of routine. Monday morning found us back to work, and I was just plugging in my computer to get back to the daily grind of PhD work, when I stood up and felt something pop in my knee. Not just any knee, this was the same patella that was traumatized almost exactly 4 years ago. I hoped it was something minor, so I went about my day, but when Wednesday night came and I was still having popping (and mind-bending pain under certain circumstances) I finally admitted that this might need to involve a doctor. Thursday morning the sports doctor for Tech did some quick movement tests and took an x-ray, which confirmed that I most likely had torn the meniscus in my right knee.
For those of you who are not in the orthopedic field, your body has a nice cartilage layer between the femur and tibia/fibula that keeps your bones from rubbing together and causing you pain. This layer is essential for painless full-range motion in your knee joint. So I had to submit myself to my first MRI on Friday, and now I wait to get another appointment with my doctor to diagnose and start a course of treatment. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't involve surgery!
In other Januaries past, I have found myself falling in serious love for the first time (2004), falling off a moped (2006), and finally committing to a serious diet (2005). The most productive of the three was dieting, because I was able to look back in July at 25lbs that had gone from my hips!
5 years later, I find myself flirting with my previous weight on the scale which scares me. I thought once I lost it, I would not have to worry about gaining it back, at least until I had children! Since I have been talking about losing weight for at least 6 months now with little in the way of real progress, it seems that some public accountability is necessary. So, be it hereby known that as of today, I am committing to a regular diet and exercise regime so that I can be back to my goal fitness and weight by June! Just wait for the before and after pictures!
After many, many miles, two planes, and a 13 hour drive, we arrived last Sunday evening to an icy, snowy Atlanta! Back to our little place, our kitchen, our own bed, and the comforts of routine. Monday morning found us back to work, and I was just plugging in my computer to get back to the daily grind of PhD work, when I stood up and felt something pop in my knee. Not just any knee, this was the same patella that was traumatized almost exactly 4 years ago. I hoped it was something minor, so I went about my day, but when Wednesday night came and I was still having popping (and mind-bending pain under certain circumstances) I finally admitted that this might need to involve a doctor. Thursday morning the sports doctor for Tech did some quick movement tests and took an x-ray, which confirmed that I most likely had torn the meniscus in my right knee.
For those of you who are not in the orthopedic field, your body has a nice cartilage layer between the femur and tibia/fibula that keeps your bones from rubbing together and causing you pain. This layer is essential for painless full-range motion in your knee joint. So I had to submit myself to my first MRI on Friday, and now I wait to get another appointment with my doctor to diagnose and start a course of treatment. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't involve surgery!
In other Januaries past, I have found myself falling in serious love for the first time (2004), falling off a moped (2006), and finally committing to a serious diet (2005). The most productive of the three was dieting, because I was able to look back in July at 25lbs that had gone from my hips!
5 years later, I find myself flirting with my previous weight on the scale which scares me. I thought once I lost it, I would not have to worry about gaining it back, at least until I had children! Since I have been talking about losing weight for at least 6 months now with little in the way of real progress, it seems that some public accountability is necessary. So, be it hereby known that as of today, I am committing to a regular diet and exercise regime so that I can be back to my goal fitness and weight by June! Just wait for the before and after pictures!
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