Black Friday Blues

I’ve been trying to decide if I want to hit the Black Friday sales this year, which I’ve only participated in a couple times in my life.

The first time I went with my cousin, and it was fairly spontaneous. We talked about it at Thanksgiving Dinner, and the next thing I know, I’m setting my alarm for 3 a.m. to meet her at the mall by 4 a.m. As I stood in line outside waiting for her, in northern Indiana I might add, I realized I was woefully underprepared.

Teams assembled around me strategizing about the moment the doors would open at 5 a.m. Each had a list of the things they would hunt down and rip from the hands of another shopper if necessary. My plan up to that point had included “browsing around” to see if there was anything I couldn’t live without. What a fool.

When the doors opened to this toy store an hour later, they herded all of us together like pigs heading off for slaughter, which sounded pretty good at the time. I could have used a big platter of crispy bacon.

Tag teams surrounded me and hollered from one end of the line to the other as they grabbed items off the shelf that they may not have even wanted, but “it was a good deal,” and they could always sell it to Suzy down the block and make a couple extra bucks. Is this what Christmas spirit is all about?

The path through the store wove up one aisle and down the next until it ended at the checkout. I kept thinking I would arrive to just the right thing, but the woman behind me kept pushing me forward. I think the only thing I ended up buying were a couple of those small multi-colored rubber balls that bounce really high.

I could skipped the mall, gone out to breakfast, popped a couple quarters in the gumball machines lining the front of the restaurant and gotten the same damn bouncy balls.

My blood pressure rises just thinking about the experience, but here I am contemplating it again. Maybe it is a matter that I need the experience every few years just to remind myself why I usually choose to sleep in on the morning after Thanksgiving.

I will say there seems to be a bit of a lull in the madness where you can still get some good deals. By about 7 a.m. all the crazies (no offense to any of you out there) have scooped up all the limited-quantity merchandise, but there are still some great buys before 10 a.m. as long as you don’t have to have one of the really hot items on the market.

I haven’t made a final decision. I think I’ll search the ads online and then decide. I definitely don’t want to go with Lyle. I hate shopping with him on a good day. Love him dearly, but I don’t care for his top retail choices, and I positively don’t want him following me around the stores I like. Maybe I can ask a friend and we can make a game of it, and then grab some breakfast when we’re finished. Perhaps we should skip the stores and head straight to Bob Evans.

Cranberry Apple Salad

This is so good - it doesn't even taste like salad!

If you’ve never tried fruit in a salad, you are in for a treat. It is super easy and this salad tastes like it was prepared in a restaurant.

I made it without any protein, but I usually toss a few ounces of lean meat or fish to round out the meal. Leftovers are perfect for this.

3 cups salad greens

1 cup chopped cucumber

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 small apple very coarsely chopped – leave the skin on

¼ cup artichoke hearts packed in water (optional)

Salad Dressing

2 tsp. olive oil

2 Tbs. orange champagne vinegar – I found it at Trader Joes
(or you can just use a splash of orange juice)

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. skim milk or 1 Tbs. nonfat yogurt

Italian seasoning (2 shakes should do you)

Lemon Pepper (1 shake is good)

½ tsp. Dijon

Truth be told, the only things I measure in this salad are the oil and the cranberries. The goal is tasty bulk. If you prefer other veggies in the salad, have at it. I like this combo though because it lets the sweet and tart flavors of the apple and cranberries shine. I love the Greek seasoning from Penzey’s Spices – if you use that skip the lemon pepper.

Nutrition info: approximately 274 calories, 8.7 grams of fiber, 8 grams fat (but it’s a healthy oil). For WW out there – I counted the individual points of each item: cranberries – 2 Points, apple 1Point and olive oil 2 Points.

Get With The Plan

I’ve had a good food and exercise week so far, and I want to keep it together, but there is something about today rolling around that makes me nervous. I’ve been having a really hard time on Wednesday and Thursday, and I can’t quite figure out why so I’m trying to stay on high alert.

That’s tough tonight because Russell is supposed to be studying for his end of term assessments, and all he is interested in doing is watching a movie that we picked up from the library. Tell me, did my brains ooze out through my ears? We stopped to return movies, not get more. That was a serious lapse of judgment – like he needs one more distraction!

Where Did My Positive Mojo Go?

I just started reading Dan Brown’s new book, The Lost Symbol. I’ve been a big fan of his books and usually read them as soon as they’re released, but I’ve been trying to be fiscally responsible. I decided to try to check out the book from the library like 10 million other people. I guess I needed a lesson in delayed gratification.

I finally got the call that my name topped the list, and I’m just a few chapters into the book. The author is laying the groundwork for the conspiracy with talk of melding the mind and matter – noetics. He discusses the premise that thoughts have actual mass, which provide power to wield good or evil – every bestseller needs conflict, right?

Hungry Time Pasta

Great taste - lots of bulk!

There are nights that I am so hungry when I come home from work that I think I may pass out before I even get the chance to gnaw off my arm. I want to grab the first thing I see, and then the second…. I know I have to make something with a lot of bulk that will also taste good. Of course I have to be able to sit down and eat within about 20 minutes or there is going to be trouble.

In the time that it takes to boil water and cook pasta your meal can be nearly ready. I prepared this dish with pre-cooked frozen cocktail shrimp, but you can easily use leftover chicken or pork.

Whole Wheat Pasta
2 cups pre-cooked cocktail shrimp
14 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
3 cups zucchini and yellow squash very coarsely chopped
½ c. thinly sliced onions
1 bell pepper sliced – any color
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. rosemary
1 clove garlic
2 tsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

While water is boiling for pasta, I thaw shrimp, chop veggies and mince garlic. Sautee garlic in olive oil for about 30 seconds, and add all the fresh veggies in a large sauce pan. Add canned tomatoes and shrimp. Cook until veggies reach the desired tenderness. Toss with two cups of cooked whole wheat pasta – enjoy!

If you don’t like these veggies, use the ones you do like. Mushrooms work well, but I didn’t have any this evening. This is a great dish to make if you need to clean out your veggy crisper of all the droopy looking veggies. Presto change – yummo. I also like to use the canned tomatoes that are seasoned with garlic, basil and peppers because it adds a little extra dimension.

It makes two servings, and you can easily double it. I don’t know the exact calorie and fiber content, but it has 6 WW Points. If you use pork or chicken it will alter the point value.

Pranks On Me

Is there a lesson to be found?

In the last half hour my mood improved by about 300 percent, and all it took was a wedgy that I gave to myself.

Bumpity, Bump, Bump

The last couple days have been bumpy, and I trace it back to the plan, or lack thereof.

Wednesday we arranged to grab a bite to eat to kill some time before an indoor lacrosse game. That was fine and dandy until I ran into an old friend, Tim Horton. He brought along a few mutual acquaintances, Timbits.

Got An Aspirin?

Lyle stayed up all night last night – seems pretty stupid to me, and I don’t know how or why he does this. He says he loses track of time. What? He will end up with a headache strong enough to choke a horse, and we will all pay dearly.

I didn’t even notice until I woke up this morning – completely refreshed. I now know why Lucy and Desi had twin beds in the I Love Lucy show. It had nothing to do with the Puritanical rules set forth by the FCC in the 1960s. It was all about the snoring, grunting and stealing of the covers.

Play Time

I don’t work on Tuesdays and Fridays. I like the part time gig because it gives me a professional fix, and I still have time to manage the Fast household in a way that works well for our family. Too much “programming” makes us all nasty and hateful.

I realize with a schedule like this, it is easier to find Me Time. I get that, and I feel blessed to have the ability to make that choice. Today is the first time though in several weeks that I feel good enough to do anything remotely self-centered, which is much different than self-preserving. Survival mode revolved around our house during the flu quarantine and we have been making up for lost time ever since.

Anybody Have Extra Time?

I feel like I’m living on borrowed time during these sunny, warm November days. I’m generally a pretty optimistic person, but I can’t help but dread the inevitable cabin fever of February so I feel like I must take advantage of the pleasant weather now.

I came home from work today and set off with the dog for a little stroll, and we ended up taking a 4.5 mile walk. For those runners out there, or others who maintain a rigorous exercise routine, that may not seem like much, but it tickled the hell out of me. Between the walk and my daily activity, I’ve put in 9 miles today, which is 20,351 steps, and I think I deserve a pat on the back – maybe even a hot fudge sundae!

Tell Me The Difference

Is there any difference among desires, obligations and responsibility?

Does our outlook change on any of it as we age? Russell complains constantly that I micro-manage his life – do your homework, pick-up your dishes, take out the dog, go to bed, wake up. I try to back off, but some things just gotta get done, right?

I must accomplish certain things in order to exist and function in my family and in society as a whole. I go to work, abide the laws set by the government, well most of them, follow the hygienic rituals our society deems appropriate and other numerous tedious customs.

Technologically Challenged

Most days I get up and function pretty well, but once in a while, usually when I’m in a hurry, answers elude me, which frustrates the hell out of me.

I experienced one of these moments with my computer recently as I tried to download some photos onto the blog. Usually this is an easy-sneazy process, but I tried to simplify my life with Picasa, which is a web-based photo storage place – at least that’s what I think it is supposed to be.

Digital photography is a wonderful thing. It enables me to snap as many pictures as my little SD card will hold, which is considerably more than I need or want on any one given outing. But then I have to figure out what to do with the photos.

I decided to open a Picasa account so the images wouldn’t bog my down my laptop, but so far, I haven’t taken the time to really learn how to use the program. I have the patience of a turnip. Essentially, I want to open something and immediately know how to use it. I think that is why I like my iPhone – any idiot can pick it up and use it immediately. Can I blame Apple or technology in general?

I no longer have to wait for anything. Most correspondence comes in the form of email, texting and instant messaging. I carry a cell phone now wherever I go so I can be in touch with everyone I want and even a few who I wish would lose my number. If I want I can even order Chipotle while I’m on the road – there’s an App for that.

I fought the idea of a lot of these gadgets for quite a while because I thought it diminished the personal interaction that we need to truly thrive, but now I’m as hooked as the next guy, but does convenience come at a price? I don’t think my interpersonal skills have gone down the tubes just yet.

I enjoy unplugging and we did just that yesterday when the family went to Yellow Springs to tromp around in the woods at a state park. We took Sonya with us, and we all had a fabulous time. I think we are quickly becoming a dog family.

Last week I called out to Lyle and asked if Sonya was with him, and he quickly reminded me, “No matter where I am, the dog is never WITH me.”

This is the same man who scooped her up to be in a picture yesterday when we asked a fellow hiker to take a family shot of us. I would have posted a picture as proof, but I can’t figure out how to get it downloaded from my Picasa account. How I managed to get this leaf picture posted on the blog when it was in the same folder as the family picture is beyond me. Whatever.

Does it all come down to persistence? I manage most of the things I encounter by sheer determination. I’ll figure out how to use the stupid photo-storage program – I just need to put a little effort into it. I don’t think I’m all that smart, but I’m practical and have common sense. This same principal holds true with something as simple as learning some new software or some of my bigger life-altering challenges.

I know I’ve said it before, but what if giving up was not an option?

Chocolaty Goodness

Should chocolate and fiber occupy the same space?

I’m not talking about the naturally occurring fiber in dark chocolate – that’s a bonus. I’m trying to figure out if I should continue with my efforts to make a muffin containing chocolate that is also healthy. More importantly, can I expect it taste good?

This time of year finds me spending much more time indoors. I like to cook so I start playing in the kitchen. I tweak traditional American favorites in ways to make them savory and healthy.

Vitamin D To The Rescue

I think it is suppose to be sunny for the next few days, and I’m trying to soak up every available minute. I wish there was some way to bottle the stuff for February. My mood really suffers in the winter, and the idea of all the gloomy dark days are starting to worry me a little.

Know The Limits

The Finished Product - so far so good. I'm keeping to the plan!

I knew I would need to detox from sugar just a bit when I got back on track. She has been an evil houseguest, and I decided to kick her to the curb.

The challenge now is that today is Russell’s birthday. We aren’t having a big celebration because we gave him his present early and he opted out of a party. He still wants a cake, which is a reasonable request.

I asked him earlier in the week if he would like a cake from a new local bakery. I thought he would jump at the chance, but he looked at me as if I punched him in the gut and said, “No, I want you to make me a chocolate cake like last year. That was the best cake ever!”

Chocolate layer cake with chocolate icing – he is my kid.

The difference last year was that there were six boys in the house to make it go away. Lyle and I each ate a small piece, and then I got out the back-hoe. I was the coolest mom ever when I loaded the boys up with the biggest hunks of cake they had ever seen. Problem solved.

So here’s my plan. I’m eating one piece of cake because I cannot smell it cooking in my house and skip the eating part. I’m certain the world would cease to exist as I know it. That and I’m afraid of the deprivation collateral that would result. But I promise not to roll around in it, and eat it until my skin hurts.

I looked up the nutrition information – 560 calories and 12 grams of fat – in one piece. I guess it’s safe to say, fiber is of little consequence since I’m using white pastry flour.

Yesterday when Russell and I were at the store, he asked me if I needed flour to make the cake. I knew he was worried that I might try to sneak whole wheat flour into the batter. I assured him there would be no healthy substitutions. I can’t do that to the kid – he endures enough of my healthy cooking experiments. He’s entitled to a birthday cake.

In exchange, he must take the leftover cake to school. He really doesn’t want to share it. Truth be told, he and Lyle can keep baked goods around long enough that mold starts growing. I simply cannot fathom the concept, which speaks volumes, I know.

I thought I could let him keep it around for a couple days, but then I noticed the dimples on my fanny increase in size at just the anticipation of cake being in the house. Who am I kidding? I am not on good terms with chocolate cake, nor do I ever expect to be. The best I can strive for is good behavior with limited visitation.

I think I can stick to my plan, but I can’t trust myself any further than tonight. Perhaps it’s pathetic that I find it impossible to coexist with a chocolate layer cake, but it is realistic in my world. Every girl needs to know her limits.

Weighing My Options

People think I’m a morning person, but I hate the alarm as much as the next guy. I choose to get up before anyone else in the house because I need time to get my filter in place. Coffee helps.

I don’t work on Friday so sometimes I sleep in until 6:30 a.m. – woo hoo! I’m also having a hard time sleeping right now, which makes me a little slow on the uptake. The remnants of this damn flu bug linger. I feel fine except at night when I start coughing like a 12-pack a day smoker.

Success Beyond Perfection

I live in a lake community, which is a pretty social place, but once Labor Day arrives, everyone rolls up their sidewalk and hibernates until mid-May.

Some friends suggested we start a book club to keep in touch through the fall and winter months, but we encountered a few glitches. First, several in the group only want to read fluff. I like to read a junky novel as much as the next guy, but I don’t want that to be dictated by someone else’s guilty pleasure. Several women don’t ever read the monthly selection, and lastly, the discussion portion is really only a front to drink a couple glasses of wine and munch until we all implode. This is the part that causes me the most grief.