Quick Takes

aka  venting

I went to the gym today for the first time in a month.  I didn't do so bad.  2 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes easy work on the stationary bike, and about 15 minutes on the treadmill.  This is about half of where I was before holidays, work, sickness, etc.  Evidently my feet and shoes disagree with both the elliptical and the stationary bike.  No idea why.  I could walk/jog on the treadmill as long as I want, even after the other, but the bike especially kills my feet.  Not my ass.  I can sit on the damn thing as long as I want.  Grr.

Gym was busy.  All the treadmills were busy when I came in, hence the attempt at the elliptical until my feet protested.

My new iPod sucks battery-wise.  Guess I will need to charge it every day that I go to the gym.  Grr again.

Anyway, the awesome Armenian grocery store is across the street, and so I took my aching feet across to the store for a quick veggie run (they have a HUGE fruit and veg section, and way cheap).  Where I decided to park in an open handicapped space near the door (yes, people, I DO have a blue placard.  Doctor Awesome gave it to me 3 years ago).  My feet are killing me, and I just need to hobble through the veggie section.  So I pull in and this lady standing by the door starts telling me to back up.  I'm like WHAT?  She says "No, no, I am saving this".  I said, "sorry lady, My car's already in the space, and you can't just save a parking place in a lot that's this busy.".  So she moves and and get out of the car.  Then she says "But you're not disabled."

I hit the fucking roof. 

I may not be in a wheelchair, and I may look like the only thing wrong with me is some extra flubber, but I assure you, the pain and weakness I feel is real.  It may seem ironic to some that I just left the gym, but at that moment, I need to NOT have to limp across the parking lot.  She started whining to anyone who would listen, but the truth of the matter is that I was in pain, and I could give a shit.  So I asked her, "Ever heard of Rheumatoid Arthritis?  Look it up." and walked into the store.  Last I saw, she was still complaining. She's lucky she was old.  If she wasn't I might have been rude.

Ok, maybe that wasn't quick. The rest will be shorter.

I got leeks today.  I rarely do, as they are often too expensive, but these were lovely and huge and fresh, and they smell AWESOME. However, they are also TOO BIG for the veggie drawer.  Good thing I plan on making this tonight (but with broccoli instead of aspargus, since the aspergrass at the store was too thick for me). Doesn't that look tasty?  Probably serve it alongside buffalo burger patties unless hubs prefers no meat (my preference).

I also got zucchini and cauliflower and broccoli.  I pretty much HATE cauliflower, but I love Faux-tatoes made with cauliflower and cheese and bacon, and it is nice to add texture to cream of broccoli soup.

Been working from home today, writing my IRB protocol.  It's more nitpicky than it is difficult, but it is a pain in what SarahK refers to as my "pinkytoe".

I need lunch.  Thinking of trying that new Carl's Jr chicken walnut whatever salad.  Yes, even though Kim Kardashian is advertising it.  Sounds tasty.

I have decided that this year my new year's resolution is to keep it simple and keep focused on what's most important: my health, my family, my students, my work.  In that order.  If I have learned anything over the past year, it's that I am prone to take everything that needs to be done on to my own shoulders and let that stress me out.  I am really good at putting so much energy into work and students and all of those things that I have no energy left for the really important things, like eating healthy, cleaning the house, and making time for the gym and the pool.

Ok, enough for now.  Part II of the Decade in review later.