Fundraiser

I've started my Parkinson's Unity Walk fundraiser again . . . I thought that this time we'd try to sell something as a fundraiser. I know that reusable shopping bags are becoming all the rage nowadays, so I decided perhaps that would be a good thing to sell. They're a little expensive, but they're very cute and for a good cause. Plus, they're USA made from unbleached cotton and hold up to 40 pounds. Here's some of the designs we're selling:







Let me know if you're interested!

Joba Rules

I'm sitting here watching Joba Chamberlain's first ML at bat versus the Astros and I decided to blog a bit. Weight's still hovering around 144.8. Less than 5 pounds to go! I'm getting excited about the Delaware vacation, I really had a blast last time. I'm going to make pulled pork in the slow cooker when I'm down there; I make my own BBQ sauce (LC, of course), which really is delish. I'll post the recipe on here sometime soon . . .

Jake and I went to Joba's major league starting debut; we had tickets through our partial season plan and then got the ok from my doc to go. We traded in our regular seat tickets for wheelchair accessible seating and were right behind home plate, under the overhang. It was really nice, though Joba didn't pitch too well. We also toured Monument Park (first time for both of us), and were allowed to cut in line because I was in the chair. The Yankees always do a great job of making you feel welcome in the stadium, but this time they really went above and beyond. Jake has some pictures that I'll post as soon as he puts them up.

Wanted to also share 2 more recipes with you. I've made the first one many times and once you get past the ick factor of pork rinds, you'll find they're quite fabulous.

The other recipe I'm dying to try and may make on Sunday for me and my dad (Father's Day!!), along with Butter Lime Tilapia, spinach, and a carb for him (rice pilaf maybe?).

Wonderful chicken fingers-strips

boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
3-4 bags of pork rinds
1/3 cup Parm cheese (optional)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
about 1/2 cup mayonnaise

-Preheat the oven to 425f
-Crush the pork rinds in a food processor. You'll need to work in batches to get them nice and ground up. Mix the pork rind crumbs with the seasoning and spread out on a plate.
-Put the mayonnaise on a second plate
-Wash and pat dry the chicken. Lightly coat it with the mayonnaise and then roll in the pork rinds until well coated.
-Bake on a oiled (Pam) coated cookie sheet for about 25 minutes, or until they are fully cooked.

Practically carb free!!



3-MINUTE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE #2
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons cocoa
Tiny pinch salt, optional
1 egg
1 tablespoon Da Vinci sugar free syrup, vanilla flavor
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1 tablespoon heavy cream

In a small microwaveable bowl microwave the butter for about 15-20 seconds on HIGH until completely melted. Whisk in the cocoa and salt until smooth. Whisk in the egg until well blended then whisk in the remaining ingredients until you have a smooth batter. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Cool completely or serve slightly warm.

Makes 1 serving
Can be frozen

With granular Splenda:
Per Serving: 267 Calories; 23g Fat; 9g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 7g Net Carbs

With liquid Splenda:
Per Serving: 253 Calories; 23g Fat; 9g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs

UPDATE: I remember reading on a forum a while back that someone had a problem when they tried this method for making the cake. Well, the same thing happened to me today but I found a solution. What happened was that the batter didn't come together properly. It looked like milk with chocolate bits floating in it no matter how much I whisked it. The solution is to microwave it on HIGH power for about 10 seconds. You don't want to cook the mixture, just heat it up slightly. Now it should whisk together and look like brownie batter. I think what happened was that the cold ingredients caused the butter and cocoa to harden up and separate. Briefly heating everything helped blend them together. I think that the trick to preventing this is to make sure to thoroughly melt the butter and mix everything right away while the butter is still hot.

Time . . .

Well, a long time has passed since my last blog. I've finished my 2nd year of grad school and am now taking the first of three summer classes toward my MSW. I'm hoping that next year my internship at the Bruce Street School for the Deaf will work out; it will give me a chance to work with children and families, as well as help me get my foot in the door should I decide to go into school social work.

Jake and I celebrated our one year anniversary last month; he surprised me by taking me out for a fancy meal, giving me a strand of lovely pearls, and buying tickets for a Yankees/Mets game on the actual day of our anniversary. It was very generous and quite overwhelming. I got him a TomTom GPS system and a boxed set of "Blue Planet." Seems a little pale in comparison, doesn't it?

I had what I hope is the last of my reconstructive surgeries on my burn scar last month as well. I'm healing well and the scar looks better than it ever has. I've still got some stitches in, so I have to continue to take it easy. Let me tell you, laying around and staying off your feet gets old mighty quick. I should get the last of my stitches out on Monday, and then I can work on rebuilding my stamina and strength, etc.

I hit another new low on the scale today: 145.4. That means I'm officially 4.6 pounds from my 40 pound goal set last July 1st. Crazy. I wonder if I'll make my goal in time for my one year anniversary of Atkins? I got my dear friend Alva started on Atkins as well and she's already lost 10 pounds and is feeling good. That makes me happy.

Well, that's about it for now. I just found a new blog chock-full of LC recipes, so I'm itching to try them out and repost on here if they're good. Now if only I were allowed to drive to the store . . .

Ali

Oh yeah

And last night on the ferry there was a guy with a Yankees' bishop's hat on that said "Yankees" on front, and on the back: "Benedict 16." It was really funny. Apparently there was some way to get them because as we were leaving the game, there was another group of guys wearing the same hat. The best was when one of them turned around to mock Red Sox fans, yelling "The Pope hates the Red Sox." LOL

A Cold NY Night

It was a very cold night, but there was nowhere better to be than in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium watching the Yankees and Red Sox battle it out for the first time in NY this season. It was such a thrilling game, with the Sox taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st, and then the Yankees responding with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the 1st, making it 1-3, New York. The score bounced back and forth with the two teams fighting mightily for the lead. Final score was 9-15 Yanks. The game lasted over four hours. And it was cold. That being said, note this: I love baseball!!!

Joba'ss still out on bereavement leave, which means we didn't see him pitch again today (*sadness*). The rumor mill says that Harlan's doing a little better, so that's good news. The pen seems weird (and a lot weaker) in his absence.

Can I just say now that Boston fans are horrid people? Wow, what idiots. We had a row of 8 "plastics" sit in front of us (Mean Girls reference), 7 of whom were obnoxious Boston fans. Half of them apparently were not sporting their natural hair color, and I'm willing to bet most of them had plastic surgery as well. They were obnoxious and got pissy when we cheered for the Yanks (Uh, hello? We're in Yankee Stadium. Get over it.) and even more pissy when we loudly and lustily booed their beloved Sox. Sucks to be a Boston fan.

I saw a shirt today that tickled me pink . . . The front said: "There was no curse . . ." and the back: "Boston just sucked for 86 years." LOL Jake's parents weren't home when I was heading back from Trenton today, so he couldn't wear his "Evil Empire" shirt.

A lot more to blog on, but I'm trying to think of how to word it. Stay tuned.

Anyhoo

So I hit a new low on the scale today. 146.6. Cool. I'm 6.6 pounds from my goal weight. I'm looking forward to settling in to a size though, this not fitting into anything right makes me a little frustrated.

Wong pitched a 2 hitter against the B-Sox yesterday, which made me a happy lady. It would have been a no score game except Bobby Abreu fucked up a catch and allowed a home run. I hate that guy. He makes more money that humanly acceptable, yet he plays with no heart and no guts. Sad.

I made a lemon and herb roasted chicken last night that was tasty, but the bird was the fucking largest one I've ever seen (I think he was on 'roids), so it took forever and a day to cook. I'll try the recipe again, with a smaller bird next time.

Jake and I went for a hike around the Manasquan Reservoir the other day, which was okay. It wasn't much of a hike, more like a gravel road through the woods where occasionally you got a glimpse of the water. I think I like the Cheesequake hiking trails a lot better. Much more rugged and isolated. But my luck for running into people I know in the most random places has continued . . . I ran into Jodie and a friend of hers on the path at the reservoir. Weird. I saw her up above and was like "That looks like Jodie." Sure enough it was. We've been talking about getting together for ages, and voila, there she was.

Jake's still hooked on his Star Wars Wii game, and I'm ready for the baseball game at 4. :o) I love it when the Yanks play Boston. I'm all psyched and ready for the game next Wednesday. I just hope it's a wee bit warmer than it was last time.

That's enough for now . . .
Be well!

More pictures of Lily

Lily's got her tongue sticking out a little bit! She was so sound asleep that I was able to get in really close to take the picture. Unusual.


Think my fish feel intimidated?

Long time.

I realized I haven't posted in a while so I wanted to drop in and say hi. Hi.

Weight's been 147 for a few days in a row now, after hovering at 150 for a while. I'm still losing, which is cool. I'm also offically in between sizes now, which means although I have to get some summery clothes to wear, nothing fits right.

I found out that DVR will "sponsor" me to finish Rutgers and get my MSW, which is wicked cool. They're also going to give me funding for books. Sweet.

I got a lot accomplished yesterday at SOS. I took a client for a referral appointment with an agency that provides supportive services like transportation and housing assistance, etc. That went well. What was funny was that one of the women who was running the intake appointment offered me a job. I wasn't there for me! I gave her my email address and told her to contact me.

It's insanely beautiful out today, and if I didn't have commitments, I'd be sitting on the beach right now. As it is, I'm free all day tomorrow but of course the weather won't cooperate.

Went to the Yankees game on April 2nd and froze my butt off. Holy *%^! was it cold! I am bringing a blankie with me to next week's game on Wednesday versus Boston. I don't know if I can handle freezing like that again. And they lost, which made the torturous temperatures even more bitter.

To celebrate the nice weather, Jake and I are going for a walk around the Manasquan Reservoir tonight. That should be nice.

I found my recipe for Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon dressing. I don't think I've posted it on here, so I will do so now. If I have, here's the recipe again! :o)

Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Baby spinach
1/2 pound bacon, cut up with kitchen shears
1/2 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Splenda or sugar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


1. Fry the cut up bacon until crisp. While bacon is frying, whisk together the other ingredients in a seperate bowl.
2. When bacon is crisp, drain off some of the fat if you wish, but leave some in the pan, as it will serve as the 'oil' in the dressing.
3. If you took the pan off to drain the fat, return pan to range and heat until bacon sizzles again. Remove from heat. Add other ingredients to pan.
4. When it has stopped sizzling, pour hot dressing over baby spinach, allowing it to wilt a little bit.

That's pretty much all that's new here. I'm starting to get excited about the Parkinson's Unity Walk at the end of this month; I'm very close to my personal fundraising goal of $500! I've gotten some donations from unexpected (but welcomed) places.

Star Wars of Legos?

Jake's become enraptured by the Star Wars Wii game; who knew that they were really Legos? :)

Weight's down to 148, 8 pounds from my goal. Insane. Feels good though.

Rutgers' womens basketball is burning up the courts again. I'm going to try and catch a game or two . . . they're ranked #2 in the country. Cool.

Got Zoey's christening on Sunday, which should be nice. I have a nice dress and will get to see everyone.

Didn't get into Gallaudet. Got the letter on Thursday and I was quite sad. Jake went and got me flowers and some LC Ultra Dark chocolate and some "bath caviar," which I used tonight and smells lovely. Glad I have a back-up plan to finish my MSW in a year. I'll be taking 3 courses (eep) over the summer and then 3 next semester and an internship. I'm still weighing if I will reapply to GU next year; it would be nice if I had my MSW before moving to DC, since that would equate a better job (and perhaps more weight on the resume). Means I'll have to retake the GRE, at least once more. Yuck.

Baseball season is almost here, and I am excited. We're going to the April 2nd game, which should be cool. Jake and I decided to put some tickets up on StubHub to offset the price of the packages, so that will help too.

Jake's parents are re-renting the same house on the beach in Delaware for this summer, and I'm happy about that. I had a really nice time last summer, and the whole "roll out of bed, put on your swimsuit, grab a book, walk out the door, grab your chair and find a place on the beach to relax" thing worked for me. I hope this year we don't miss the fireworks and that they're not canceled the day of due to rain. And then we're headed back home for a Phillies/Mets game in PA. Should be fun.

Not much else is new here . . . same old same old. The fish are still alive, as are the snails. One of the snails was nowhere to be found a few days ago, and I started to worry that Lily had somehow gotten her crafty little paw on it, but it turns out that it'd just burrowed into the gravel beneath the Roman ruins. Guess life in the aquarium requires you to make your own fun.

There's a new recipe that's taking the viral LC world by storm, for something called "Oopsie Rolls." I've made them twice, and while I like the texture of these better, I like the taste of the regular Rev Rolls better. Perhaps they'll be better with some tweaking. Jake and I went in search of "muffin top" pans today to make rolls that are identically sized. Our quest was in vain, but I'll get my hands on some of them soon enough, I'm sure. I'll check out eBay or something . . .

I think I'm gonna make some French Toast from them, since I have Howard's Maple Flavored Syrup, made from Splenda, and carb-free. I'll post the recipe for the Oopsie Rolls; if you try them let me know how you like them . . .

CLEOCHATRA'S BEST EVER REVOL-OOPSIE ROLLS

3 large eggs
1 packet of Splenda
A dash of salt
A pinch of cream of tartar
3 ounces cream cheese (not Tbsp!) Do not soften!

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Separate the eggs and add Splenda, salt, and cream cheese to the yolks. Use a mixer to combine the ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff (if you're using the same mixer, mix the whites first and then the yolk mixture).

Using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and spoon the mixture onto the sheet, making 6 mounds. Flatten each mound slightly.

Bake for about 30 minutes (You want them slightly softer, not crumbly). Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, and then remove to a rack and allow them to cool.

Storage and freezing:

I store them in a Ziplock bag with the bag open partially (this way they breathe and don't get too moist) and keep them in the fridge after the first day. Then, when you want to use them, take them out and set them on the counter for 15-30 minutes or until they are room temperature. This makes them more "dry" and less sticky.

As for freezing, I tried freezing and they do freeze. This time you want to close the Ziplock when storing (I only store two per bag). To thaw, let them rest on the counter until room temperature in the bag with the bag open. When they're close to room temperature, set them outside of the bag so that they can "dry" out slightly for use.

Makes 6 "Oopsie Rolls"
Calories 85 each
Carbs Less than 1g each (WOWee!!!)

From the Livin' La Vida Low-Carb blog at: http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/2008/03/cleochatras-amazing-low-carb-oopsie.html

Milestone

Hit a new low today on the scale, 149.4. That's 0.4 pounds lighter than my previous low. Cool. I'm surprised I lost since I ate slightly off program yesterday for Easter, having some LC dessert mixes. I'll still take it though. I'll write more later. I just wanted to post the number before I forgot it (old age is creeping up surprisingly fast).

Grey days

Well, my 'tightening up' of the way I eat seems to be paying off; today I clocked in at 149.8. Works for me. Had the late night munchies and devoured McD's at 2 am, so I'm surprised I lost. But I'll take it.

Spent a nice meal on Friday night with Jake, Heather, Ryan, Jen, and Aunt Kathie. Also got to talk with Murph for a while, which was nice since we don't get enough time to chat 1 to 1. The dryer delivery was a huge fiasco. First they guys didn't speak English too well, then I had to run over to Tom and Murph's to get Uncle Dave, who was working next door. He had the delivery men leave the washer/dryer in the kitchen so he and the plumber could install it themselves, since apparently the water line wasn't hooked up or something.

So Dave and the plumber come over and start moving the washer and dryer into the new laundry closet. They almost get the thing inside when they realize that there's no way for the plumber to get out, since the washer/dryer blocks the whole door and the closet isn't much wider than the door frame. Finally they had to get a 3 foot ladder, give it to the plumber after everything was hooked up, then the plumber (who is older and retired, mind you) had to climb up over the washer/dryer (since they're stackables) and down the tall ladder in the front of the washer/dryer. Then Dave went up the tall ladder, reached over the top of the washer/dryer, and snagged the 3 ft ladder, leaving nothing behind. I swear, my family does nothing easily.

I finally gave up with the whole 'patience is a virtue' thing and emailed Gallaudet to find out the status of my application for admission. The woman who wrote back was really nice, saying she hasn't heard anything yet, that it's customary to hear 3-4 weeks after the application was received, and gave me the email address of the liason for the Clinical Psychology department. Since 3-4 weeks have long since elapsed, I sent an email to the liason, asking when I should expect to hear the result of my application. I'm a little less nervous now, even though that makes no sense. I'm still really hoping I get accepted for an interview, since I think I present myself even better in person than I do in person. Let's continue to keep em crossed, folks!

Here's a recipe many people have asked me for . . .
Poppy Chicken
Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into roughly 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup garlic powder
oil
1 bag of frozen broccoli spears
3/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp poppy seeds
roughly 3 to 4 cups of shredded cheese (I usually use a mix of sharp cheddar and Italian blend)

1. Preheat oven to 425. Toss the chicken in the Parmesan Cheese and garlic powder until evenly coated. Brown in batches in oiled pan over med hi heat.

2. While the chicken is browning, empty bag of broccoli into a microwave safe bowl and pop that bad boy in the micro for 7 to 8 mins, uncovered.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, cream, and seeds.

4. Spray a 9x13in baking pan with PAM (or generic equivalent), layer in the broccoli. Salt and pepper, and add a few pats of butter if you wish. Sprinkle with a light layer of Parmesan and garlic powder.

5. Distribute the chicken evenly over the broccoli, top with the mayo mixture (you probably won't have enough to cover the whole dish, but spread it as much as you can). Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until it reaches the level of doneness you like (Jake likes it browned and bubbly)

Here's some more Star Wars pix . . .

Ho hum

I'm hanging out in Secaucus today, waiting for my aunt Kathie's washer and dryer to arrive. The guy called a little while ago and said he'd be here in 10 to 15 minutes. So that's good . . . means after they leave I can go to the store and pick up some dinner fixin's.

So let's see . . . was a largely uneventful week until Wednesday. My internship placement is at Signs of Sobriety (www.SignsofSobriety.org), which is the ONLY organization that is by, for, and of the Deaf, dedicated to counseling, educating, and advocating for substance abuse treatment and awareness for the Deaf/HoH here in New Jersey. When I first joined them last semester, my supervisor, Steve (who is a Deaf man with an MSW from Gallaudet . . . I got him to write one of my recommendations to GU. Sweet.)told me that SOS was entering into a competitive bidding process for renewals of their grants. I signed on and did a lot of work with the grant writing process and the grassroots support organization.

Hang on, the washer and dryer are here . . .

Wow, am I glad Uncle Dave was working at Tom's next door, because the guy was kinda rude. I also had to hunt down Hoot and lock her in Heather's room. But they're bringing it in now, which is good.

Anyway, SOS got word early this month that their grants were not renewed and that SOS would have to downsize drastically since they've lost most of their funding. On Wednesday was a public meeting of NJ's Division of Addiction Services for the Deaf and HoH. I went, as did many others in support of SOS. Heck, I even spoke, and was quite nervous (though Sharon said I appeared very confident). I just pointed out that it was quite unfair that all of the funding went to one source and that Deaf/HoH people don't have a choice like hearing people. And also, that if you had a problem, you'd want to go to someone who specializes in your problem. For example, if you have cancer, you're not going to see a general practiconer. You're gonna go see an oncologist. The organization that received the funding that was SOS's is not an organization run by Deaf people, and it does not specialize in helping Deaf people. It's unfair that Deaf people aren't given options and that they have to settle for care that will probably be subpar.

After I spoke, the 'designee' for the Chairwoman of Health and Human Services (the chairperson incidentally also graduated from Drew . . . weird) started slinging mud about SOS and how it was a business matter. For those of you who know me, when I tell you she reminded me of my ex-stepmother, this association speaks volumes. Ugh, she was so nasty!! I left the meeting quite downfallen, and disillusioned. I thought the reason they had the meeting was so people's voices could be heard. And we weren't. That sucks.

So instead of working with some clients on independent living skills and developing interpersonal relationships, I'm now doing some loss counseling and getting them linked up with other supportive services. I know that I will be doing things that are needed, but it's just so sad, because SOS is such a dynamic agency.

Still haven't heard from GU . . . I'm starting to get nervous and a little sad. I am also starting to doubt if I'll get accepted for an interview. Jake, my friends, and family have all been really supportive and encouraging, but it's hard not to feel a little blue. The suspense is killing me. I'm starting to wonder if I should e-mail them and ask when I should expect to hear . . .

Weight's still dancing around 152. I hate being stuck in a rut! Made a tasty dinner last night though . . . of my own creation . . .

"Tangy Creamed Spinach with Beef"

3/4 to 1 pound of baby spinach
a few pinches of ground nutmeg (fresh is best)
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 to 1 cup chicken stock
1/3 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, cook the spinach down with a little oil over medium heat. Stir in the nutmeg. (It really adds a little depth to the dish . . . I always use nutmeg when dealing with spinach or kale. Yum!)
When spinach is wilted, transfer to another bowl and brown the beef. While the beef is browning, cut the cream cheese up and heat over low heat with the cream, whisking until smooth. When it's smooth, turn off the heat.
Remove the beef to the same bowl as the spinach and saute onion in butter and a little oil until translucent. When the onions are golden, add the spinach and beef back into the skillet. Pour in the chicken stock and let it simmer down until slightly reduced.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese mixture. Add Parmesan cheese and stir well to combine. Salt and pepper if needed.

Jake loved this dish . . . I was just looking for a way to eat the baby spinach I'd bought before it went bad. It was quite tasty though.

I finished reading "An Unquiet Mind" last night, a memoir about manic-depressive illness (or Bipolar Disorder, whichever term you prefer). It was sooooooo good. I just love books like that . . . "When Rabbit Howls" is also really good; it's written by the multiple personalities of a woman who suffers from multiple personality disorder (or Dissasociative Identity Disorder . . . though I don't think it's as good a term as multiple personalities, but that's just me). Kind of like "Sybil," but from a first-person perspective. I've also got a first person narrative of schizophrenia waiting in the wings, but unfortunately grad school reading is more pressing at the moment. Bah.

I'm getting marginally better at Wii . . . I'm connecting more when I bat and the scores of our games are getting less insane. Little by little.

The Boss and Rosalita are still alive, as are Snaily and More Snaily. I have to say that the snails are mad cute. I love it when they are 'cleaning' the sides of the aquarium because you can see their little mouths and their tiny tongues. Awwwww!

Lily's rejoined the general population and is seeming much happier. Simba's relatively unaffected (I think he's one of those out of sight out of mind kind of animals; he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer) but Jake told me that Nina hissed at Lily the day after she was set free from the bedroom. LOL! Lily probably deserved it though . . . she's a troublemaking little imp.

That's about it for now. Gonna go watch some sleazy daytime tv.

Nonsensical

Weight's hopping back down, after almost reaching back to 155 a few days ago. "Sue" has gone away for now, so I guess I'm getting back to normal hormonally.

I've been consciously eating more "cleanly" (ie: more strict compliance with Atkins) and have re-entered ketosis, according to my handy little pee strips. Today I had some decaf tea with heavy cream and liquid Splenda (Sweetzfree) for breakfast, and packed a power Atkins lunch: big ole salad with spring mix greens, 2 hard boiled eggs, some extra sharp Cheddar cheese, a green pepper, and lots of delish Bacon Ranch dressing to dip it all in (or pour over, in the case of the salad). Add 2 Sprite Zeros and I'm set for the day. Dinner will be something with baby spinach and chicken . . . perhaps something like a horseradish chicken but not cooked in the slow cooker. We'll see.

Jake and I got a Wii. He texted me on Sunday afternoon (he'd gone to Pton to do some computer work for a friend's family), asking me to go to the Best Buy out on 35 and attempt to buy a Wii. Apparently it's still really hard to get one, but not as bad as the crush around the holidays. I went over to the Best Buy and there were a few left. I tried to buy more than one but couldn't. I was still really skeptical about the whole Wii thing . . . I've never been a 'gamer' and haven't played video games since I was about 10. Jake was as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning. He went out and got another controller and 3 games.

I have to say that the Wii is really cool. Jake got a game called Major League Baseball 2k8 and I really like it (even though I suck at it). We can "become" the Yankees and Phillies and play games against one another, having to "pitch," "hit," and "field." I'm decent at the pitching, getting the hang of the hitting, and totally suck at the fielding. I can't catch the ball for the life of me and have this mental block that makes me keep throwing to first base, no matter where I should be throwing it. And Jake is loving it too . . . if he steals home on me again, there's gonna be hell to pay.

Even cooler is the fact that the Wii is hooked up to my wireless router, so Jake and I can play games with other people remotely via the web if it's a WiFi game and the other people also have the same game. Jake got the hottest new thing, something Mario Brothers Smash. I don't know, he tried it for the first time last night and it was confusing. But it's WiFi. So we'll have to practice and then set up a play date with others who have it, like Melissa and Anthony.

The Boss, Rosalita, Snaily, and More Snaily are all still alive. The Boss had a brush with death on Saturday but Jake changed the water and it seems to be doing much better. Yesterday I thought one of the snails was dead, as it was floating on top of the aquarium. I couldn't have told you if it was Snaily or More Snaily, as they are identical. Anyway, I came back in and it was at the bottom. I decided to hold off on flushing it, as I thought maybe it just lost its grip on the side of the aquarium . . . I'm glad I waited, because when I got home from class last night, both snails were happily sucking away at the bottom and sides of the aquarium. Poor guy must've lost its grip. It will never know how close it came to being flushed (or set free, if you can believe "Finding Nemo" . . . love that movie).

Lily's still on lockdown and looking more depressed daily. She will be turned loose on the other cats this week, either tomorrow or Thursday. Her medication is done, and I think we're all happy that it's over with. I hope her rejoining the general population will help lift her spirits a little. She's still up to mischief, though. There's a finger hole on the top of the aquarium so you can take the lid off that apparently is just the right size for her to stick her paw into. I've caught her "fishing" a few times, but she's so far been unsuccessful (thankfully).

Ok, I guess that's enough nonsense for now . . .

May the Force be with you . . .

Here's a recap of Saturday's events . . . complete with pictures!

Saturday, March 8, 2008
At last, Jake's wait was over. Today was Star Wars day.

We slept in this morning and then headed over to Philly (in the
torrential rain). We picked up Jake's friend Tommy (a Drewbie we went
to school with) and drove over to the Franklin Institute. We got our
wristbands and then I headed off to find the coat check while Jake and
Tommy hunted down some eats. It took a while, but I was finally
successful in finding the coat check and getting our jackets squared
away. Got back up to the second floor to find that Jake had gotten me a
chicken Caesar salad and a Coke Zero (which was perfect, I was wanting a
salad). We had to nosh quickly, as our ticket window for admission was
supposed to be 2 to 230 (and we were already late). Jake met up with Tom, who had also gone to Drew, and graduated the year before us, Tom's wife, and children.

We got on line with a ton of other people and the excitement started to build. I have to say, the exhibit was really cool. Cooler than I'd anticipated. My only complaint is that there were no Ewoks. (Yes, I think they're adorable) There were lots of kids in the exhibit, and there were hands-on activities for them. All of the videos that accompanied the certain sections of the exhibit were captioned, so I could actually watch and understand them. Looking at the various things, I have to say that I kind of regretted not having seen the three 'prequels' prior to attending the exhibit. I think if I had, I'd have appreciated all of it equally, rather than focusing more on the older stuff. I mentioned this to Jake, and he said we'd buy the other three that night.

I've included some photos and should be adding more once I get some pictures from Jake . . . me and Darth Vader and the like . . .

And so . . .

Frustrating, but my weight is creeping back up. I keep trying to tell myself that it's my "friend" (which shall henceforth be known as "Sue," but don't ask me why I chose that name), but a part of me is worried that I won't be able to re-lose weight. I mean it's not like a huge deal, but this morning I'd gained back over 1/2 of the weight I'd previously lost. Man, it's tough being a woman sometimes, having to deal with the hormones and weight gain. This month I have been constantly hungry, so I've been consciously snacking LC (low carb). One month all I craved was cheese, another it was olives. My body and hormones are so incredibly weird it's not even funny.

I went up to visit with my aunt last weekend. We had a nice day together, doing window shopping and having a great (and filling) lunch at Outback. Afterwards, we went back to her house and I helped both her and my cousin write their resumes. I'm glad I was able to do something productive for them; they're both awesome people and sometimes I worry that I can't do more to help.

It's also been a pretty busy week, since I've been at my internship for about 7-8 hours a day. I'm leaving at 3:45ish today, since I have an appointment with Dr. Wurmser, my plastic surgeon. He'll look at my scar and we'll discuss when my next (and final) surgery will be. Probably sometime next month, or the beginning of May. I really want to have my surgery after the Unity Walk and the March of Dimes Walk, so probably the first week in May. That way, I'll be able to devote some serious time to healing since the school year will be over and I won't be driving an hour each way to Ewing three times a week.

Lily's healing and recovering well, but she's not liking her solitary confinement too much. Every so often, I'll see a little black and white paw sticking out from underneath the door. She has frequent "visitors" as well; I've seen both Nina and Simba "checking in" on her from under the door.

Here's some pictures of my "grownups": Nina's the B&W kitty, and Simba's the white and tabby one. Simba's a bit of a 'fraidy cat, so there's not many pictures of him, and Nina thinks she's a dog (she prefers to lick you when you pet her).

On a more interesting note, I'm sure, to many of you, is the fact that I'm going to the Star Wars Exhibit at the Franklin Institute this weekend with Jake and some former Drewbies. I've only seen the "original" three SW movies, so I don't know how it will be (I've never had a desire to see the "prequels," I thought they should have left good enough alone, but then again, the prequels did introduce a whole new generation to SW . . . Melissa's nephews love it). I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

Class is going pretty well this semester. I really liked my professor from last semester (Dr. Claudia Moreno), so I decided to take Social Work Practice 2 with her this semester, even though it meant that I would have to travel to the Newark campus every Monday night. We have to write a lot of papers, which isn't a big deal for me; and we've also been assigned a book to read with a group. I thought I would get a book I'd read before (Rigoberta Menchu [who won the Nobel Peace Prize]'s book called "I, Rigoberta Menchu, an Indian Woman in Guatemala") for a sociology class at Drew. (If you haven't read the book, check it out, it's pretty good) Instead, I was assigned to read Elliot Liebow's "Tell Them Who I Am: The Lives of Homeless Women." In some ways it's really a better book for me, as I'm working pretty intensively with a woman in my internship who is at-risk for homelessness and I have a lot of experience in the housing sector of social work. I also got Elliot Liebow's other book: "Tally's Corner," which I plan to read when I have time (i.e.: when I'm not busy reading required reading for the MSW program).

Still waiting with bated breath on a reply from Gallaudet about my application to the Clinical Psychology PhD program. I get butterflies in my stomach every time I get my mail, since I know that I should be hearing whether or not I got invited to go to DC for an interview ANY DAY NOW. Nervousness.

Guess that's it . . . for now.

More Nonsense from Me

Hi all . . . I feel like I should name you, the readers. Stephen King calls his readers "Constant Reader," but 1. I don't particularly like plagiarism so much, and 2. I highly doubt any of you are constant readers. I could call you "FaFaARs" for family and friends and assorted readers, but then again, I wonder who would be assorted. Unless some of you have passed this on to others. Which I highly doubt but in no way discourage . . . guess that's something to ponder.

Weight this morning was 150.6. Crazy. I've lost the five extra pounds in 2 weeks, which is pretty impressive. I haven't cut out the sugar alcohols completely (I'm still a bar whore; especially the Caramel Chocolate Cookie Dough) but I have cut back and am being more conscious of my choices. For example, I love cereal. If I have 1/2 cup of All Bran Extra Fiber cereal in 1 cup of unsweetened Vanilla Soymilk with liquid Splenda mixed in, that's 8 total net carbs (and something like 17g of fiber, which is 69% of the daily requirements . . . makes me quite regular! LOL). Since I try to stay around 20 carbs a day, I know that breakfast took a big chunk out of my daily allowance, but it's so filling that it works for me. For lunch, I'll probably have a huge salad with Bacon Ranch dressing, or some chicken or tuna or egg salad, all of which have 3-4 carbs at the most. And then since Jake's eating more strictly on the induction part of Atkins in an effort to re-lose some weight, we have a pretty low carb dinner, like Horseradish Chicken (recipe below) or some double cheeseburgers from McD's, minus the bun (and I can eat 4. That even impresses Jake).

Jake and I got into a long discussion about cravings and he told me that if I really stick more to the Atkins way of eating (i.e.: cut out the sugar alcohols found in bars and other “Frankenfoods”), my cravings will diminish. While I haven’t totally cut out the bars, I have been eating more cleanly, and what do you know? My cravings have diminished.

On a non-weight note (and I have a feeling many of you are getting tired of hearing my weight-related ramblings), I am awash in Yankees and Phillies tickets for the first time in my life. Jake and I got an 11-game package for the Yankees and a 6-game package for the Phillies. I’m a rabid Yankees fan, and Jake’s a fan of both the Phils and Yanks. (He’s even admitted that I’m probably a bigger fan than he is) I also randomly won a lottery for a chance to purchase “premium” tickets for the Yankees. As you may know, this is the last season in Yankee Stadium, and I am so sad about that. Yankee Stadium is truly a monument to the game; the place where giants like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, Lou Gehrig, etc played has an air of legendary moments every time you go there. I tried to get tickets to the last series ever played in the stadium, but could not. I got tickets for the last Yanks/Red Sox game ever to be played in the stadium (in the regular season . . . they may battle again in the ALCS if they both have good years). For those of you who are interested, here’s a breakdown of the big games we’re going to:
Red Sox v. Yanks: 4
Mets v. Phils: 5

We’ll also probably sell 3-4 Yankees games and 1-2 Phillies games online on StubHub to compensate for the cost of the packages. But we’re not getting rid of any of the big rivalries, like the Mets/Phils or Yanks/Boston. I may think Hank Steinbrenner is a bit of a douche, but I love this quote he gave this week: “Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of shit that is. Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order." RESTORE THE UNIVERSE TO ORDER. How freakin’ funny is that? Ahh, I’m so happy baseball is almost back. In fact, I’m watching the Phils play the Yanks in Spring Training right now. “Fartsworth” gave up a HR, as per usual. He’s another douche.

Lily’s doing pretty well. She’s sneezing less and is more active, so she’s recovering from her spaying and her URI. She’s still on lockdown in the bedroom, but she seems to be handling it ok. The only thing that is a big deal is giving her medication. It’s a two-person job and we also have to use the comforter to subdue her. And it’s just some liquid she has to take. Jeez. When Nina got hurt, I had to give her PILLS and she took it like a champ. I think Lily just likes to be a pain in the you-know-where.

Jake decided we needed more animals in the house and went out and bought 2 goldfish and 2 snails. They’re in the bedroom with Lily, and she attempted to break into the aquarium the first day, and now she pretty much ignores them. Guess she has a short attention span. The fish are named “The Boss” and “Rosalita,” since we got them at a PetSmart on Rt. 9 in Manalapan. The snails are named “Snaily” and “Snaily 2,” respectively. The whole fish-getting process was an ordeal. Jake is so picky and we got there like 15 minutes before the store was closing. The teenage girl who was helping us must have thought he was on an illegal substance or two. He was so disappointed when he found out that the tank he’d gotten at Target was rather small and would only hold 1 fish, or 2 medium fish. We finally picked out 2 fish and the rocks (which had to coordinate with the fish, mind you), and got a small “Roman Ruins” for the tank. The manager actually came up to us and was like we’re closing and you’re the last two people here so you need to get out. Pretty funny. The fish survived the first night (surprisingly) and are still alive (or as far as I know, we’re at Jake’s parents’ doing laundry today). The snails have proved to be much cooler, however. I thought snails were supposed to be slow creatures, but ours zoom around the tank surprisingly fast. I even caught them “doing the deed” (I think). WTF are we going to do if we have baby snails? LOL

I think I’ve rambled enough for right now, but you never know, I might re-post later on. Time to go fold some laundry.

Horseradish Chicken (the real recipe, I tend to not measure so much, but I don't think a hunk of butter and a few spoonfuls of this or that would be helpful to anyone)
Even if you have apprehensions about trying this due to the horseradish, you should try it anyway. The long cooking process makes the horseradish so mellow, kind of like roasted garlic.
(Serves 4)

4 pounds of chicken (I tend to use split breasts)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
3/4 cup chicken broth/stock
1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
2-3 tbsp prepared horseradish
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup cream

1. Brown the chicken, skin on, over medium heat with the butter and oil. When the chicken is evenly browned all over, removed to slow cooker.

2. Combine the chicken broth, bouillon, and horseradish, and pour over the chicken. Slap the lid on that bad boy and let it cook on Low Heat for about 6 hours.

3. When the allotted cooking time is up, remove the chicken from the slow cooker. I tend to take the skin off and shred the chicken. Just be careful you don’t overlook bones (Jake eats this dish cautiously out of fear of choking to death on a chicken bone. I, on the other hand, have never gotten a bone in my food).

4. Whisk the cream cheese and cream into the liquid in the slow cooker until smooth. Taste and add S&P if needed. You might want to add more horseradish for more of a kick (I usually do). Dump the chicken back in, and stir to coat.

This has 1 net carb per serving and it’s really filling. I tend to make it with some French green beans (Haricots Verts) that I buy from Trader Joe’s in the frozen section, nuked with butter and S&P.

Poor Lil Cat

So Lil Cat, whose name incidentally happens to be Lily, started sneezing yesterday. And then last night we noticed she had runny eyes. Either she had allergies/a cold or some mysterious cat disease. So I look up her kitty symptoms and find out that she most likely has an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). Here's what I found:

Signs of URI

All of the following are signs of URI. Any cat showing any one of these signs should be suspected of having URI, and should at minimum be isolated from the general population. These symptoms can also indicate a vaccine reaction; however any cat showing these signs, whether due to a vaccine or genuine disease, is potentially infective to other cats:

* Clear or colored nasal discharge
* Sneezing
* Red/inflamed conjunctiva
* Ulcers/sores on the nose, lips, tongue or gums
* Fever/lethargy/loss of appetite (these may be signs of many other diseases as well)

Poor Lil Cat. She got her ovaries and uterus taken out last Wednesday and now she caught a virus. I keep reading . . . and find out that this can be a potentially DEADLY infection and is highly contagious. It's spread in a multitude of different ways (including airborne), and now I could have 3 sick cats (thank goodness I've been keeping Lily relatively sequestered so she can heal following her spaying).

So I make an appointment at my wonderful vet at 8:00 am this morning. I take the furry ones to the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital. It's really a great place, and what makes it even nicer is that it's open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which provides peace of mind. In fact, I called for the appointment at 1 a.m.

7:30 rolls around and I sneak the carrier out of the closet. No luck, Lily catches a glimpse of it and does one of her disappearing acts. It's really hard to find her too, cause she's so small! I hunt her down without trying to disturb a still-trying-to-sleep Jake too much (and failing), and cram her into the carrier, since she was not going in willingly. She immediately starts trying to stick her paws out through the front gate as I try to latch it. I can't say I really blame her though; the last time she was in this thing she had several vital female parts removed.

We go to the vet, Lily meowing the whole way, me trying to find some music that will soothe her (Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" seemed to do the trick pretty well, surprisingly enough). Let me say, it's sad when your animal's doctor's office is nicer than yours. Not just nicer, but in a different league nicer. It's a spiffy place with a huge aquarium and all the most up-to-date dodads.

Lily and I got seen almost immediately, which was nice. The tech weighed her, and she's exactly 4.9 pounds. I put her age at roughly 8 months. I've had her for probably about 7 months of her life. If you've missed the saga of Lil Lily's rough and tumble toddlerhood, let me know and I'll post a blog for ya if you'd like. Here's a picture of her the week she arrived. Notice the red cube in the background . . . it comes into play later on in this post.


The vet came in and commented on how beautiful she is (she really is a looker), and gave her a quick exam. Turns out we caught it early, she's only Stage 1:

Category one

Signs are limited to one or more of the following: Clear (not yellow, green or bloody) discharge from the nose or eye, sneezing, oral ulcerations.

Assessment: Most likely mild viral infection or vaccine reaction or without significant bacterial component.

Treatment:

* Isolate
* Offer wet cat food BID
* Assess daily for appetite, fecal quality , hydration, progression of signs

So the vet says that since she is so contagious, she has to stay away from my other two cats for two weeks. She also gave me 10 day's worth of antibiotics to give her (in liquid form, thank god. Giving pills to cats is NOT FUN).

So Lil's on lockdown. She's still really lethargic and has been spending a lot of time in the cubby cube that Jake got for her when she first arrived (and never used until now, despite attempts to coax her to use it, may I add). At least she's started drinking again. I'm gonna feed her good canned food (like tuna) cause she's been through so much lately.

I do, however, draw the line at inspecting her shit.

Here's some Lil pics

Confessions/Rant

Okay, so I've been eating the Atkins way for almost 8 months (since July 1st). I've lost serious weight, dropped major inches, and am now wearing sizes that were once just a fantasy that I'd have that I was thin and in shape. By all means, I love the results. I'm down 30 pounds and I've gone from a size 14/16 to a 6/8. Amazing.

But my god, I miss carbs and sugar. I don't talk about it cause I want to show that I do indeed have "stick-to-it-evness." It's not that I approach life half-assed, it's just that the paranoid schizo person who lives in the remote reaches of my mind is convinced there are some people that would love nothing more than to see me fail. Because me as a chubby, cranky, crabby BITCH fits into the little hole they've got pegged for me. I've also never even attempted a diet before because I am so deathly afraid of failure and being less than who I can be. I was and still am, scared.

It took me longer than the regular Induction period (2 weeks) for me to enter ketosis and start losing weight. I gotta admit, when I wasn't seeing any results at all I was discouraged and ready to quit. The paranoid schizo person and Jake (who, incidentally, is not that paranoid schizo person, believe it or not) kept me keepin' on. Turns out I'm even more carb resistant than your average Jane (a nice kick in the ass from the powers that be), so eating 20 carbs a day was getting me nowhere fast. I decided to try dropping it to 15 net carbs a day, and suddenly things started working and clothes got baggier.

I mean the results are undeniable. I am thinner now than I was in high school. Yet I still look in the mirror and see myself at 180 pounds, flabby, doughy, and unattractive. People tell me all the time that I look so good and I seriously don't see it. Yet I do get satisfaction from wearing jeans that are sized 6. I've gotten used to eating the Atkins way, and its pretty easy for the most part.
And yet every time I drive by a McDonald's I fantasize for a moment about hitting the drive thru and getting a 2 cheeseburger meal with fries. I eat McD's double cheese burgers all the time, minus the buns. But I do miss those buns. The biting into the pillowy bread. The crispy saltiness of McD's fries fresh out of the fryer and almost too hot to eat.

I used to think that sugar was my major weakness, Jake said I was probably more of a carb addict than a sugar junkie. And as much as I hate to admit it, he was right. I fantasize about pizza and pasta, hamburger buns and Cinnabons, rice and Chinese food in general. Fried foods with breading. I have never been a big sliced bread person so I don't miss that so much. But it's just about everything else. Mashed potatoes with tons of beef gravy. Hell, I'm not even Jewish, and I'd kill for a latke with applesauce.

At the root of Atkins is a choice to eat foods that are lower in carbs because those foods are healthier overall. It's about losing weight easily and developing a lifelong strategy about eating. Most of us have twisted relationships with food. We cook things because it reminds us of people we used to know. We eat to comfort ourselves. How many childhood memories are like mine, sweetened with chocolate chip cookies (my mom used to buy the best ones from Shoprite), cake, ice cream, candy, Ring Dings and Yodles and Reese's peanut butter cups? Why do we do this to ourselves? Just because we don't have to leave camp to hunt for our food and harvest the crops, why do we choose to eat CRAP?

It's funny that Atkins works so well because you eat what the medical community has been pounding into our heads for generations; fat bad, carbs ok. My mom is starting the Induction phase of Atkins soon, and she can't wrap her mind around the idea that you can eat bacon and butter and cream and burgers and still lose weight. At least she gets that she needs to still eat veggies, preferrably green ones. That's another thing that slays me. People go on Atkins and have to stop because their numbers go through the roof. I mean it's not rocket science that eating 5 pounds of bacon with no salad or anything is NOT good for you.

So that's a sampling of what's on my mind today. I'd appreciate any feedback.

I'm becoming accustomed to the fact that
I will probably always crave carbs.

Especially when I think of those McDonald's french fries.

Wow, The cat hates me.

Ok, so I picked up Lily today from the SPCA in Eatontown this morning. She did well and got fixed, her final round of shots, and a microchip (so I can take her to the store and scan her, according to Jake). All that for $165. Which isn't bad at all.
What is bad is that the cat is apparently hatching a death plan against me and giving me the silent treatment. She tried to break out of the carrier once we got home, and glared at me when I attempted to stop her from fussing at her stitches (which I was instructed to do by the vet tech). She won't come when I call her, and she's not interested in food or water. All she wants to do is sleep against the radiator. Poor thing. She is currently in the bedroom apart from the other two cats because she has to take it easy. Jake will want to lock her out of the bedroom tonight because she's notorious for waking him up in the middle of the night for petting. But she may not do that tonight since she's in hiding. We'll see.
Had dinner with my mom today. It was nice. We went to Outback (the Atkins place to go) and then went shopping. I got a nice dress for Zoey's baptism. :o)
On the scale today, I was 152 on the nose, down 3 pounds from last week, and 3 pounds higher than my lowest since starting Atkins. Yes, my goal is 140, but those last 10 pounds have been so elusive. No more bagels. I made a whole bunch of vanilla caramel carbquik pancakes and stashed them in the freezer. They're good with butter and 1 carb "maple syrup."
My mom is thinking about eating Atkins, and I think she'll like it. Bacon. Butter. How much better can you get??
There was some other stuff I was going to ramble about, but I forget what it is for right now, so I'll sign off.

Okay

So I'll give this a shot. Let's see . . . Jake says he blogs regularly (or at least posts on his message board) and he usually just bitches, more or less. Let's see how it goes for me.
Things are pretty good here. I just dropped Lily, the kitten, off at the spay/neuter clinic. I feel like a bad mommy because she cried the entire time, even though I did everything I could to make her feel better. At least she won't go into heat again; she doesn't really bother me but apparently she meows nonstop and seeks affection like a broke crack-addicted whore. I will pick her up tomorrow morning. My only complaint is that the clinic is pick-up/drop-off only between 7:30 and 8:45 in the MORNING. You all know mornings aren't my strong suit.
I'm still on the Atkins, though I've regained 5 of the 30 pounds I'd lost. Well, I think so . . . I haven't weighed myself in a few days. I've cut out the low-carb bagels though . . . but boy do I want one right now. :o) It's nice that we're eating the same stuff, which makes it easier. I gotta increase the salads though.
How is everyone?