No, this is not another note on the nutritional benefits pertaining to whatever food I am currently obsessed with. This is one of those notes where I rant about the item I am currently perturbed with. So if you don't want to know, go back to what you were doing; UNLESS you are reading this blog on an Iphone. The notorious item of the day would be Apple. Not the literal, full of fiber and vitamin C fruit that grows in warmer climates and (pre-pesticides) is actually rather good for you; I mean the Apple that invented, among many things, the Iphone.
Today it snowed, quite a bit; not uncommon considering I live a fair distance from the equator. On my way home from the gym I had taken into consideration the present weather conditions, and committed to driving accordingly. Good thing too, because along came two moose, hop-trot-skipping across the trail known as the freaking highway of death to all creatures of nature. I noticed them. I also noticed the oncoming blue F-350 that did not notice the moose. I layid on my horn and flashed my lights, trying to get their attention. The driver, a man, looks up just in time, misses the moose by swerving towards me, misses me by over-correcting into a graciously unoccupied lane, and then is gone. I continue on.
Two seconds later it hit me: he had to look up. Facebook probably already knows this guy almost hit a moose.
There are an uncomfortably frequent number of times where I am stopped at an intersection and glance over into another car idling beside me, and see the driver on their phone. Usually an Iphone. The light turns green, and nine times out of ten the driver releases their foot from the brake before putting down their phone. And I'm like, seriously? I would love for you to run into me. I'd sue you for enough money that you would be reduced to snail mail for communication. I bet you wouldn't be writing a letter while waiting for a left turn.
Review a drivers ed course, especially the part where they talk about the wind shield and its useful function of being looked through. There should be a mandatory phone holder installed in all cars. Like a breathalyzer, you wouldn't be able to start your vehicle unless your phone was safely put away. Or perhaps phones should sense when they are moving at more than 15 mph, and lock themselves until the driver can somehow verify that they are buckled in and paying attention. There has to be an app for that.
So do everyone a favor, you apple-every-second-of-the-day-people. Please put your phones down when behind the wheel. I don't want to choke on your apple.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Mediocre Musings
A couple of things about today: this is the first week of the month of November, the month of Thanksgiving. It is a long honored tradition to remember at least one thing that you are thankful for, every single day. For most of us, if we can think of one thing, we can think of ten. There are the bigger blessings, like family, friends and freedom; and there are smaller blessings, like being able to afford comfortable clothing, and more than a meager amount of food. There are even blessings that we may never see, though we possess them: a hand of protection over our lives when we were not aware that we were even in danger; an act of kindness performed in secret by others with ourselves in mind. Some blessings we are unaware of, and some we deny exist. Regardless of what I see as good and bad in my life, regardless of what I think is beneficial, regardless of the constant lust for ‘more’, here are a few things for which I am thankful, today.
1.) I am thankful that at least twice a year, I can blame my confusion at life on Daylight savings time.
2.) I am thankful for day planners. Albeit you have to check them once in a while for them to do you any good, they are handy none the less.
3.) I am thankful for clocks. Even when every one of them says something different, and I have to Google what time it is.
4.) I am thankful for Google. Next to my mother, it is my greatest resource of common-sensical information.
5.) I am thankful for my mother; she taught me both to cook and drive. I hope that one day I am as brave as her.
6.) I am thankful for moose: in my freezer as opposed to my windshield.
7.) I am thankful for stuff that goes with everything; crocs, pumpkin, ranch dressing etc.
8.) I am thankful for the things in life that fix stuff; hugs, band aids, long runs, chocolate etc.
9.) I am thankful for kitchens without smoke alarms. It is incomparably inconvenient to stop what you’re doing and wave a magazine around at the ceiling. Though, if I had a smoke alarm, I probably wouldn’t keep forgetting my toast..
10.) I am thankful for rainy days. If they didn’t force me to take a day off every once in a while I probably wouldn’t have any knees left.
1.) I am thankful that at least twice a year, I can blame my confusion at life on Daylight savings time.
2.) I am thankful for day planners. Albeit you have to check them once in a while for them to do you any good, they are handy none the less.
3.) I am thankful for clocks. Even when every one of them says something different, and I have to Google what time it is.
4.) I am thankful for Google. Next to my mother, it is my greatest resource of common-sensical information.
5.) I am thankful for my mother; she taught me both to cook and drive. I hope that one day I am as brave as her.
6.) I am thankful for moose: in my freezer as opposed to my windshield.
7.) I am thankful for stuff that goes with everything; crocs, pumpkin, ranch dressing etc.
8.) I am thankful for the things in life that fix stuff; hugs, band aids, long runs, chocolate etc.
9.) I am thankful for kitchens without smoke alarms. It is incomparably inconvenient to stop what you’re doing and wave a magazine around at the ceiling. Though, if I had a smoke alarm, I probably wouldn’t keep forgetting my toast..
10.) I am thankful for rainy days. If they didn’t force me to take a day off every once in a while I probably wouldn’t have any knees left.
Resolution Shmezolution, what were last year's anyways?
As the holidays have come to an end, I was giving some thought today of the significance of this new year that we are just embarking upon. Different from Thanksgiving and Christmas, New Years is a time that we attempt to find ways to make it last all year. It is the motivator for the betterment of ourselves over the upcoming 365 days. It is the day we determine to purify ourselves of the gluttonous effects of the holidays, to organize our lives, to make more memories, to learn something new, etc etc.
Usually if we make a handful of resolutions, we are able to stick to maybe one, if that. And once we have broken a resolution, do we have to wait the rest of the year for another chance to start over? What progress is there in that?
As human beings we are ridiculously creative and intelligent, (for the most part), and we live in a constantly changing world. There is no way to know of the opportunities that will be gained or lost in the coming year, no way to know if our resolutions are even feasible. We leave ourselves with little room for recovery if they are not.
So this year, instead of resolving to change the little things, let us look at the bigger picture. Let us have vision. With vision, we are able to have a plan. To constantly identify goals; to consistently examine ourselves and our personal growth, and to align our aspirations to the circumstances we find ourselves in. With vision we are able to crash and burn, learn from our mistakes, and rise higher. There are several ways to meet a resolution: you can meet it exactly as you planned on last New Years, or you can meet from a standpoint of trial and error, overcoming it in the best way possible, rather than just as a task completed.
Usually if we make a handful of resolutions, we are able to stick to maybe one, if that. And once we have broken a resolution, do we have to wait the rest of the year for another chance to start over? What progress is there in that?
As human beings we are ridiculously creative and intelligent, (for the most part), and we live in a constantly changing world. There is no way to know of the opportunities that will be gained or lost in the coming year, no way to know if our resolutions are even feasible. We leave ourselves with little room for recovery if they are not.
So this year, instead of resolving to change the little things, let us look at the bigger picture. Let us have vision. With vision, we are able to have a plan. To constantly identify goals; to consistently examine ourselves and our personal growth, and to align our aspirations to the circumstances we find ourselves in. With vision we are able to crash and burn, learn from our mistakes, and rise higher. There are several ways to meet a resolution: you can meet it exactly as you planned on last New Years, or you can meet from a standpoint of trial and error, overcoming it in the best way possible, rather than just as a task completed.
Curious Conversations with Cooper
Cooper: "Plato's Closet? Really Brenna? I already an unhealthy amount about Banana Republic and your obsession with plaid."
Brenna: "Cooper, I have been to 4 gun stores in the last day." WIN
**Brenna has just spent the last 20 minutes working on a snow fort. Cooper walks up.**
Cooper: "Very nice snow fort, except it's facing the wrong direction. No one is going to attack you from the house, you'll get annihilated from the hill. It's okay, I know you don't possess a razor sharp strategic brain concerning the things of war. You're pretty cute though." FAIL
Cooper: "HAHA that guy is in drivers ed. and he just pulled up past a stop sign. Fail!!"
**Car goes and Cooper pulls up past the same stop sign**
Me: "Cooper!"
Cooper: "I'm not in drivers ed. it doesn't count!"
Me: "Well I'm not in the second grade anymore, so I think I'll spell Connecticut with a K." WIN
**Cooper is reading a magazine**
Me: "What's that?"
Cooper: "It's a Magpul blah blah blah..." (Blahs inserted for where I lost the explanation about the, what else, gun.)
Me: "For shooting Magpies?" (Me adding my natural wit and humor to the situation, since I didn't really know what was going on, and I didn't really want further explanation.)
Cooper: "Magpies!? AAH. Go away. Go Facebook or something."FAIL
Brenna: "Cooper, I have been to 4 gun stores in the last day." WIN
**Brenna has just spent the last 20 minutes working on a snow fort. Cooper walks up.**
Cooper: "Very nice snow fort, except it's facing the wrong direction. No one is going to attack you from the house, you'll get annihilated from the hill. It's okay, I know you don't possess a razor sharp strategic brain concerning the things of war. You're pretty cute though." FAIL
Cooper: "HAHA that guy is in drivers ed. and he just pulled up past a stop sign. Fail!!"
**Car goes and Cooper pulls up past the same stop sign**
Me: "Cooper!"
Cooper: "I'm not in drivers ed. it doesn't count!"
Me: "Well I'm not in the second grade anymore, so I think I'll spell Connecticut with a K." WIN
**Cooper is reading a magazine**
Me: "What's that?"
Cooper: "It's a Magpul blah blah blah..." (Blahs inserted for where I lost the explanation about the, what else, gun.)
Me: "For shooting Magpies?" (Me adding my natural wit and humor to the situation, since I didn't really know what was going on, and I didn't really want further explanation.)
Cooper: "Magpies!? AAH. Go away. Go Facebook or something."FAIL
Variety and Cinnamon: The Spice of my Life
Oddly enough, I was informed a few days ago by my personal trainer that I "run too much". As in..I don't do anything besides running, which is pretty close to true, unless you consider my coffee drinking to be in its own category of athletics. I don't think they have insurance policies specifically for the knees of an otherwise healthy person.
So today, to add some semblance of variety, I ran 3 miles at a 3% incline in 22:00, did another mile on the stair master, (I refuse to use an elliptical machine until 1, my knees actually go out; 2, I miraculously gain some supernatural form of patience; or 3, I have a grandchild). And I finished up with free weights and lots of abs and arms. Running 30m/week really doesn't give a person much in the way of biceps, odd.
I still don't think there is really such a thing as running "too much", but I realized that there may be such a thing as running unbalanced. After focusing on one muscle group for so long, the variety of the last few workouts felt amazing. Being sore for the first time in months felt like progress.
Oh, and educational tidbit of the day. Cinnamon is good for you. Like really really really good for you.
Top 10 reasons to add cinnamon to your oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, baked cooks, stews, and even chili:
1) Lower you LDL cholesterol. That means less heart attacks. That's good. Put it in oatmeal for double the benefit and you have a valid excuse to eat oatmeal for one less meal a week.
2) Cinnamon regulates blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes. That does not mean that it cancels out the 10 bazillion ounces of sugar in a cinnamon roll, sorry.
3) Cinnamon has been shown to reduce the proliferation of lymphoma and leukemia cancer cells. Less proliferation, less cancer, savvy? Imagine what it can do in terms of prevention for the cancer-free.
4) Cinnamon has an anti clotting effect on the blood. So not recommended in you have lost a limb and are rapidly bleeding out, but if you have a history of strokes in your family, sprinkle some cinnamon on your apple slices. Apples are good for you too. =)
5) Cinnamon and honey are a power couple. The benefits of these two combined would take up far too much room in my essay, so here's the most important one for people like me that are acutely aware of where their joints are: cinnamon and honey significantly relieves arthritis pain. Chai tea with cinnamon/honey? Yes please.
6) The smell of cinnamon has been shown to significantly sharpen cognitive memory function. I wouldn't recommend snorting cinnamon before a test, but baking cinnamon twists with your kids could creative better quality memories than a photo album. (No wonder pastry class was a breeze ;)
7) Cinnamon reduces both the duration and intensity of the common cold. For someone who would rather blow her nose ten thousand times than drink Theraflu, this is very handy news.
8) Cinnamon is a natural metabolism booster. Nuff said.
9) Cinnamon is believed to be a natural remedy of kidney stones. I've heard those hurt.
10) And my personal favorite...We have established that cinnamon is pretty not bad for you..we have also established that cinnamon and honey is amazing together. Add some pumpkin full of beta and alpha carotenes, vitamins A and E, fiber, potassium and magnesium and you have a darn good reason to eat pumpkin pie all year round!
So today, to add some semblance of variety, I ran 3 miles at a 3% incline in 22:00, did another mile on the stair master, (I refuse to use an elliptical machine until 1, my knees actually go out; 2, I miraculously gain some supernatural form of patience; or 3, I have a grandchild). And I finished up with free weights and lots of abs and arms. Running 30m/week really doesn't give a person much in the way of biceps, odd.
I still don't think there is really such a thing as running "too much", but I realized that there may be such a thing as running unbalanced. After focusing on one muscle group for so long, the variety of the last few workouts felt amazing. Being sore for the first time in months felt like progress.
Oh, and educational tidbit of the day. Cinnamon is good for you. Like really really really good for you.
Top 10 reasons to add cinnamon to your oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, baked cooks, stews, and even chili:
1) Lower you LDL cholesterol. That means less heart attacks. That's good. Put it in oatmeal for double the benefit and you have a valid excuse to eat oatmeal for one less meal a week.
2) Cinnamon regulates blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes. That does not mean that it cancels out the 10 bazillion ounces of sugar in a cinnamon roll, sorry.
3) Cinnamon has been shown to reduce the proliferation of lymphoma and leukemia cancer cells. Less proliferation, less cancer, savvy? Imagine what it can do in terms of prevention for the cancer-free.
4) Cinnamon has an anti clotting effect on the blood. So not recommended in you have lost a limb and are rapidly bleeding out, but if you have a history of strokes in your family, sprinkle some cinnamon on your apple slices. Apples are good for you too. =)
5) Cinnamon and honey are a power couple. The benefits of these two combined would take up far too much room in my essay, so here's the most important one for people like me that are acutely aware of where their joints are: cinnamon and honey significantly relieves arthritis pain. Chai tea with cinnamon/honey? Yes please.
6) The smell of cinnamon has been shown to significantly sharpen cognitive memory function. I wouldn't recommend snorting cinnamon before a test, but baking cinnamon twists with your kids could creative better quality memories than a photo album. (No wonder pastry class was a breeze ;)
7) Cinnamon reduces both the duration and intensity of the common cold. For someone who would rather blow her nose ten thousand times than drink Theraflu, this is very handy news.
8) Cinnamon is a natural metabolism booster. Nuff said.
9) Cinnamon is believed to be a natural remedy of kidney stones. I've heard those hurt.
10) And my personal favorite...We have established that cinnamon is pretty not bad for you..we have also established that cinnamon and honey is amazing together. Add some pumpkin full of beta and alpha carotenes, vitamins A and E, fiber, potassium and magnesium and you have a darn good reason to eat pumpkin pie all year round!
Choosing Today.
Today, I will be happy.
Not because I am blissfully unaware of the troubles that face me;
Not because I have miraculously grown the courage to overcome my fears;
Not because love has ceased to hurt, or life has gotten any better.
Today I will be happy, because
Without joy, love is choked and life ceases to be desirable.
Without joy, I am reduced to a paranoid, cowering mess.
This is not who I am.
Today, I am happy.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thoughts on the Irony of being Mugged by a Mug.
As you may have noticed from previous posts, I occasionally have a problem with the proper handling of knives, cheese graters, king crab claws and other sharp objects, not excluding my temper. My narrative today, however, borders on the ridiculous. Unlike other accidents, I was neither in a hurry, nor reaching into a place where misplaced knives may lie. There was no lack of skill nor common sense involved.
I was merely turning a mug upside down. You may deduce from the photos exactly what occured.
Among my various amputationary mistakes of the past are the following.
1.) Incorrect holding of a cheese grater.
2.) Talking while chopping.
3.) Not using the correct tomato slicer.
4.) Stupidity.
I would be much obliged if someone could please enlighten me as to the correct procedure for safely inverting a coffee mug.
I was merely turning a mug upside down. You may deduce from the photos exactly what occured.
1.) Incorrect holding of a cheese grater.
2.) Talking while chopping.
3.) Not using the correct tomato slicer.
4.) Stupidity.
I would be much obliged if someone could please enlighten me as to the correct procedure for safely inverting a coffee mug.
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