Family - give me more

Visited my Uncle Ben (whom I haven't seen in 13ish years) his wife - Aunt Robin and his two sons, my cousins Jesse and Thom (and Jesse's girlfriend Lauren). I got there at 1:45 and left at 7pm. We spent five hours laughing and talking. As I was leaving it struck me how lucky I am. I always missed strong family connections growing up and in the past year have been blessed to realize it isn't ever too late. Uncle Ben is easily accessible by public transportation (only 13 dollars round trip and under 2 hours from my door to his), I LOVE my cousins, he served great red wine, Robin was incredibly warm and welcoming, and their dogs are super cute. But no treadmill. I guess their thoughtful consideration of my vegan diet, hilarity, and kindness will just have to suffice.

I still haven't worked out. ARGH!!!! I'm moodier, less energetic, even less organized, not to mention insecure and whiny. I had a very strategic plan for working out today and somehow ended up making pumpkin muffins instead. But I've been reading the Run with Dogs blog which is motivating and causes me to feel shame. I will run tomorrow. I will!!!! (unless I talk myself out of it - which I easily allow the frigid temps to do). I tried to emmulate my DC running group that originated with a craigslist posting but the results were disastarous. I never met up with the two people that responded but the one chick ended up being PSYCHO and sending me rambling tirades calling me stupid, harsh, attitudey, and a princess (even though she never met me). Ahhh...the joys of craigslist.



My sassy Saturday night was shopping at Harvest Coop in Cambridge. It took me 8 minutes to get there on the 64, but over an hour an half to get back. Bus schedules are like men - can't figure them out and just when you think you have - they change on you...with no notice. I spent over NINETY dollars at the grocery store. How do I do that????? Well....I buy things like a small bag of $6 vital wheat gluten because once I walk through the grocery store doors I enter a state of delusion. All the vegan organic products transport me to a fantasy world where I am going to made homemade seitan. It isn't until I am dragging the seriously heavy bags home that reality hits me, I won't. In my defense I bought cleaning supplies and vitamins.

I'm Back

Whoa - that was a LONG break. One day just turned into the next which turned into a month - with no photos and no energy. But about 6 people have told me that this blog is how they keep track of me, and I love to write and talk about me, so why not??? So for those 6 people, this one's for you!

Let's try this format....5 thoughts at a time: fitness, my adopted city, food, free time, and faith.

- I haven't worked out consistently since I moved to Boston. I am working out about 1x a week and eating way too much. I did take one class (and sign up for 20 more classes) of women's boxing at Boston Boxing. It will take me about another week to make it to class again because of work (and I work the least in the office). Even though I've only gained 3 pounds I feel like a beached whale. Myself and some coworkers signed up for a 5 mile run in Jamaica Plains on April 13th. Lets see...

- Boston was recently voted an very green/environmentally friendly city. But my biggest pet peeve is that the T (subway) is LITERED with the free newspapers, Boston Now and Metro, that are distributed every morning. There is NO recycling at any stations. So annoying. I guess there was some talk of MBTA (they run the subway) of recycling more - but that was back in 2006 and ain't nothing happened!

- I ordred the 27 dollar box of produce from Boston Organics and my first delivery was this week. Since one of my New Year's Resolutions is to eat 5-7 servings of fruits and veggies a day I thought this was a great idea. It's not - not nearly enough produce. So then I thought of buying a CSA (community supported agriculture - you buy a share of a local farm and get a weekly produce box). I was thinking about Parker Farm but then I read he doesn't have orchards and grows a lot of fennel. I hate fennel. What is an incredibly lazy but caring girl to do?

-I get about ten tv stations and still waste too much time watching tv. I got home today and after eating way too much (a falafel sandwhich, vegetarian vegetable soup, and loads of dry rice chex cereal) I proceeded to watch Two and a Half Men (disgustingly horrible and cliche), Jeopardy (I hate when contestants select 1600 and don't start at the top of the category), and Medical Mysteries on ABC - which was fear inducing and cringe worthy. Why do I do this to myself?

- It is Lent. My prayer life sucks. I'm not volunteering anywhere. I tell myself I'm going to fast every Wednesday and I only last until about 6pm. Ugh. double ugh. Not to mention I went from being surrounded by bible thumping craddle Catholics last year to progressive aetheist/agnostic coworkers this year that warily treat people of faith as just a little bit slow and seriously unenlightened. triple ugh. I've been asking myself a lot lately why I am Catholic - I don't believe homosexuality is wrong, I won't picket at abortion clinics, and I'm often ashamed of the church's stance on issues (especially historically). What I wouldn't give (sometimes) to be a straight forward liberal, unencumbered by faith. If only I didn't believe in the real presence of the eucharist (which I haven't taken for MONTHS), the importance of Mary, the reverence of saints, the holy trinity. Then....then I could be Unitarian or nondenominational. If only~

I blame the 6 inches of snow on my bahhumbug mood.