the thin line between optimism and delusion…

I’ve had to hide the gummi hearts in the corner of my office.  I can’t put them in a drawer because they make the entire drawer smell like gummi hearts (which is a sickeningly sweet overpowering aroma), and I can’t keep them on my desk because then I’ll eat them, and I can’t eat them all because then I’ll be sick.  I’m only allowed to eat four at a time.  Life is so hard. 

Monday, after having been enticed by a bribe of sorts by my insurance company, I took a health assessment.  The main problem the health assessment had with me is that I’m only suppose to have one alcoholic beverage a day and that I don’t eat the right kind of food.  Since I’ve been making an effort to eat more colorful foods and less white bread, I decided to step it up a notch and buy some assorted products to assist me in my goal of eating all the food groups in the recommended amounts.  I bought yogurt.  I bought carrots.  I bought uncrustables with wheat bread instead of white bread.  I baked some chicken in this fabulous olive oil Mary Beth gave me for my birthday that probably deserves its own post (it is chipotle flavored, and the flavor comes in as a spicy biting aftertaste that is quite enjoyable)

My main concern, is how do you eat all of the things they want you to eat and not consume bazillions of calories?  I just can’t figure out how to eat the fiber one bar, the banana, orange juice and yogurt for breakfast without feeling a little stuffed.  I recognize the fact that I could get rid of the harris teeter chocolate chip cookies and the gummi hearts, but then I’m not sure life would be worth living.  Maybe I’m being dramatic, but it seems like if you ate all the suggested servings in a day that you might be overeating. 

There is a hawk and a crow who fly around my window at work.  I have been trying to come up with good names for them, but i’m not there yet.  I’ll let y’all know once I can decide on something appropriate.  A while back I also saw a little baby redheaded woodpecker, but he hasn’t returned.  He was probably just a tourist.    The crow was sitting outside my window today puffing up his feathers and CAWing his head off.  I sort of thought he might be flirting with me. 

Saturday morning I went to Crossfit with Brooke.  It was an enjoyable experience and I couldn’t walk for three days, so I would say it was also a successful experience.  I did a bunch of pushups and situps and air squats.  I’m still considering whether or not I want to join, I like the idea, and I enjoyed the atmosphere, but it is expensive, and now that the weather is warming up, it is difficult to imagine being inside a gym on a regular basis.  We’ll see.  I ran the bridge on Sunday, and just being outside with the wind blowing and the sun beating down does something good for my soul that I’m not sure the inside of a gym ever could.  I wish I had more time to work out. 

I played tennis last night, and even though I lost, it was a good match and I felt like I got a good workout in.  It somewhat restored my faith that I do actually enjoy playing tennis in general.  I don’t enjoy playing tennis in the cold, and I dislike that USTA plays a third set here in Charleston instead of a tie breaker.  Third sets make me tired.  Which probably means I’m lazy.  Last night we played on clay courts and the wind was gusting at 30 mph, so you really had no idea what the ball was going to do when it bounced or where it would land.  Clay courts slow the game down significantly.  Also, as a side note of irritation, when you are playing tennis, the term love is only appropriate for zero during a game.  15-Love.  When you are calling out the score of the match, if one player has won two games, and the other player has won zero games – the correct score is 2-0.  Not 2-love.  2-Love is an inappropriate use of the word love and incorrect when calling out the games won or lost so far in the set. 

I think I’ve pretty much decided I’d rather play tennis than go to crossfit.  This feels like a reasonable decision, especially in light of the fact that the weather will only warm up from here! (besides whatever short lived deep freeze we experience in the next month)

I liked this week’s collections of grammar corrections in the New York Times.  Everyone has their own grammar missteps, I have an extremely difficult time with “affect” and “effect”.  I have a sticky on my computer that helps me.  It says – Affect – to influence; Effect – result, to bring about.

I’m reading the book Swamplandia! – which is all about the Everglades and Florida, and alligators and theme parks.  It has inspired me to do a little research on the flora and fauna of the swamp, the indians, and the history of Florida in general, all things of which I assumed I had a working knowledge, but was actually ignorant.  This book also has a great story behind it, that is somewhat fantastical and raw all at the same time.  The beginning is a little depressing, and I’m not convinced anyone who lives in the swamp ever takes a shower or washes clothes, but the story definitely picks up and the characters are round and sympathetic and endearing.

I’m happy today is Friday, and I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!