Kitchen Aids

Some of you might know I used to have a paleo blog back in my Fresno days. Well today, I'm neither in Fresno nor am I really paleo but I had sort of revelation I wanted to share. Trust me, my writings are quite entertaining and easy to relate to.

I rolled out of bed this afternoon (don't judge) and did what I normally do. I hammered through all the cabinets in the kitchen, starred in the fridge, then stood at a standstill asking myself the golden question "what to eat?" After my kitchen parade, I sit down on the couch and grab my computer. "I'll just order delivery!" Which in my head is PIZZA. "Which pizza place should I order from?" "Maybe I'll get chinese" "I could just run to safeway and get a stuft crust" A dozen websites later I decided to bombard the kitchen again, hoping my magical meal has somehow made its way into my fridge. It hasn't. I stare at Atom's loaf of country buttermilk bread. All ingredients I'm a fan of. Butter, milk, bread, not so much country but you can't be perfect. "I'll make a bacon grilled cheese!" Only one piece of cheese. "PB&J!" Too sweet. "Ramen" Had it last night. I finally enter a stare down with a couple of sweet potatoes and we decided to tango. I cut and boil them, grab a couple of pieces of bacon from the fridge, 3 eggs and a big ol handful of spinach. 10 minutes later I've made myself a pretty healthy (mega paleo) meal.

I've been in m apartment since June and it's the first time in over 4 years I haven't had any roommates, excluding the ball and chain. When I moved in, I told myself I wouldn't buy any pre made processed foods and I've pretty much stuck to it. (The ramen was a moment of weakness) In my house, you have to cook to eat. Then it really dawned on me. I can give myself all the credit I want about only keeping fresh food in the house but you know who the real hero is? The microwave. Why? Because I don't have one. Yup, you heard me. NO MICROWAVE! Was I that intuitive in my healthy lifestyle planning? Fuck no, my kitchen is TINY and I only have one set of outlets. It was battle of epic proportions between a microwave and my toaster over. Victory toaster oven.

I'm not saying go burn your bra's and microwaves, although let me know if you do, I'd love to watch. But plant yourself those little life seeds and see how they grow. Cancel your cable for a month, get a water instead of soda, drink coors light instead of coors original, whatever. It's the small efforts you make everyday which will help you make the decisions you've always wanted to, but never had the confidence to do it.

This is my grandma Nolan. So wise, so noble. And come to think of it, she doesn't have a microwave either..

Jump in the river or get in the car

So while getting down on some tai chi this morning with one of my clients, he brought up the paleo diet. Now, I stop and say to my self "hold on. This isn't just a diet. It's not the Atkins diet, its not the lose 25 pounds in 25 days diet. It's a lifestyle. At least it should be, right? We are looking better, feeling better, so why would we revert back to the eating habits of the old? It reminded me of a story I heard about a town in Egypt, where every summer, the parents would let the children swim in a known infested river. The kids would mainly come out with eye infections which would leave them blinded for a couple of hours. We think "Call CPS! They are putting their children in harms way!" And when an American reporter asked one of the residents why he let his children swim in a river when he knew, 100% everytime they would becaome ill, the resident responded with this question "Why do you drive?" The stunned American reporter replied "well, how else would I get around?" The resident then said "Americans are killed more in car accidents than any other sickness or disease in the world, but you still choose to drive. My children just want to go swimming and have fun with their friends. If it means they have to be sick for a few hours, fine. You choose to risk your life everytime you get in your car, and involuntary subject your children to accompany you. My children have a choice." Pretty powerful if you ask me. So why do we voluntary subject ourselves to looking and feeling like shit? When we eat right, we feel good, when we feel good we look even better. But we choose to get in the car, go to the drive thru, eat the last piece of cake, drink the 12 pack of beer. So how do we stop those urges? I'll tell you. CHEAT DAY! Yup, you can have one, but only one. Why? First off, it gives you something to look forward to. Like I said before, I will never give up pizza, but I won't eat it everyday. Secondly, it will prevent you from binge eating or snacking. Thinking that you will never have a reeses peanut butter cup ever again will lead to the temptation to snack. Having a cheat day let's you put it in your foodbank. And finally, the hangover. The sickness you will feel the next day will bring you back to reality and back on track. Will you do it again? Most likely. But's your choice. Jump in the river or get in the car.

Jumping in...head first & blind folded

So I recently went through probably the quickest hiring process known to man. After a 5 day process, I'm now moving 160~ miles away, with only a couch to sleep on, no job for my husband and a dream job at a growing company. It was fast. REALLY FAST. But I now realize that was the only way I was going to move up and out of Fresno.

Two years ago Atom said "Let's move to Portland!"
1) I don't just "move" to places I've never visited.
2) The thought of rain 70% of the year mentally ties a noose out of my shoe laces

I told Atom to plan a trip to Portland so we could go check it out. Two years later, have I visited Portland? Nope.

After an epic Sunday in San Francisco (Football Giants>49ers), we discussed the possibility of moving up north. Atom would find a non union job, I could train at my friends gym and get a bar job, Steve would help us find a cheap place, all great ideas. On a whim, I messaged my friend Jill who works for Lululemon (www.lululemon.com) and asked her if there was any position open up north. She pointed me to their online application site so I thought "What the hell!" The questions were snazzy. "Who would you high five and why?" and "how do you like to sweat?" I answered them all honestly on a cold thursday night. Friday morning, I receive an email for a group interview monday morning in Walnut Creek. "Holy shit! That was quick!" I soon after phoned my friend Jess, asking her if I could plop on her couch Sunday night. She obviously said yes.

"I have to get this job now. This is too good to be true."

Group interview: Now mind you, I've never had a job I didn't get by reference. Basically, I've only interviewed. I've never BEEN interviewed. I'm not gonna lie, I would've picked me. As a matter of fact, I picked the top three that moved onto the interview with the store manager. Which also went amazingly well until she informed me I had to attend Run Club to get to know other members of the team. Just what I wanna do. Run three miles for a job. But I did it. And Wednesday night at Groggs, I got the call saying I was hired.

So now it's real. Atom would stay in Fresno until he found work up north and we figured out a living situation. I can tell he's nervous. He always worries. But this was the only way it could be. Hard and fast. We moved slow for too long and it got us no where. Now we are jumping in, head first and blind folded, into a pool of hopefully rainbows and unicorns. Not concrete and nails.

Picture of the Day!

I will try and post a random picture every time I blog. Randomness is fun! Right??

This would be the rice crispy treat my mom made me the last time the Giants won the super bowl. Can your mom do that? Didn't think so.