rock the vote

There were no elections in my town today, but it there is one in your area you better have voted. If not, then you have made your decision, and I don't want to hear SQUAT from you until the next go 'round when you have hopefully made better choices.

Diet Advice and by Advice I Mean Lies

This line. THIS LINE: "Order an individual dessert to share among three people. One or two bites, and you'll be satisfied."

What a load of horse crap.

I mean sure, if you're at Shoney's order a brownie sundae thing and it's the size of your head, or you go to the Cheesecake Factory. Fine. Whatever. But let's be real. Most of the time you do not eat two bites of cake and then go "oooh nooo. Now I'm perfectly satisfied. You guys eat the rest."

COME. ON. I think there's two problems going on here.

1) The idea that we have to have dessert after every meal. This is a falsity. I think it is largely brought on by the idea that "oh, well I was GOOD today, so I deserve something." Listen. Food should not be something we punish or reward ourselves with. That creates a weird and unhealthy relationship with our dinner plates. If you want a piece of chocolate eat a piece of chocolate but don't tee hee hee about how bad you are being. And eat dessert if you want dessert but don't eat dessert every day after every meal because you're "supposed" to have dessert.

2) The idea that we should keep eating if we are full. This goes back to the idea that we eat dessert because we are "supposed" to eat dessert. Or clearing our plates so we don't waste food. This one was actually hard for me to learn. I felt so strongly that I was SUPPOSED to want seconds or SUPPOSED to clear my plate or OF COURSE I want dessert that I would literally ignore my feelings of fullness to keep eating. I would eat until y stomach hurt and I would eat until I was sick and then I would (of course) be miserable. And most of that was simply because I felt an obligation to EAT.

3) We should quit eating even if we're not full. So much of diet advice is conflicting. Eat! Don't eat! Eat this, not that! Eat that not this! Eat what you want it doesn't matter, only calories matter! Don't eat carbs!  Don't eat protein! It's not a diet it's a lifestyle change! etc etc. What it really comes down to is that we are TRAINED TO IGNORE OUR BODIES.

As a group, our relationship with food is messed up. And pretending we're happy with a bite when we want a slice is part of that.

Sunday Schooled

So, we're trying to start a new Bible study at my church for...young women? Youngish women? Women who are too old to be in the youth group but not quite up to the ladies' class yet?

It's a little bumpy. So far we have had plenty of interest, but uneven participation. We're almost through our first book and we're going to start the next one. I'm hoping the next book will spur a little bit more active interest. I think people WANT the class. However, most of us who are participating also want...that extra time in the morning. hah. There' hasn't really been a class at my church for this age group, and we aren't used to having to get up in time for Sunday School. So, we were off to a good start and have had a new bumps since then.

I wanted to start this class, but I had a lot of support doing it from people who were interested in attending, and two other women helped me plan it. I was struggling at church. I want to be an active part of the church but I feel like maybe there's no place for that to happen. This class is my attempt to find another way to be part of the church. I know that I'm not alone in that, because I've heard the same thing from other women in the church.

So why is it so hard to feel like this is taking off? Has anyone else gone through something like this? Have any suggestions?

These boots are made for...well, definitely not walking.

So I'm in the markey for some new boots. I didn't know this wuld be such a challenge, but I was wrong. I tried on and looked for a lot of different pairs today, and I have some thoughts to share.

Dear salespeople: If I need a size 9, don't bring me a size 10 and tell me I may as well try it. Also, a size 10 is not the same thing as a 9 wide.

Dear bootmakers: I am not a pirate. I do not want an above the knee boot that looks like I stole it off of Jack Sparrow. I also don't want to wear above the knee boots with a six inch heel that take the look from Jack Sparrow to hooker. Maybe a nice flat, mid-calf boot. Is this so hard to find? (yes, yes it is)


and now to address the Universe:

Dear Universe: Just some cute black boots that aren't going to hurt my feet. That's all I'm asking for. Please? Please? Please? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

giving cranky thanks

You know what makes me REALLY cranky? Realizing that my first blog post of the month never posted and now I can't remember what I wrote. So here ya go. a cranky post for the 1st.

Oh! I know what it was. I am REALLY cranky about all the stupid I'm thankful for posts on facebook. Yes. I get it. You're thankful for the same crap you were thankful for last year. And so, in tribute, here is a post about thankfulness brought to you by the great poet, Jack Prelutsky.


I'm thankful for my baseball bat,
I cracked it yesterday,
I'm thankful for my checker set,
I haven't learned to play,
I'm thankful for my mittens,
one is missing in the snow,
I'm thankful for my hamsters,
they escaped a month ago.

I'm thankful for my basketball,
it's sprung another leak,
I'm thankful for my parakeet,
it bit me twice last week,
I'm thankful for my bicycle,
I crashed into a tree,
I'm thankful for my roller skates,
I fell and scraped my knee.

I'm thankful for my model plane,
it's short a dozen parts,
I'm thankful for my target game,
I'm sure I'll find the darts,
I'm thankful for my bathing suit,
it came off in the river,
I'm thankful for so many things,
except, of course, for LIVER!

--Jack Prelutsky

Blogvember

So, I brutally failed at Blogtober. Sorry guys! Let's try again. It's November, which many people know as Nanowrimo, but I've decided to do Nablopomo instead. So we're going to do blogvember!

And my first post is ...food! I could use a bakation right now. There are so many things I want to cook right now and not enough time to fix it all! I can cook a quick, healthy and delicious weeknight meal without breaking a sweat, but when it' time to try a complicated new recipe I like to take my time and spread out and make a mess in my kitchen.

In addition to all my experimental shenanigans I am planning I am going to try making another variety of my granola cereal. So far I have only made peanut butter cereal, but I think I am going to try making cinnamon maple walnut this weekend. cereal has turned into my go to snack. I know what' sin it, and I cam make sure it's full of healthy ingredients that I love. Definitely keeps me out of the cookies. :D

NOOOOO

I forgot that I was doing blogtober! I'm sorry! I have failed you! Grading freshmen assignments ate my brain.

RELATED:

When assessing whether a resource is scholarly or not "seems legit" is not sufficient. Please pass this on to all the freshmen of your aquaintance.

ALSO RELATED:

I think it's cute how many students assess government websites thusly "this is a government website and therefore it must be true".

Look at them! With their faith in the government uncrushed by cynicism and reality! Bless their hearts.