Okay, so I am working on saving the world and have changed my "To Do List"ing to making lists of reasonable lengths. Enjoy some Gus love.
April 24, 2010
April 13, 2010
Bad Image Day
I wrote this post last week just before I had to teach, when all my insecurities were rising up at once. I feel better just now, but I still would like to hear what suggestions are out there for looking and feeling better.
Lately I have been having what I call Bad Image Days. My hair is imperfect, my make-up is non-existent, my clothes are out of style, my work performance is adequate, but not spectacular and my body is not bad, but less than ideal. So you know, I have been working on it. Letting my hair grow and thinking about highlighting it. Exercising to have the clothes fit better and feel stronger. Trying not to work every evening at home so that days at least seem more productive. It is not really helping. I always feel like I need to do "MORE" of everything - work, home, exercise, saving the world.
Realizing that some things will not change - as in I will never spend more than 15min doing my hair and make-up in the morning or 30min working out or 10 hours working each day - I'm looking for ideas of small things to build confidence at all these levels. I think I mostly have an attitude problem combined with a perception problem.
Lately I have been having what I call Bad Image Days. My hair is imperfect, my make-up is non-existent, my clothes are out of style, my work performance is adequate, but not spectacular and my body is not bad, but less than ideal. So you know, I have been working on it. Letting my hair grow and thinking about highlighting it. Exercising to have the clothes fit better and feel stronger. Trying not to work every evening at home so that days at least seem more productive. It is not really helping. I always feel like I need to do "MORE" of everything - work, home, exercise, saving the world.
Realizing that some things will not change - as in I will never spend more than 15min doing my hair and make-up in the morning or 30min working out or 10 hours working each day - I'm looking for ideas of small things to build confidence at all these levels. I think I mostly have an attitude problem combined with a perception problem.
April 11, 2010
Spring Eating
I am posting about eating again. I think this may say something about my psyche...
It's spring, which means it rains less, which means we could wait outside in the sunny warmth for dinner at Vij's. Jason and I are not foodies, nor are we socialites, but we have wanted to eat this Vancouver hot spot for a while. The restaurant is smallish with only about 20 tables and no reservations, so everyone comes early and waits outside to be seated first. We arrived about a half hour before opening and missed the first seating by one table. Not a bad thing as you get free appetizers while you wait.
We had a delicious wine from Argentina with our meals of saag paneer (indian cheese in spinach sauce) with dal (lentils) and beef shortribs. I have to say that dessert of warm dumplings (like donuts) in cardamon sauce with hot chai was the best. We came home and started a movie and both promptly feel asleep with too full bellies. Yum.
It's spring, which means it rains less, which means we could wait outside in the sunny warmth for dinner at Vij's. Jason and I are not foodies, nor are we socialites, but we have wanted to eat this Vancouver hot spot for a while. The restaurant is smallish with only about 20 tables and no reservations, so everyone comes early and waits outside to be seated first. We arrived about a half hour before opening and missed the first seating by one table. Not a bad thing as you get free appetizers while you wait.
We had a delicious wine from Argentina with our meals of saag paneer (indian cheese in spinach sauce) with dal (lentils) and beef shortribs. I have to say that dessert of warm dumplings (like donuts) in cardamon sauce with hot chai was the best. We came home and started a movie and both promptly feel asleep with too full bellies. Yum.
April 05, 2010
3 things for 3 days
Easter break is technically 4 days here. We probably took 1 day total off - working at home today and worked until mid-afternoon on Friday.
1. We have taken Hedgehog Dog to the dog park twice in the last week, and both times had great walks with him off his leash. This is a huge improvement to the constant pulling, pushing, cajoling that usually accompanies a walk. He is still very tentative when off his leash - rarely running and walking very slow with a limp. A limp that he does not have the moment we get home. Everyone asks how old he is - just a middle-age guy (5 yr)! He obeys (mostly), and we have really enjoyed the time out with him. He's my first dog that doesn't bolt the moment he's free of the leash.
2. Easter dinner was fabulous. We started with my mom's spaghetti sauce recipe as a base and added fresh mushrooms, fresh Italian sausage, and fresh spaghetti for a wonderful meal. Dinner was completed by two Merlots, one from New Zealand and one from Oregon, to give us something to compare and chat about, and, of course, Cadbury CreamEggs.
3. We have been getting spring storms lately. The most distinguishing characteristic of them is high winds. In Delaware, I think these would qualify as nor'easters. Here, they don't have a term for them, but the winds regularly hit tropical storm to hurricane force. Upon listening to the wind the other night, I commented that I'd like to go into a basement, and we realized that this is the first home we've been in that doesn't have a decent tornado shelter. The Arkansas-Alabama-Tornado Ally gal in me is kind of disturbed.
1. We have taken Hedgehog Dog to the dog park twice in the last week, and both times had great walks with him off his leash. This is a huge improvement to the constant pulling, pushing, cajoling that usually accompanies a walk. He is still very tentative when off his leash - rarely running and walking very slow with a limp. A limp that he does not have the moment we get home. Everyone asks how old he is - just a middle-age guy (5 yr)! He obeys (mostly), and we have really enjoyed the time out with him. He's my first dog that doesn't bolt the moment he's free of the leash.
2. Easter dinner was fabulous. We started with my mom's spaghetti sauce recipe as a base and added fresh mushrooms, fresh Italian sausage, and fresh spaghetti for a wonderful meal. Dinner was completed by two Merlots, one from New Zealand and one from Oregon, to give us something to compare and chat about, and, of course, Cadbury CreamEggs.
3. We have been getting spring storms lately. The most distinguishing characteristic of them is high winds. In Delaware, I think these would qualify as nor'easters. Here, they don't have a term for them, but the winds regularly hit tropical storm to hurricane force. Upon listening to the wind the other night, I commented that I'd like to go into a basement, and we realized that this is the first home we've been in that doesn't have a decent tornado shelter. The Arkansas-Alabama-Tornado Ally gal in me is kind of disturbed.
April 02, 2010
Wheelchair Curling
The Olympics were amazing, but the Paralympics were better.
Okay, so the crowds were not as big, but they cheered as loudly and were just as excited to be there. Yes, Japanese and Korean fans are crazy. Really crazy, personal experience. Hedgehog Guy and I went to one of the curling sessions with three friends on the first Sunday of competition.
We got to see 4 matches, including the USA and Canada. Curling is very intense, but not exactly action filled. It seems a bit silly - throwing a rock down a sheet of ice. But then you realize the stone must be perfectly tossed and spun to stop where you intend. Then you realize that you can hit other stones with yours and that your incoming momentum and spin determines not only where the other rock goes, but also yours. Then you realize you must do this over and over and over while in a wheelchair, on ice. We tried this in a demo area, I overthrew each time (4 tries), but Hedgehog Guy got the hang of it. Did I mention all the stones, as in all curling stones everywhere, come from the same quarry in Scotland?
Both the USA and Canada came from behind to win their matches in the final end. As I mentioned, very intense. Enjoy a video. The USA is the second team from the bottom - the red - and it is their stone that is followed down the ice.
Okay, so the crowds were not as big, but they cheered as loudly and were just as excited to be there. Yes, Japanese and Korean fans are crazy. Really crazy, personal experience. Hedgehog Guy and I went to one of the curling sessions with three friends on the first Sunday of competition.
We got to see 4 matches, including the USA and Canada. Curling is very intense, but not exactly action filled. It seems a bit silly - throwing a rock down a sheet of ice. But then you realize the stone must be perfectly tossed and spun to stop where you intend. Then you realize that you can hit other stones with yours and that your incoming momentum and spin determines not only where the other rock goes, but also yours. Then you realize you must do this over and over and over while in a wheelchair, on ice. We tried this in a demo area, I overthrew each time (4 tries), but Hedgehog Guy got the hang of it. Did I mention all the stones, as in all curling stones everywhere, come from the same quarry in Scotland?
Both the USA and Canada came from behind to win their matches in the final end. As I mentioned, very intense. Enjoy a video. The USA is the second team from the bottom - the red - and it is their stone that is followed down the ice.
April 01, 2010
Yummy
A couple weeks ago, Hedgehog Guy found this great blog entry about turning one chicken into 5+ tasty meals for less than, drum-stick roll please, $25. So we had to try it.
First, Canadian chickens are not as large as the American chickens. Now get your mind out of the gutter and realize that they are also cheaper! To make all the recipes, we bought two chickens (Henriettas I and II), each about 3.25lbs (1.5kgs), each was less than $8.
This translated into twice the yummy roasted chicken goodness. I dressed mine up with fresh sage and thyme on the inside and outside. I even made one on a week night. Despite the terror of cutting out necks and salting naked chickens (I winced and closed my eyes), we had fun snapping a wishbone and now have the fixings for chicken stock in the freezer. We absolutley demolished both chickens - not a scrap left. But it was easy! The roasting means you can de-bone with just a fork.
My favorite leftover was the Seasame Noodles with Chicken. I love rich sauces. Hedgehog Guy votes for the Chicken Picadillo - we had ours over warm kidney beans and lettuce with shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top. Cleaned up three leftovers with that one (chicken, lettuce, cheese). Who knew you could put shredded chicken in the blender and 3 minutes later have ground chicken? We had the Chicken Curry in a Hurry by candlelight during Earth Hour on Saturday with a bottle of wine. Very romantic.
All in all, our two chickens gave us 7 meals for two. And we had big helpings each night because they were so good.
Oh yes, and each leftover recipe only took about 20 minutes to make. A big A+ in my book. Good eating!
First, Canadian chickens are not as large as the American chickens. Now get your mind out of the gutter and realize that they are also cheaper! To make all the recipes, we bought two chickens (Henriettas I and II), each about 3.25lbs (1.5kgs), each was less than $8.
This translated into twice the yummy roasted chicken goodness. I dressed mine up with fresh sage and thyme on the inside and outside. I even made one on a week night. Despite the terror of cutting out necks and salting naked chickens (I winced and closed my eyes), we had fun snapping a wishbone and now have the fixings for chicken stock in the freezer. We absolutley demolished both chickens - not a scrap left. But it was easy! The roasting means you can de-bone with just a fork.
My favorite leftover was the Seasame Noodles with Chicken. I love rich sauces. Hedgehog Guy votes for the Chicken Picadillo - we had ours over warm kidney beans and lettuce with shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top. Cleaned up three leftovers with that one (chicken, lettuce, cheese). Who knew you could put shredded chicken in the blender and 3 minutes later have ground chicken? We had the Chicken Curry in a Hurry by candlelight during Earth Hour on Saturday with a bottle of wine. Very romantic.
All in all, our two chickens gave us 7 meals for two. And we had big helpings each night because they were so good.
Oh yes, and each leftover recipe only took about 20 minutes to make. A big A+ in my book. Good eating!
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