2010 Goals: February Progress

I set specific goals for 2010 so here's an update on February progress.

1. I read 12 books this month, raising my yearly total to 21. I'm a little ahead of where I thought I would be, particularly because February is a short month. I went to the library used book sale, which is hit or miss, and totally hit. So I've got big stack of books just waiting for me.

2. My writing group planned a meeting in February that was pushed back because one of our members is off to a writer's retreat, and we will reschedule for later in the spring. Which gives me more time read Stephen King's On Writing, which I found on my bookshelves but have not read yet. Since last month, I've started and stopped writing a few times. I'm not committed to any one project or idea right now. Which gives me lots of room to explore, but for now, those random ramblings haven't developed into anything.

3. Submit... This I still have not done yet.

4. Blog regularly — this I am doing. This is my 28th post of the month, which means I am more on my way toward my goal of 200 blog posts this year. I have been a blogging fool this month. I'm tickled when someone tells me they read my blog, or when they tell me someone else reads it.

5. This month I participated in a 3.6 mile walk to raise awareness and money for treatment for eating disorders. It was an important cause, not too far from where I live, cheap ($10), and started at 11am, so it was pretty warm outside, a February success! So I'm halfway to my goal already! I'm also thinking about putting a walking team together for Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 5, 2010. If you're interested, email me or leave me a note in the comments.

6. This month I ate vegetarian 87% of the time, which is below my goal of 90%. I did expand my cooking repertoire by making Indian Samosa Casserole twice. The second time I threw in half a can of chick peas for additional protein and it was very good. My Heart's Desire enjoyed this also. He made a yogurt/garlic/dill sauce and sliced cucumbers to go with it, the perfect accompaniment!

I also made Pasta Yum, which is the Hurry Up Alfredo recipe my mom shared with me, modified with only 1 tsp of mustard and broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes added in. The recipe is so strange, while I was making it I wondered if my mom was punking me. It ended up tasting incredibly good! The sauce doesn't taste like alfredo but it is so yummy! My mom promised I would not have to order a pizza after making this dinner (polenta, I'm looking at you) and she was right! My Heart's Desire worked really late that night and had his lunch leftovers for dinner at his office so he didn't try it. When I make Pasta Yum next time, he can't watch.

7. This month the only new thing I did was try the Thai Eggplant at my favorite Thai restaurant, instead of ordering one of my two favorites, Pad Thai or Chicken Panang. It was the first time I'd ordered anything different and I've been going there for years. Also, this month was the Snowpocalypse! which shut down the city and made doing anything almost impossible. Hours and hours of snow shoveling was new to me, as was the subsequent backache.

8. Seeing friends. This month I did not see friends very much and did not meet my goal of seeing friends at least once a week. Two of the weekends I was snowed in and unable to leave the house without a snow shovel. My Heart's Desire and I had also planned to babysit the cutest twins in the universe, but everyone in their house had a bug so we wisely stayed away.

9. Fun with My Heart's Desire was pretty low-profile this month. We did have several evenings of movies, popcorn (+ junior mints in mine, of course), and a roaring fire. He recently mentioned that DC has girls roller derby (three home teams, who knew?) so maybe we'll round up some people and witness a bout.

10. Photo taken of My Heart's Desire and I? Nope.

11. Bonus! It's All Relative. My dad and stepmom were in town for a day and we got to hang out. It was great to see them! Everyone in my immediate family lives 2,000 - 3,000 miles away, which means I don't get to see them very often. It also means that's very special when we do get to spend time together.

Love + Marriage

2010 is the year of getting hitched! We have already received one wedding invitation, three formal and two informal save-the-dates — and it's only February! My Heart's Desire is seriously considering buying a tuxedo. I'm very excited! I love love and I love cake!

I wanted to elope, but My Heart's Desire didn't and we ended up having a small wedding. While I eloping would have been fun, I am glad that we didn't. I have never felt as loved as I did on my wedding day. Our wedding was really us, from walking down the aisle in my pink dress to Barry White to the ceremony (started with: Marriage is what brings us together today, from my favorite movie, The Princess Bride) to his level cufflinks (they worked) to the squished pennies my BFF had made for the occasion to the things that went wrong and all the things that were right.

Attending other people's weddings witnesses their love and commitment and shares in their love. And on a wedding day, there's more than enough love to go around.

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu. This is another in a long line of books I wanted to like but didn't. I wouldn't have finished it but the narrator did such a good job I just kept listening. Until I started keeping track, I didn't realize how many books I wanted to like but didn't. And yet, I still keep reading them? 21/100.

Today I went to the gym for cardio + lifting, appreciated how much emptier my gym is in the am and how much nicer the people are, called a friend and sang "Happy Birthday" really loudly and only slightly off key, worked, appreciated the lilies in the Valentine's bouquet My Heart's Desire sent to my work last week that are still alive and making my office smell so good, realized my friend's birthday is next month!, talked to my BFF about her upcoming nuptials, came home and did chores, made yummy breakfast for dinner (eggs over medium, cheese, vegetarian maple sausage, and toast from the hippie store's super wheaty bread) for the second night in a row, read (have not been finishing a lot of books lately), and wondered how long my kibosh on Girl Scout cookies is going to last.

Be your own fairy godmother! You are the only person who can make your dreams come true.

Food Rules

Food Rules by Michael Pollan. This very slender volume expands on his famous statement: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Basically, it's his two previous books (Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, both books I really liked) boiled down to 64 rules.

Some of these rules are easy to follow, like #36 Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk, because Kashi does not do that. Other rules, such as #39 Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself, would be a lot more difficult for me to practice.

I'm definitely going to work toward including these rules into my shopping guidelines. 20/100

This weekend my plans to be out of town fell through on Friday morning, which was fine. I haven't had a weekend without plans in... I don't know how long! It was really nice to just do what I wanted to do, instead of what I had to do or just knocking out chores. Yesterday was a great mix of doing some errands, cooking, and lounging.

This morning I laced up my sneakers and participated in a 3.6 mile Eating Disorders Awareness Walk. It was about 45 degrees out (warm for February!) and sunny. Since then I've been thinking about the women I know with eating disorders and how much they struggle. I'm really glad that I went. 2010 Goal #5 is to participate in two races so now I'm halfway to that goal.

I also made the vegetarian Indian samosa casserole again and it was just as good as I remembered.

Today I am grateful for: sleeping until I wake up, having no plans today, that the snow is merely a nuisance and not a serious travel impediment anymore, year-round farmer's markets, sunshine, books on CD, a vacation to look forward to, eating the enchiladas (mom's famous recipe) I made last month and froze, having splurged on Netflix, dark chocolate, practicing wanting what I have, relaxing and recharging, and a pre-heated bed courtesy of the electric blanket -- heaven!

The Girl She Used to Be

The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano. I wanted to like this book a lot. The beginning grabbed me and had me interested. The story was intriguing but as it went on I found the plot (particularly the end) rather unbelievable. 19/100

Books on CD killed the radio star

I moved to DC in June 2003. Today I set the presets in my car's radio. Yes, that took (almost) seven years. When I first moved here, I had satellite radio and listened to that exclusively. KIIS-FM from LA was even broadcast live on one of the satellite radio stations. Then I started listening to books on CD and got hooked and cancelled the satellite radio.

Earlier today I listened to one CD of a book that two colleagues said was good (I disagreed) and had nothing else to listen to so I ended up... listening to the radio. And I liked some of what there was and realized I needed some presets. Now, nearly seven years isn't so long, is it?

Roasted Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut up cauliflower into pieces about the size of your thumb.

Toss all the cauliflower, even the crumbles, in a bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp parsley flakes, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp salt.

Pour cauliflower on a pan (or cookie sheet) and bake in pre-heated oven.

Every 15 min, toss and stir cauliflower (tongs work best).

Bake until golden brown, about an hour.

One head of roasted cauliflower serves two — three people.

Nocturnes

Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro Kazuo Ishiguro is a collection of five short stories. If you must, read the first story standing up in the bookstore, then slide the book back on the shelf and walk away. 18/100

Still Summer

Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard. I really liked her book The Deep End of the Ocean and was hoping for a book I could dive right into. With Still Summer, I dove in to a vat of Velveeta. 17/100

I'm Sorry You Feel That Way

I'm Sorry You Feel That Way: The Astonishing but True Story of a Daughter, Sister, Slut, Wife, Mother, and Friend to Man and Dog by Diana Joseph. This series of honest and thoughtful essays center around important men in the author's life and are well-written and enjoyable. She is a storyteller with a compelling voice. All of these stories center around various men (family members, lovers, her son) and her reactions to their behavior. However, little is written about her relationships with other women. She doesn't have one meaningful relationship with a woman. Lots of drinking and smoking and stories about her dog (male, of course). This collection of funny, sad, and thought-proving stories revolve around men, as does her life, abbreviating what she thinks and feels, leaving the reader detached. 16/100

Today I woke up early, listened to the icicles melt, read Real Simple, went to the gym (despite not really wanting to go), came home and made yummy breakfast sandwich (I love Morningstar Farms maple veggie sausage), picked up a friend, met up for coffee with another pal, got mani-pedi's (I'm a girl!), was glad I could actually participate in weekend plans (last few weekends plans were foiled by snow), walked the snowy sidewalks back to my car in flip-flops, went to the library and left with a pile of books, came home and read while My Heart's Desire worked, did laundry, made sun-dried tomato and artichoke pizza for dinner, watched The Hurt Locker, and am calling it a night.

One expensive night light

So the plumber came to get the night light I accidentally flushed (it slipped out of my hand!) out of the toilet, which took about an hour. It was so expensive that My Heart's Desire and I could have gone out for a fancy dinner followed by a night at a nice hotel. Sigh. The lid goes down, lesson learned.

The Postmistress

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. I splurged on Tuesday and bought this from Target for $18. I ordinarily rarely buy hardbacks, but I was dying for a good book and had read good reviews. And since my library's been closed, it was money well spent. I found it enjoyable and solid. I'll pass it on to my honorary grandmother. 15/100

Today I accidentally flushed a nightlight (clogging the toilet), dropped my laptop (doh!), turned a bunch of white clothes pink (rookie mistake, haven't done that in years), shoveled a bit more outside (it's like we are living in a snow globe, cold, windy, and white), a bird got in our house that My Heart's Desire caught and released outside, we are down to our last wheelbarrow full of firewood, and I felt stirrings of just plain stir crazy.

The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death

The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston. Oh, let me lament that my library has been closed this week due to the snowstorm. Why, oh why, did I go to the market for eggs, milk, and bread when I could have gone to the library for real sustenance? Alas, the pickings for reads around here have been slim, otherwise I would never have finished this book. If you are considering reading The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death, read a Chuck Palahniuk book instead, rather than this weak knockoff. 14/100

What the Dog Saw

What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell. Reading this book was interesting at first, then it started to feel like homework. Also it kind of made me want to subscribe to The New Yorker. 13/100

Snowpocalypse!

Holy moly everything is covered in snow! The last time I measured we had gotten 19" of snow. We lost power late on Friday night and were without until Saturday night. Yesterday I woke up and made a fire and we spent most of the day around it. We also shoveled off the deck because the snow is so heavy, a process which took us almost 2 hours. Without electricity, and since we had a clean deck, My Heart's Desire grilled us some lunch (bratwursts, veggie burger & veggies) that was really good. Without electricity, we read, bundled up (socks! long johns! flannels! sweats!) and watched the snow. I also made "gravy" (meaty marinara sauce) from scratch, since we have gas burners and it takes hours to simmer (also made the house smell so good!). The power went back on Saturday night around 8pm, and the cable/phone/Internet was down until almost midnight. We watched a DVD of My Name is Earl with the cats, munched on popcorn made on the stove, and felt very cozy at home.

Update: I went outside for lots of shoveling and measured again - a little more than 22"!

My Little Red Book

My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff. A series of essays from women aged 15 to 101 on what it was like to get their first period. Aww. 12/100

After snow last weekend and on Tuesday night, we are in for a lot more this weekend — I already cancelled my Friday night plans across town and My Heart’s Desire is going to the store for provisions.

A Reliable Wife

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. This book does everything right and is perfect to cozy up to. My favorite book so far! 11/100

Today I went to work, my Valentine’s present from my BFF arrived in a shiny pink box with lots of hearts! (we don’t exchange Christmas presents, we exchange Valentine’s prezzies instead, which amuses us to no end) which is sitting right on my desk, got a much-needed haircut (yes, still going to the inexpensive place), had a yummy dinner with my dad and stepmom and My Heart’s Desire at a nice restaurant which I drive by at least three times a week but have never been before, shared frozen cheesecake lollipops for dessert, watched the snow fall, did a quick load of laundry (I need more clothes), and am going to read for a bit.

Food Matters

Food Matters by Mark Bittman. It was great, though it didn't have a lot of new information for me. His food plan is interesting and I like how it also included recipes. 10/100

Indian Samosa Casserole

Last night I had another kitchen adventure. I braved a new recipe — Indian Samosa Casserole from the January 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times. I followed the directions except that I forgot to add the sweetness, it called for agave or sugar. I took it out then forgot to add it. Also, I bought a crust rather than make one from scratch. It turned out really tasty! My Heart's Desire really liked it too. I'm always surprised when I make something new and it turns out well. We both agreed we wouldn't mind if it had a little more kick, so next time I'll add the red pepper flakes the recipe said were optional (I was just out).

I served this with a side of cucumber tomato raita (Fage/cucumbers/tomatoes/garlic salt/lemon juice/dill) that was a nice, cool compliment. I had some of the leftovers for lunch today, it was just as good the second day.

Just add popcorn

Two movies I saw recently and really liked were The Visitor and Sunshine Cleaning. Worth renting. Read the synopsis but don't watch the trailers, they'll ruin the surprises.

Also, put Junior Mints in the hot popcorn - it's my favorite.