Coughing, Coughing, Coughing -- Enuf Already

It's no fun being sick.  I developed a cough and sore throat this past Sunday, and it's been downhill ever since.  Coughing incessantly, sore throat, energy is TANKED, and major brain fog.  Sucking down cough drops all morning long yesterday, trying to make it through a deposition without being disruptive (it's rather difficult covering your mouth to cough when your hands are busy).  Focusing was inordinately challenging!



Yesterday was SUCH a beautiful day -- I wanted desperately to be able to enjoy that weather and go for a run.  Exercise has been out of the question these past few days.  The mind is willing, but the flesh is oh-so-weak.

Run its course, already.  Please. 

I've gone to bed early every night this week, and I'm feeling lazier by the minute.  I'm going for a morning walk in a few minutes.  The morning air may (or may not) do me some good.  At least I can PRETEND to enjoy it. 

I haven't been to the gym to lift since last Friday, and it was not a good workout since I was quite depleted after a full week of low carbs.  My body could use some good nutrition, no doubt, and I've tried to eat as healthy as I can this week, adding fruits and vegetables to my otherwise lower carb menus.  Lots of fluids.  Lots of green tea. 

Guess I'll have to just wait this one out.  But I'm not a patient person, especially when it means putting the skids on exercise.

Hoping for a better day.

Safe Journey - Tron Syversen

No
words
necessary.

Music                                  

and                  

images

that take my breath......                   

                      

                            .......away.

Happy Birthday, Oreo!

The Oreo turns 100 today.  One hundred years of yummy goodness. 

I can remember growing up with Oreos.  Loved dipping them in milk, waiting until just the right amount of sogginess, then letting them dissolve into my mouth.  That was MY favorite way of eating them.

I never much liked twisting them open first.  I preferred the BLEND of the two flavors together.

A little black, a little white.  A perfect marriage of sweetness.

I liked stacking them, seeing how many I could stack before they'd fall over.




How has the Oreo impacted my world?

Well, I can remember their comforting me in my misery while lying in the bathtub, covered to my neck in an oatmeal and Aveeno bath, suffering from a horrible outbreak of adult chickenpox while seven months pregnant.  (There wasn't an inch of my body, it seems, that wasn't covered in itchy, stinging, oozing chicken pox!) 

I was miserable, and the only way that I felt comfortable was covered to my neck in an Aveeno bath.  I distinctly remember laying there, eating Oreo after Oreo -- yes, while in the bathtub -- worrying myself to death over what effect my chickenpox might have on my unborn child. (My doctor gently informed me that a baby could potentially be born blind if the mother was infected with chickenpox during pregnancy!) *

Oreo after Oreo, crunch after crunch, until alas they were all gone.

I had eaten the entire bag.  All.By.Myself.

Calories were the least of my concerns.

(* Incidentally, my son was born with perfect eyesight, Praise the Lord!  It was my first question, as soon as I gave birth in the delivery room, "Can he see?  Can he see!"  And everyone assured me he was as healthy as can be -- and continues to be to this day. )

I remember mushing them up in vanilla ice cream as a kid.  Later...the "Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard" is born.

Since then I have discovered the recipe for infamous Dirt Balls made with Oreos, cream cheese, and coated in chocolate.  Always a huge hit at any party, and my son's favorite dessert at Christmas.

It's odd that Oreos are one of the most popular cookies in the world, with over 95 million sold every day, yet no one seems to know where they came from or how they got their name.

Alas, the long forgotten history of the cookie boasting the most significant reputation all across world.

Oreo Lovers Unite. 

Long Live the Oreo.

WHOA! --- I FEEEEEEEEL ... (embarrassed)

So just as everyone bowed their heads to pray in church this morning,
suddenly,
abruptly,
in the reverent stillness a blast is heard --

  Out of Sight The Very Best of James Brown I Got You I Feel Good by James Brown @ ARTISTdirect.com



... embarrassed beyond words, I began hastily scrambling and fumbling in my purse for my cell phone...



PUH-LEEZE!  Of all places for this to happen.  I had left the house, having forgotten to silence the sound settings before the service began.

The outbreak of surrounding snickering was deafening to my ears,
as I finally managed to engage the SILENT setting
and then began slinking further and further down into my pew.

I'm sure it left an indelible impression with my fellow church members.

Girlfriend Fix

"Pizza is a lot like sex.

When it's good, it's really good.

When it's bad, it's still pretty good."

Why is it that pizza doesn't photograph well?  I mean, seriously.  When you are staring at a warm pizza straight out of the oven, smack dab in front of you, it's Christmas Morning.  Bells and whistles and choruses of angels...You are looking at a masterpiece.

But snap a picture of that sucker and try to relive those feelings later?  Nah.  Ain't gonna happen.  It's a serious letdown.  Unlike movie stars and celebrities, pizzas are not photogenic.

I am headed out today for a shopping day trip with two of my girlfriends that I rarely see since making our move about ten years ago.  They're the kind of friends that you can pick up the phone after months of months of not talking and begin in the middle of a sentence and no one misses a beat.  We pick up right where we left off.

We'll be shopping throughout the day downtown, then we're headed to Pies & Pints (their choice, they can't wait to try it!) for pizza and beer.  Their best seller is their Chicken Gouda pizza.  OMG.  My taste buds are working overtime already.  AND today is my high carb day.  I've been rather low carb all week, trying to shake up my metabolism to drop a few pounds, and after all the lifting and cardio from this past week, my body is starting to shutdown.  I can always tell when it's time for a refeed.  Or a cheat meal. 

Can you say: 

RESET?

And what better way to do it than with Chicken Gouda Pizza from Pies & Pints, after spending the day shopping with girlfriends.

Can't wait...Bring on the day!

Here's to lifelong friendships

.

"There are not many things in life so beautiful as true friendship,

and not many things more uncommon."

Hermit Blogger In the Spotlight

It's no secret that I'm quite the hermit when it comes to blogging.  

In fact, my blog breaks the "blogger rules" as blogs typically go.  

Or so it seems.

I don't do widgets (much). 

I don't campaign.  I don't do much hyperlinking.

My blog is basically just my little corner of the internet 

where I choose to "unload."  

And if there are other people who happen to wander 

into my little corner of the world, 

that's great.  

I welcome visitors.  The more the merrier.  

I'm a bit of a mystery, figuratively and literally.  I deviate at times.

So in followup to my last blog entry where

I answered questions from another blogger who tagged me to play "The Question Game," 

I will be posting MY questions to Deborah (because she started it)...



... and also posting my questions openly.  (Oh, no, I've already broken the rules!)  Whoever happens into my blog and WANTS to play (the question game), that TOTALLY works for me.  

This is my version of: 

Play It Forward

The Rules Are:

1. You must post the rules.
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post. (isn't this one redundant?)
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4. Tag eleven bloggers, however, you can break the rules and tag fewer people if you want.
5. Let them know you've tagged them!
6. Have fun!

I've already answered Deborah's questions in my last post.  

Now I'll list eleven fun facts about myself, followed by my questions to Deborah, et al...

...well, here's a long list, so it's actually more than eleven, because, well, I'm just more fun than a barrell of monkeys!

Morning person or late night person?

Do you look people in the eye when you are talking to them?

How old were you in your first serious relationship?

Favorite genre of music?

Christmas lights:  white or colored?

First physical characteristic or attribute you notice about the opposite sex?

Where do you want to retire?

Where do you want to travel to most?

Do you believe in instant chemistry between two people?

Predictable or spontaneous?

What do you like on your pizza?

So, What's YOUR Question?

Interesting.  I've just discovered that I'm being interviewed.  Well, sort of.  I'm usually the one RECORDING the questions and answers.  Now I'M the one GIVING the answers.

It appears I've been tagged by my sweet-n-funny friend and blogger, Deborah~~~who it seems I have known for years but have unfortunately never met in person~~~to answer a list of questions directed to other lucky bloggers whom she has chosen to interview.  And after answering HER questions, I'm to PLAY IT FORWARD.

Hmm.  Okay.  This should be fun.  (I'm a game lover, and I'm frankly tired of proofreading right now and desperately need a break!)

The Rules Are:

1. You must post the rules.
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post. (isn't this one redundant?)
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4. Tag eleven bloggers, however, you can break the rules and tag fewer people if you want.
5. Let them know you've tagged them!
6. Have fun!

These are the questions that Deborah is sending out to her tagees:

1. Left or right handed? -- Right  

2.  Introvert or extrovert? - Introvert, with bursts of extrovert

     3.  Dog or cat?  - Dog

4.  Coffee or tea?  - Coffee preferably, but I drink a shit load of green tea
 
5.  Cream or black?  - Cream

6.  Carnivore or vegetarian?  - oh, Deborah, really?  Carnivore

7.  Stairs or escalator? - Stairs if they're beside the escalator

8.  Shopper or buyer?  - Shopper

9.  Dancer or drinker?  {you know, at the clubs, heh} - Um, dancer that drinks?

10.  Car singer or car dancer?  - Car singer

11.  Naked or jammies?  -    Neither, but as very little as possible.  (I live with all men and I'm a modest type, always having feared they'd walk in on me one morning and find me asleep in the nude!)


Now.  For my list to others...this may take some creative thinking. 

Stay tuned...