2nd half 2011: Recap
Seeing as how I haven't felt compelled to post since last August, it makes me wonder why this blog even exists. Grr, I dislike it when my things are messy, inconsistent, and unstructured. Well, here are some updates. Since last fall, these major events occurred:
- B and I went on a 2.5 week trip to Hong Kong and Japan
- I merged teams at work, got a new boss, and got a new officemate
- I became 100% gluten and grain free
- B became unemployed
- B and I started running (!) - Couch to 5k
- I restarted sewing my quilt, after a 1.5 year hiatus
- B started doing the dishes : D
No, but seriously, so many changes in just half a year! It's been quite a ride. I really enjoyed spending so much time with my parents while in HK (we stayed in their fancy condo), and it reminded me that I love them very much, am very thankful for them and how they cared and continue to care for me (and now us), and wish that they didn't work so hard at church and would slow down and enjoy life. It was also wonderful to introduce B to the rest of my extended family, and have some real conversations to build on our new and old relationships. Japan was a whole new world to me without a local as a guide. For the 4 days we were there, even though the sights and sounds were totally exhilarating, I felt completely out of my element and quite helpless. Without B, I would've just given up, really. Next time I'll try harder to share his adventurous spirit and thirst for knowledge in these once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences. Link to my clothing blog post for Archival Clothing.
The trip was also a much needed relief from working. For months, I had felt like I was drowning amidst a sea of incomprehensible regulations and unestablished PM procedures that left me feeling like I was on the hook for everything, and just waiting for the next catastrophe to blow up in my face. I was stressin' big time. Somehow, bizarrely, thankfully, my backup was able to cover for me while I was gone, and the catch up when I got back was manageable.
A big suck was coming back to B not getting paid for his previously approved vacation time (seriously WTF), his previous position being eliminated, and his becoming unemployed (his thoughts on this). Major shock to the senses, and to our finances. At first, my overzealousness took over and I recalculated a severe monthly budget that would keep up going for the rest of the year, but I soon realized, with B's help, that we are humans and not robots, and do need small pleasures sometimes. It's tougher now than it was before, but at least now we learned a lesson on how it's crucial to have lots and lots of savings, and never stop asking "is this a need or a want?" Over these past weeks, we have also sold many books, clothing, CDs and other random unused stuff for a little extra cash. Not only does it feel so right to declutter, every dollar we earn outside of my salary feels like a gift to be treasured.
On the eating front, yes, B and I are still doing Paleo, now stronger than ever. (Read his post from October.) Fatty thick-sliced bacon, leafy greens, grass-fed meat, sausage, nuts, dried fruit, coffee, tea, water, cider, wine, and the occasional GF cookie, brownie, biscuit- this is what we are now made of. I feel pretty good: I have no more stomach issues, feel generally happier, skin has cleared up, and I eat every meal purposefully. B has lost even more extra weight and looks better each day. I have a few coworkers who have expressed curiousity at my new way of eating, and I make it a point to talk about the benefits I've experienced and not so secretly hope to convert them, as they all have gastrointestinal issues. And as of this week, I have finally ceased to be subject to my awful snacky and sugar cravings. I admit that I used to go to the natural grocery store every day to get "health snacks" and kombucha/coconut water to get me through long stretches at home. And I was basically addicted to the Chocolove 33% Toffee and Almonds Bar in Milk Chocolate and had to have it multiple times a week. I didn't realize how much of a problem this was until I stopped, and it feels great to be free! My current obssession is medjool dates, which taste like vanilla caramel, truly the best example of nature's candy, but I'm satisfied after 2 or 3. We also like Lick ice cream in South Austin a lot, they use high quality organic ingredients and have weird flavors like bacon, cream corn, and cilantro lime, and actual good flavors like eggnog, salted caramel, and peanut butter coconut.
You may be wondering how we can continue to be paleo and eat local veggies and grassfed beef after more than half of our household income has disappeared indefinitely. To be honest, eating well is the same challenge that it was before. We have gone from grassfed beef steaks to grassfed stew meat, eat storemade sausages on most nights (at $3.99/lb, it comes out to $2 a person), and have stopped buying all processed foods. The only exceptions are packaged grassfed beef/ bison hot dogs and fully cooked sausages for lunch, and surprisingly drinkable $3/ bottle wine from Whole Foods. It's really amazing how much we used to spend on filler.
We also started running, which is odd, because we both historically hate and suck at running. Our friend Dallas turned us on to the Couch to 5k program, and we decided to go for it. We were both feeling good about our new eating habits and felt that regular exercise was the next step in improving our health. The nice thing about running is that it's free, and on beautiful days (there have been many lately) you get to be around everyone else in your neighborhood who is also outside. It makes Hyde Park feel more like a neighborhood we are a part of. We are currently on Week 3 and it's going well so far, with all the walking breaks and whatnot. It's so effortless with the iPhone app telling you when to run and when to walk. Also, I find it to be quality time spent with B, as we are both engaged in a demanding activity and he has to listen to me talk, lol. No time for looking at Twitter updates, that's for sure.
What else? I started going over to my friend's biweekly sewing night, and under her patient guidance, I am finished sewing together my quilt top squares. Next is putting on the border, getting bright back fabric, quilting it, and finishing it with a binding. I can't say that I actually enjoy sewing (or understand how to troubleshoot a sewing machine), but I am growing excited about the finished product. Who knows, I may even do another quilt based on a pattern after this one. A part of me would like to be the old Quilt Lady who makes quilts for people's babies that become lifelong heirlooms. Wishful thinking. I also taught myself how to handstitch simple vegetable tanned wallets and sewed a corduroy skirt with my friend Mary.
We also started a 1-dish (1-utensil 1-glass) rule after the dirty dishes became very annoying to come home to. We just wash each of our dishes after we eat and don't let them sit. So far, it's working great! Some notable exceptions are when my brother comes over for a meal, and when B (yes, B!) gets inspired to bake something with his favorite rice blend GF mix. The tide is changing.
Did I miss anything? I guess I'll keep this blog around for now for seasonal updates.
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