With great health comes great happiness, and supposedly longer life. In any case, I have started to consider my own health. I am very lucky in that I have been about the same weight my whole life. It is both a blessing and a curse that it is very hard for me to either lose or gain weight, and extremely lucky that my weight, size, and shape are all of healthy proportions.
I think it is great that I look fine, but am I healthy? The answer: I am healthier than most, but not as healthy as I should be. I walk about 3 miles to and from work each day, but I have an extremely sedentary job. Also, I am prone to being a couch potato at night either with books, movies, or video games. I'm slightly health conscious, but I eat out, I eat a lot of junk, and generally I never really consider what I am eating. I seek out all organic, grass-fed, etc. etc. food, but I never notice the calories, sugar, or fats involved in that food.
What spurred this? A New Year's resolution? Hell no, I never make those, because I know my own will power and limits, and I would never be able to live up to a resolution. Instead, I am spurred on by the fact that my young parents are ailing in their late-50s. I am not referring to the general progress of aging, taking Lipitor, or having joint problems. Diabetes, severe arthritis, excessive pain, sickness, and poor health, not to mention highly misinformed decisions leading to weight gain, inactivity, and complete lack of mobility or ability to do anything physical is what I am referring to. I don't want to be that way when I am 57. I want to ride my horses, take care of my farm, and be able to chase down my college age niece with surprising grace. Some part of health is genetics, and accidents, and so maybe I won't be able to be in the condition I want at 57, but it will damn well not be for lack of trying.
The first order of business is that John and I have decided not to ever eat out again unless it is for a special occasion, or friends and family want to, but not the two of us alone. Second order of business is more exercise, because walking and riding horses is not enough. To this end I am trying to do yoga at home, and find other possible exercises that are easy to do outside of a gym, because I am horrible at attending gyms and classes. Third, I have started to write down everything I eat so that I can count the calories, and be more aware of what I am actually eating in a day. I definitely eat too much sugar, or items with high sugar content...honey is a huge problem for me, and carbs and breads are a major issue. I need more vegetables, which I have known for some time, and I need to make sure to eat food that are good for my cholesterol since my family is prone to heart diseases. Any suggestions on your favorite foods?
Wish me luck, because I have never been very good at this...again, better than most, but a far cry from what I should be doing.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Random Truths #4
I love the way hair looks underwater or in the bath tub, like seaweed or something so beautifully organic and alive (yes, I know hair is organic and alive, but you get the point).
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Mountain Rose Giveaway
So, my favorite herb company is having a giveaway this week. If you are interested, or if you ever wanted to get started with making your own laundry soup, cleaning chemicals, etc. I'd say enter and try to win, as the items would make an amazing start-up kit. The link to the giveaway is below, and a general link to their website is on my sidebar of links, as per usual.
http://mountainroseblog.com/recipes-2011-giveaway-3/
http://mountainroseblog.com/recipes-2011-giveaway-3/
Monday, December 5, 2011
Random Truths #3
I'm a hippie at heart, but I'm an advocate for gun rights, I'm also pro-abortion, like limited government, understand the need for taxes, am all for free speech and protests, and would do anything for the environment and living naturally. So, where does that leave me on election days? Mostly left-leaning, but slightly confused.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Random Truths #2
I love insects, in fact I once debated about becoming an entomologist. However, I am afraid of spiders the way Indiana Jones is afraid of snakes. I still love looking at them though, and I find them so fascinating. I'm also more afraid of spiders when John is around than when I am alone. It's like I store up all my girly shrieks for when he's around.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
And We're Back...
Okay, my apologies for not updating lately, but life has been really busy, both at work and at home.
At work, I just finished hosting three big events, and I am really tired. Brain-dead in fact, hence the reason I am making a blog post before going back to being productive. I also have a brochure mockup for the office due now, but I am going to extend the deadline since we have been swamped with events.
Thanksgiving was marvelous, and we had a great meal with great company. The rabbit John killed and roasted went over very well, and I think it was beyond delicious, marinated in jalapeno jelly. After the food, and some sleep, we headed out to the ranch, where we can be found most weekends these days. John shot a beautiful buck, and last night he ground up some of the meat and cut up the rest, and I vacuum sealed it all and put it in the freezer. Let me just say, that was a lot of meat, and we will be good for awhile. Though, thanks to modern technology and vacuuming sealing, John is going to try and shoot a 'spike,' a male deer with just spikes where full antlers normally are. He was also awarded two tags for the national forest, and so may be found haunting the local forests soon. We have already scouted the national forest a little, but we definitely need to do some more.
On a slight side-note, if you have need to buy a meat grinder, may I just suggest an old-fashioned hand-cranked meat grinder, especially of Czech make. They know meat in that country, and they certainly know anything needed for making sausage. I have to say that was the best present I was given at my bridal shower. Yes, a Czech woman gave me a meat grinder for a bridal gift, and yes, it was the best, most awesomest gift ever. And yes again, I get to use awesomest as a word, because that is how fabulous the gift was.
I'm in the process of trying to expand my knowledge of sewing, though I am slow to get started, mostly because I feel so exhausted at night right now, and then there is Skyrim to think about. :) Currently, what I am trying to learn is how to make custom garments without having the person present for sizing and adjustments. This might sound trivial, but making clothes for someone else, at a distance, and making them well, is very difficult. As is making a custom pattern piece. I'll be starting, lazily, with a swing dress for a friend in St. Louis and then a medieval gown for a friend in Florida. Who knows how long it may take to produce these items, but I have warned my friends that even when "finished" they may not fit, and I'll have to remake them. If I can perfect women's clothing, I'll start on men's. Right now I need to get my skill up for non-custom men's clothing, since I have done little to no sewing for John. I know, I'm bad, and I really need to ramp up the sewing for him. He wants vests, an 1800's suit, and modern button down shirts, since the going price for the kind he likes are $30-50 each, which is ridiculous for what goes into them.
As I mentioned above, I am obsessively playing Skyrim, and loving it. I swear I play games backwards, since I am getting to be high level, and I just now managed to get to High Hrothgar. Sad really. In the process I killed about 6 dragons, and a couple blood dragons. In Oblivion I did nearly everything possible, including became the Grey Fox and the head of the Dark Brotherhood, before I turned in the Amulet of Kings to the priest in Cheydinhal.
I've been bad about diet and exercise lately, and by diet I don't mean starving oneself or Adkins, I mean diet as in what I eat. I have been eating crap lately, hot dogs, pizza, and ick. While I walk to work everyday, I still don't get good cardio-exercise or toning. So, I need to make the effort to run a few nights a week, and do little exercises around the house like I discussed in a previous post. I also need to just make three meals at a time, and just eat on that for awhile, then make more when about 1 meal is left, because when I come home I am starving, then I just eat whatever is easiest instead of cooking a meal, which takes an hour + with me. Last night we made venison chili, yummy. Tonight, even though we have tons of food left, I might make a tofu basil curry, which is in my repertoire of common recipes. My major attempt lately is to eat more fruits and vegetables, and a lot less meat. I say that after writing about venison chili, but several things there...1. I reduce the amount of meat any recipe states, especially lately, both for cost, and health reasons, 2. I know exactly where my meat came from, and it definitely has no hormones, no antibiotics, no crazy injections, additives (like some glues they put in ground meat), etc. This is 100% grass-fed, free range, cruelty free meat. The animal didn't suffer a bit, as John takes one-shot kills only. No chasing the hurt and dieing animal through the woods while it bleeds and suffers; nope, one-shot, never feels it, drops where it was standing.
On a girly note, I am always looking to improve my wardrobe, and I am in love with Oxford shoes for women. My mom offered to buy me the pair I want, for my birthday, but I feel bad, and I want her to save her money for medical expenses, etc. The shoes are too expensive, and I don't know if I can spend my parent's money, it makes me uncomfortable. The Oxfords are here, in black, or see below. I'm also in love with the tights, skirt, and sweater kind of look. As for my hair, I've been trying to learn new braiding styles, and up-does, as well as makeup techniques. Since I've been with John I am such a girl. Besides, my mother keeps me stocked with high quality MAC makeup... ♥ my mother.
Life is going pretty well in general. Tonight is finally the night I make toothpaste and deodorant, as we are almost out of both. Woo hoo, less chemicals poisoning my body! Besides, I think making your own is fun, and once the cleaning chemicals are gone, you better bet I will be making my own. I guess that is just more incentive for me to clean the house more than I already do, so that I can have nice lemon, eucalyptus, or lavender smelling cleaning products that work just as well as Comet, Bleach, etc.
In the townhouse, while we have a small patio and a very small front area with grass, I haven't started to grow anything. First of all, it is getting cold, and lastly, I've been lazy. Since College Station isn't the last stop in our lives, I don't want to grow anything too big, so I think I will stick to potted mint, Aloe Vera, and things of that nature.
Lastly, I will be getting a new piercing in December, an industrial. This will add to my belly button piercing, my cartilage, my tragus, and my 4 normal earring piercings (2 in each ear). I'm saving for the lovely tattoo I featured awhile back, and I now have the artwork in hand from the original artist. Yea!
Until next time, fearless readers...
At work, I just finished hosting three big events, and I am really tired. Brain-dead in fact, hence the reason I am making a blog post before going back to being productive. I also have a brochure mockup for the office due now, but I am going to extend the deadline since we have been swamped with events.
Thanksgiving was marvelous, and we had a great meal with great company. The rabbit John killed and roasted went over very well, and I think it was beyond delicious, marinated in jalapeno jelly. After the food, and some sleep, we headed out to the ranch, where we can be found most weekends these days. John shot a beautiful buck, and last night he ground up some of the meat and cut up the rest, and I vacuum sealed it all and put it in the freezer. Let me just say, that was a lot of meat, and we will be good for awhile. Though, thanks to modern technology and vacuuming sealing, John is going to try and shoot a 'spike,' a male deer with just spikes where full antlers normally are. He was also awarded two tags for the national forest, and so may be found haunting the local forests soon. We have already scouted the national forest a little, but we definitely need to do some more.
On a slight side-note, if you have need to buy a meat grinder, may I just suggest an old-fashioned hand-cranked meat grinder, especially of Czech make. They know meat in that country, and they certainly know anything needed for making sausage. I have to say that was the best present I was given at my bridal shower. Yes, a Czech woman gave me a meat grinder for a bridal gift, and yes, it was the best, most awesomest gift ever. And yes again, I get to use awesomest as a word, because that is how fabulous the gift was.
I'm in the process of trying to expand my knowledge of sewing, though I am slow to get started, mostly because I feel so exhausted at night right now, and then there is Skyrim to think about. :) Currently, what I am trying to learn is how to make custom garments without having the person present for sizing and adjustments. This might sound trivial, but making clothes for someone else, at a distance, and making them well, is very difficult. As is making a custom pattern piece. I'll be starting, lazily, with a swing dress for a friend in St. Louis and then a medieval gown for a friend in Florida. Who knows how long it may take to produce these items, but I have warned my friends that even when "finished" they may not fit, and I'll have to remake them. If I can perfect women's clothing, I'll start on men's. Right now I need to get my skill up for non-custom men's clothing, since I have done little to no sewing for John. I know, I'm bad, and I really need to ramp up the sewing for him. He wants vests, an 1800's suit, and modern button down shirts, since the going price for the kind he likes are $30-50 each, which is ridiculous for what goes into them.
As I mentioned above, I am obsessively playing Skyrim, and loving it. I swear I play games backwards, since I am getting to be high level, and I just now managed to get to High Hrothgar. Sad really. In the process I killed about 6 dragons, and a couple blood dragons. In Oblivion I did nearly everything possible, including became the Grey Fox and the head of the Dark Brotherhood, before I turned in the Amulet of Kings to the priest in Cheydinhal.
I've been bad about diet and exercise lately, and by diet I don't mean starving oneself or Adkins, I mean diet as in what I eat. I have been eating crap lately, hot dogs, pizza, and ick. While I walk to work everyday, I still don't get good cardio-exercise or toning. So, I need to make the effort to run a few nights a week, and do little exercises around the house like I discussed in a previous post. I also need to just make three meals at a time, and just eat on that for awhile, then make more when about 1 meal is left, because when I come home I am starving, then I just eat whatever is easiest instead of cooking a meal, which takes an hour + with me. Last night we made venison chili, yummy. Tonight, even though we have tons of food left, I might make a tofu basil curry, which is in my repertoire of common recipes. My major attempt lately is to eat more fruits and vegetables, and a lot less meat. I say that after writing about venison chili, but several things there...1. I reduce the amount of meat any recipe states, especially lately, both for cost, and health reasons, 2. I know exactly where my meat came from, and it definitely has no hormones, no antibiotics, no crazy injections, additives (like some glues they put in ground meat), etc. This is 100% grass-fed, free range, cruelty free meat. The animal didn't suffer a bit, as John takes one-shot kills only. No chasing the hurt and dieing animal through the woods while it bleeds and suffers; nope, one-shot, never feels it, drops where it was standing.
On a girly note, I am always looking to improve my wardrobe, and I am in love with Oxford shoes for women. My mom offered to buy me the pair I want, for my birthday, but I feel bad, and I want her to save her money for medical expenses, etc. The shoes are too expensive, and I don't know if I can spend my parent's money, it makes me uncomfortable. The Oxfords are here, in black, or see below. I'm also in love with the tights, skirt, and sweater kind of look. As for my hair, I've been trying to learn new braiding styles, and up-does, as well as makeup techniques. Since I've been with John I am such a girl. Besides, my mother keeps me stocked with high quality MAC makeup... ♥ my mother.
Life is going pretty well in general. Tonight is finally the night I make toothpaste and deodorant, as we are almost out of both. Woo hoo, less chemicals poisoning my body! Besides, I think making your own is fun, and once the cleaning chemicals are gone, you better bet I will be making my own. I guess that is just more incentive for me to clean the house more than I already do, so that I can have nice lemon, eucalyptus, or lavender smelling cleaning products that work just as well as Comet, Bleach, etc.
In the townhouse, while we have a small patio and a very small front area with grass, I haven't started to grow anything. First of all, it is getting cold, and lastly, I've been lazy. Since College Station isn't the last stop in our lives, I don't want to grow anything too big, so I think I will stick to potted mint, Aloe Vera, and things of that nature.
Lastly, I will be getting a new piercing in December, an industrial. This will add to my belly button piercing, my cartilage, my tragus, and my 4 normal earring piercings (2 in each ear). I'm saving for the lovely tattoo I featured awhile back, and I now have the artwork in hand from the original artist. Yea!
Until next time, fearless readers...
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