Taking a Break

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You say potato, I say "Yes, please!!"

Lately, I've been reading about different diets, organic eating, etc., etc. While some seem helpful, others would simply cost a fortune to follow. Yes, I want to incorporate variety, but no, I don't want my weekly grocery bill to be an average of $200. Dismissed.

What I find truly disturbing, however, is this pattern of not eating potatoes! Too much starch, something else bad, blah, blah, blah. Yes, I want to eat healthier, but if you want me to give up potatoes, you'll have to pry them from my cold, dead hands.

I love the potatoes - mashed, fried, boiled, au gratin, whatever - I'll eat them all...just maybe not at the same time. Although, can't say I haven't done that before.

One magazine went so far as to tell me to replace mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. What? Who thinks that is a good idea? I love cauliflower, but not as a replacement. As a stand alone, yes. I'm Irish, we don't just give up potatoes like that.

So for this post, there's no moral, no deep thoughts, no life-changing written words. It's simply me sharing my experience at being appalled, APPALLED, that someone would suggest that life is better without the potato. Perish the thought.

Glass is potentially half empty with a possibility of half full

These past couple of weeks have not been some of my finest. Yes, some of that is my own fault. I'm holding down a couple of jobs, doing my work for the Porchlight board and committees, joining two more DAR committees, helping to plan my 10 year high school reunion, and producing a play. Fine, I overcommitted - again. However, nothing new so that's not really the root of the crappiness.

It's because my arms hurts. There, I said it. I have a high pain tolerance and usually handle it just fine. When I got my wisdom teeth out, I took some Nuprin and went to marching band practice the next day. When I broke my finger, I wrapped it up in a drugstore brace and went about my business. But this endless pain/ache in my right arm and no feeling in my right middle finger for almost two weeks is driving me nuts. I have things to do! None of this semi-handicapedness - "I ain't got time to bleed." (Thanks, Jesse Ventura!) Tests come back negative, doctor give somewhat useless advice - and I'm still hurting.

So...right arm is not cooperating. To top that off, Friday my wallet is stolen. Most irritating part? Not calling all of the banks and filing a police report. Not not being able to take out any money in case of emergency. Most irritating was the loss of the wallet itself! I loved that wallet!! It was cute and tiny and had a leather owl on it...grrrr....

Glass half empty.

However, that said...good things can still happen. I had a great time doing dinner and the theatre with a friend. This morning I'm cutting down the alley to catch the bus and my regular homeless guy wishes me a happy day and to stay warm. After my morning meeting (on a Saturday), two of my fellow committee members offer me a ride downtown. Then I'm looking at movie times and the guy exiting a movie tells me I'm pretty.

Maybe...glass half full.

Now, tonight, I'm chillaxing in my adorable apartment with a happy cat, a good movie, and delicious leftovers. Yeah, my arm hurts and I can't buy online this beautiful coat that is 80% off. Yet in the larger scheme of things, la vie est belle.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

The kind of cold where you think "maybeIshouldwearfivescarfsandtwosweatshirtsandalinedcoatandsomelongunderwearmaybetwopairsandthenIcanaddacouplehatsandmaybethenIwillbewarmohnevermindIamgoingtojuststayinside."

You know...that kind. My evidence? My backporch.

A few of my favorite men

Unlike my dear Sister, who only watched Criterion DVDs, I have no standards when it comes to movies. I love them all. Bad or good, I'll probably still watch it. Which justifies, hopefully, my unmitigated excitement over this 2010 coming attraction:

Overload of action? Check
Ridiculous plot? Check
Jason Statham and his saucy Britishness? Check
Sylvester Stallone and his guyliner? Check
Evil dictator aided by Stone Cold Steve Austin? Check
Rumored cameo by Ahhhnold Schwarzenegger? Check

Me with my Diet Coke and soft pretzel on opening day? Check!!

I'd just like to say...

I feel sorry for my children and I haven't even had them yet. I mean, yes, I do plan on having them...someday. Of course that would require I actually go on a date and not treat it like some kind of social experiment. Actually, that would mean I go on a date, full stop. But that's a different subject for a different time.

The reason I sympathize with my as of yet hypothetical offspring is that approaching my 28th year, I have some low personal standards for myself. Some of these include the following:

• Freezer burn is a myth - if something can be heated up, then it's fine.
• Napkins, at times, are a totally acceptable substitute to toilet paper.
• Toilet paper, in turn, can substitute for kleenex.
• Mascara can last at least a year - more if it doesn't go totally solid.
  
• Leaving meat out overnight doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be thrown away.
• Wearing contacts too long in order to save money by having to buy less is brilliant.
• Not having a certain ingredient in a recipe doesn't preclude finding a substitute based on the fact that said substitute at least looks similar.
  
• 7-11 is a worthy stand-in for the actual grocery.
• Sweeping the most visible areas counts for sweeping the entire apartment.

Before I list anymore I have two caveats to this list. I a) was not raised like this - don't think badly of my mother; and b) actually live in a sanitary, clean environment - almost obsessively so, just maybe not using traditional methods.

So why the pity for future generations? Because, sometimes, I barely take care of myself (and Sugar). Cereal for dinner, ignoring chores for work, sleeping to the last possible second before work, etc. I have friends who are mothers and I totally respect them for all of the extra work it takes! I mean that's sacrifice. In turn, granted, you have the unconditional love of your kids and whatnot and that is truly valuable...agreed, but I feel like it requires one to operate in some Nancy Meyers-like film well the settings are gorgeous, the food organic, and the flowers fresh. Realistically, I am aware that it's not always like that, but just run with me here, eh?

The folks that lived in the apartment before me had a baby...a BABY! In this smallish one bedroom. I was amazed, needless to say. All I could think was, "Man, where would I put all of my shoes?" So, obviously, I'm not in that place yet, thank goodness! But I in fact applaud young parents everywhere for their tenacity and skill - go forth and multiply some more.

Me? I'm off to get out my some 4 month old package of frozen edamame and boil it until it's green again. Or maybe I had this package in the old apartment? Not sure...

Ahem...excuse me?

2010? Oh, it's on.