just a little ice cream…all the time please

Lately, my fat kid self has been coming out and I need to get a handle on it.  This week, I’ve managed to get the gym every day even if my cardio is less than superior.  I’m hoping that putting this out in the universe will help motivate me to get back on track.

It should be a NO BRAINER!  I know how awful I feel when I’m not doing 110% at the gym and when I make dessert the fourth meal or only meal on a daily basis.  C’mon lady, get it together!

Okay, I feel better already.    I’m not going to beat myself up if I slip (and no one out there should either!) but I’m going to focus on eating for health and energy and leave the fun eating for when it is appropriate.  I don’t work out just to let it go down the drain and I won’t blame it on the crappy weather. 

Forecast for the remainder of the week: Sunny

just a little over-eating

This weekend was certainly one of gluttony and tummy aches, but on a positive not it was a weekend of fabulous food from home-cooked Italian to eye-stuffing buffet in the San Diego sun.  I found my new favorite breakfast place called The Cottage, where I will be hosting my very good girl friend’s baby shower.  Not only do I want to own this restaurant but the little “cottage” is so adorable that I long to live in it.  Next time, I promise pictures.

There were certainly moments where the thought of the gym scurried across my brain, however it was much too quick of a thought for me this weekend because I couldn’t catch up with it.  The most walking I managed to do was to take Geneviève up to the post office so I could mail the baby shower invitations and then when my cousin and I took her to the Cove and check out a classic car show.

It’s Monday; I’m a little sad that it is all over, but then again I need to get to the gym sometime.  This weekend will come.

just a little basket of chocolategasm

I have for a long time now been wanting an ice cream maker as ice cream is in fact my favorite dessert.  Although  having been somewhat of a chubby child and believing ice cream every night before bed was the best idea, as an adult, staved off the idea of buying an ice cream maker for fear of becoming a repeat offender.  However, due to a recent gift of sheer awesomeness, it appears that this purchase is going to be inevitable. 

I have yet to put it all away...it is just so wonderful...

just a little list of favourite things

I haven’t listened to many Christmas carols/songs this year outside of the bustling malls and stores, but for whatever reason I was thinking about the song My Favorite Things.  (Maybe it was because I was thinking how I enjoyed the Wizard of Oz more than the Sound of Music growing up.)  The song used to play on a Christmas disc that my mother had although I don’t recall it being an all together Christmassy song. 

In any case, this morning I felt inspired to write a list, in no particular order, about things that were my favourites…or at least things that I like a whole, whole lot!

-  Finish reading a book in one day

-  Late night telephone conversations about nothing in particular

-  Walking Geneviève in the early morning sunlight

-  Listening to rain and knowing I don’t have to get up any time soon

-  Writing in cafés

-  Eating outside

-  Road trips

-  Soft, wet kisses

-  My chocolate chip cookie dough

-  Cinnamon in my coffee

-  Gooey cinnamon rolls

-  Walking on piers

-  Listening to little French children speak

-  A pen that writes well

-  New notebooks

-  Making someone laugh with me not at me

-  Old couples holding hands

-  Standing ovations

-  Fresh cut flowers

-  Cracking open whole crab

-  Sound of jets

-  Book stores

-  Burying my feet in the sand

-  Dark chocolate

-  Pretty notecards

-  New gym clothes

-  Blogging ;p

just a little clock ticking

I truly wish I had some spare time, regular time, over time, double time, crunch time to play in my virtual playground here…but I in due time I will.

just a little pumpkin

just a little muffin

Something about pumpkin makes me really happy.  I’ve been enjoying seeing it come in all forms lately on the menu. 

 Recently I got a recipe off of Cooks.com since it looked rather easy and changed it up just a smidgen for my own taste and made mini chocolate chip pumpkin muffins. 

 

I had a big can of pumpkin in the cupboard that has been staring up at me and begging to be used.  I hadn’t had time in the morning to whip up some pumpkin waffles, but I did have time the other night to make these pop-able petite muffins for my co-workers.

 

Since I am always being inspired by the recipes I find by bloggers, I figured I better lend myself and recipe to the audience of others so that they can improve upon it as well.

 

This is what the recipe turned out to be in the end.  I apologize for not being precise, but I kinda just pour, throw in and say “Yeah, that looks good to me.”

 

1 2/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tbsp (at least!) of cinnamon ( I like a lot)

2 tbsp (I think) of unsweetened Cocoa (I used Ghirardelli’s)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup plain pumpkin (half of 1 lb. can)
1/2 c. (1 stick) melted butter
semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used close to a whole bag so I have no idea how much that is!)

 

In any case, my co-workers said they were “Really, VERY good.”

 

 

just a little peanut butter kind of love

Something brief today, but it made me smile thinking about it as I made my afternoon snack:

Peanut Butter.  Love is like good peanut butter: sweet, salty, you have to stir it up, and when you take a big bite it leaves you a bit speechless.

 

just some college memories

I was reminiscing about my college days which at the time seemed a lot more desolate and desperate than I view them now.  Now, I dream about going to back to school.  Now, I think about how oddly I had more time then than I do know to pursue other things and even more serious than that was that the hope that you have in school.  Anything is possible still.  Once you leave, at least for me, that mentality is harder to hang on to but certainly not impossible.  The problem with reminiscing is that I inevitably think of my current life and lifestyle and have to fight off the urge to compare rather than enjoy the memory.

What did I love best about college?  Definitely the learning part and I’m not being sarcastic.  It is the kind of thing I know not everyone understands but that I hope that everyone would.  I’m an avid exerciser (is that a word?) and for me reading, writing, applying it is all exercise for my brain and I’ve never been someone to do something half-assed.  I suppose that is why not continuing to get my Master’s and PHD is a bit bothersome to me–BUT, there I go again…get back to the memory.

I certainly didn’t LOVE the food and that was clear with the vanishing waistline I had in contrast to the Freshmen 15.  However, when I look at my diet, I can say I probably never ate better.  This is also when I really discovered that I absolutely loved cereal.  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner if there wasn’t something else edible at the cafeteria or I had my fill of grilled chicken sandwiches, there was CEREAL.

Not just any cereal, there was half of a wall stacked with cereal boxes from which I obsessively chose a box that was either unopened or had minimal amounts consumed (less cereal users).  Non-fat milk  up until this point was sacrilegious when compared to the 2% variety.  But in cereal, is 2% really necessary?  The harder change was to get over my childish impulse to spoon white sugar over my cereal.  I still had to have at least one spoonful over my beloved Wheaties.

Other than that it was the salad and sandwich bar for me.  Occasionally there was a toasted bagel with cream cheese but that was really hit or miss.  If I had an early morning with more time I always treated myself to Belgian waffles if the irons didn’t look a mess.  Okay, that wasn’t EVERYTHING I ate.  I nearly had an ice cream cone or Carnation cup everyday because otherwise I’m pretty sure I would have fallen over dead at the gym.  So let this be a lesson–a scoop of ice cream a day can save your life!

Anyway, while I was laying in bed it was clear to me that college gave me more than an education and somewhat decent eating habits.  It was a good time and it gave me hope that it wouldn’t be the last best time of my life.  Interesting how things that seem difficult at the time when looked up are the things that end up making me smile…maybe not all of those memories…but a lot and there’s hope for more in the future.

Now to get a scoop of ice cream.

just a little i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t

It is popular belief that every parent wants a better life for their children; that whatever struggles they went through will not be repeated in the lives of their sons and daughters; that some how, some way they raised these little rascals up to be able to learn from others’ mistakes.  Whether it is nurture, nature, or some inner/innate/aged soul within me, I’ve managed to make some progress for the better during this quarter-life crisis.

I don’t know if it is true with everybody, but I do know that it is for most people–We are our worst critics.  I have always had the mentality that if you shoot for the moon you will end up amongst the stars.  Now I understand that the concept of that saying is supposed to be understood as: if you don’t make your mark, you’ll get close to it.  However, we all know that stars are much further than our moon, but hey, maybe the real meaning behind the euphemism is that if you shoot for your Moon, you might even surprise yourself and go beyond it.  Who knows, right?  I just know I’m still shooting away.  For me, I still believe that I will have my beautiful beach castle with an amazing kitchen fit for a French chef and bathrooms that put spa resorts to shame.   I’ll have several best-sellers published, book signings lined up, airline tickets booked, stamps in my passport, and did I mention the most comfortable shoulder to rest on each step of the way?  Reasonable goals; I’m convinced.

I’ve just made a sizeable purchase, something that has been dubbed “a good investment.”  As much as I feel proud of myself, it still feels bittersweet and I’m not sure why.  My friends have been so kind in their congratulations and support, but something feels missing.  Is it because I’m not moving in?  Is it because I’m doing this alone?  I don’t know.

At this point, I understand that nothing goes quite as planned but also that it usually does turn out for the better.  I mean really?  Back in high school, all of my friends were positive we’d own a block in La Jolla and have a motorcycle gang as well as all own the same color Mustang GT.  How’s that for a plan?  But I also thought I would be famous before I turned 18; I would practice acceptance speeches in the bathroom mirror.  Right now, I am going to need to give myself credit for an ordinary accomplishment instead.

just a little bit of fall

It takes a great big push from Mother Nature to get Fall rolling in Southern California.  September, my birth month, getting back to school, the last summer weekends, has definitely rolled on past me this year.  I have mixed feelings about it and contrary to previous years I’m ready for sweaters, soups, movie nights, and those lovely activities that make cold nights irresistable.

Chillier weather also means more time indoors and more time to write without being distracted.  I have more photos than I know what to do with now when before I had every intention of creating a blog entry for each.  Then there’s the novel.  If it were a quilt, the patches could be found in every corner of my room waiting to be stitched into a cohesive pattern.  I would also like to do a few short stories inspired by some great art seen on fellow bloggers’ sites.  I’m looking forward to my hand cramping and knuckles being sore from all the writing.

It is a bit funny that I’m discussing all the low temperatures when we’re currently experiencing beautiful sunshine and pending santa ana.  I may have to plan a trip to the beach with Saint Geneviève who thoroughly enjoys the feeling of coarse sand underfoot.  Despite the city’s stubbornness to Mother Nature, I can feel it change. 

The mornings inspire me to bury my nose longer into my pillow.  The dew builds into a fog over the park near the apartment.  I find myself looking for mischief in the shadows.  Perhaps I’m sensitive to it all because I feel myself changing.  I don’t want to say it is me getting older or even growing up–it’s something else.  Getting smarter maybe, no, that would require more reading time than I’ve had lately…more experienced?  It isn’t a transformation; I’m not a butterfly.  If anything, it is slow like a chameleon and I’m finding my colors change as my circumstances and life changes around me.

Like anyone else, there are so many things I want to do, to see, to live through and hardly enough time to do it all.  I have always thought I had excellent time management skills.  Recently, I feel I may need to reassess that. 

It’s time to find home.