Complicating a Bath

It's amazing how much free time you have when you don't spend three hours of your day commuting to work.

On Wednesdays, we are allowed to work from home, and with the mountains of snow and freezing temperatures still lingering from last week's Snowmaggedon there was no way I was leaving the house if I didn't have to. But at 6:30 p.m., I had put in a full day of work, gone to the doctor and the gym, taken the dog out and made dinner. By the time 7 rolled around, I was at a loss for what to do next.

Lake Shore Drive shut down during the blizzard of 2011

The thing is- I've never really known what to do with free time because I've spent a lifetime filling it up. Barberree is always telling me to "just relax," but I can't help thinking of all the things I could get done whenever I have a spare moment. It's a blessing and a curse.

So I decided to take a bath because I reasoned that's what people do when they have time to "just relax." And because I couldn't decide whether to bring my computer or my book in the tub with me, I went in with nothing. By the time the water filled up, I had already washed my face, shaved my legs and exfoliated my feet. And then it dawned on me- I am the only person in the world who could complicate a bath.

I slumped back and let the water splash over me. Defeated and unable to relax.

It was at that time I realized that I was narrating these events in my head, mentally writing this exact blog post. And to be honest, it's not the first time I have done that. I have narrated what I was doing as I was doing it since I was a kid. It was how I first knew I wanted a future with words. I just have a hard time shutting my mind off.

So, maybe I can't "just relax" or just take a bath. But damn, can I multitask. And damn can I make a story out of nothing.

Maybe THIS Time

Last year, I wrote a post inspired by my favorite, new (at the time) show, Glee. I was happy to say goodbye to 2009 and hoping that 2010 would be my year. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

Last weekend, I was ecstatic to say goodbye to 2010. Granted, there were some wonderful additions to my life in last couple of months, including a job at the coolest company ever,
but I couldn't be more excited to start off this year happy, healthy and finally in control of my future.

I am confident now that all the odds are in my favor, and that THIS time, in 2011, I'll win.

And in case you need an inspirational anthem too- just ignore the Spanish translation:

Freedom from Want

HOLIDAYS are rooted in tradition. That’s what makes them unique and personal. Every Thanksgiving day, for as long as I can remember, my family completes our Norman Rockwell “Freedom from Want” puzzle before dinner is served.

Thanksgiving cerca 1987 at my Grandparents'

As a child, my cousins, sisters and I would be corralled to the back room of my grandparents’ house where the pieces would be spread out on a card table for us. We huddled around the tiny table hoping to put two pieces together before anyone else, but also secretly trying to keep warm in the drafty den. What served merely as a distraction for me as a child has recently become my favorite activity of the day.

Thanksgiving cerca 2007 at our house

Now, the crowd is usually reduced to Barberree, my only living grandparent, and I. We sit silently next to each other sipping our holiday drinks and placing the same soggy pieces that we have for decades. A couple years ago, I realized that one day I'll be the only one left at the table. But until then, I am most thankful for the moment when the last piece is placed, and she looks up, winks and says, "How about that."


*This holiday anecdote was also a contribution to Mastering the Art of Thanksgiving, a fantastically festive zine created by Miss Sarah Handelman. After you put your Thanksgiving pants on you can settle on the couch and flip through all the wonderful tidbits she brought together.


**Barberree and I started the puzzle yesterday when she came over to help my mom and I "chop things." We have the perimeter done and ready for others to join in :)

Rainy Day Activities

The first step is admitting you have a problem...

... at least there were a lot of good gift guides to get me thinking about my holiday shopping :)

I'm a Z O U now

What a weekend.

My first return to Columbia as an alumna was nothing short of epic. I hung out on the quad for College Gameday and saw the Tigers take down the number one ranked team in the country with the best company that anyone could have asked for.

Pink Glove Dance

It brought tears to my eyes to think that this many people were willing to put themselves out there and dance, foolishly or otherwise, all for breast cancer awareness. Thank you to each and every one of you.

Alternative Thanksgiving Preperation 1

Brown rice stuffed squash with sauteed kale and pine nuts (yes, we are obsessed with kale).

After the stuffed acorn squash disaster of 2010, my always-supportive mother found this MEATLESS stuffed squash option (the ladies in the video are hilarious). It was so amazing that it has automatically been added to my Alternative Thanksgiving menu. I might substitute the rice based stuffing for traditional bread stuffing on the actual day though.

I love to eat even though, to most people, my options are seriously limited. The truth is, the possibilities for lactose-intolerant vegetarians are endless these days, especially with a little creativity. AND, Thanksgiving doesn't have to be about binge eating dairy and fat and carbs. It can be about eating healthy, delicious food to a proper full feeling :) This will be my third year with an alternative Thanksgiving, and I think I have finally found some recipes that are keepers, including this stuffed squash. But don't worry, I'm not giving up my "Thanksgiving pants."

Last night's dinner: polenta triangles with tomato sauce (from the William Sonoma Vegetarian cookbook) - not for Thanksgiving but still awesome.