GPOY

[clevermanka]

Today's xkcd:


pointoforigin mentioned in a post the book Glad No Matter What. She (pointoforigin) says: "One of the things she talks about is living in the middle: not trying to make everything--or everyone--all good or all bad, but weaving the happiness and the sadness together into a center that will carry you." That's just a lovely concept and akin to what I've been trying to do with anger--not let it consume or control me. Using it to motivate me, but not direct me--if that distinction makes sense to you. Nice, eh?

Letting go of that constant low simmer of rage has been surprisingly easy, actually. It's nice. I feel like that's a sign I was ready to let go of it. I've heard the adage that you can't start or quit something until you're ready--emotionally, physically, mentally--and I think that's correct. Until we're ready for change, we won't change. And we all have to come to change in our own time.

Yesterday I received such a nice compliment from someone. He stopped by to drop off something at the house and I invited him in for a bowl of the chicken soup I'd just made. mckitterick was out with friends and I don't so much enjoy eating alone. He made a little moaning noise and his eyes rolled back when he took the first spoonful. It was just chicken soup, but apparently I cook everything well? Except roasted turkeys fuck you roasted turkeys. Anyway, he really liked it, and as we were eating, he commented on my outfit. He said if he was a woman, he'd want to have my fashion sense and dress like I do.



I'm so glad today's Friday. This has been a long week. I'm also glad that I made myself move every day this week because I slept in this morning (until 7:08!) and tonight we have company for dinner, so I won't have a chance to move when I get home from work. Since I missed a day last week, I had only one off day this week and looks like today is it! Whew! I might still try to get just a few push-ups and lunges in, perhaps while I'm at work today, just to keep those muscles awake and alert for tomorrow's boxing session.

Last Night's Chicken Soup
1/2 red onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 c cooked and shredded chicken breast
3 c chicken broth
1 t Italian Herb Mix
1 t dried parsley
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t granulated garlic
2 T coconut milk
coconut oil
salt to taste

Melt the coconut oil (about 1 T) in soup pot. When hot, add onions. Allow to caramelize slightly. Add carrots and celery. Cook about five more minutes. Add spices, herbs, and broth. Simmer on low ten to fifteen minutes, until vegetables are soft. Add chicken and heat until warmed through. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut milk and salt.

Comments

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

This week has been ridiculously long! I have a feeling next week will be too - our students will be back. I'm not even sort of looking forward to that!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Ours don't return until the 20th. So I've still got one more week of relative quiet and closing the office at 4pm instead of 5pm!

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Enjoy that week!!

[seascribe.livejournal.com]

That does sound delicious! And Tila is sickly this week, so it sounds like the perfect opportunity to try it out.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I hope you enjoy it! Best and get-well-soon wishes to Tila.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Winter is good for soups isn't it?

January is a horrid month. All those days off from the holidays and then .. pouf... full weeks again.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ugh, January is THE WORST.

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

Take two apex predators and call me in the morning.

Yesterday I was having one of my "Uhh, RAGE" days at work, and the thought popped into my head: maybe I need to look into getting a heavy bag. I'm not much of a gamer but the few times I played first-person shooter games I felt so relaxed afterwards. I'm thinking punching something may do the same.

We unexpectedly ended up with a 23 pound turkey this year and it was my first time cooking one. We were SUPPOSED to fry it, but it was too big. Spatchcocking to the rescue. Butterflied it into two pieces, dry brined for two days, put each half on a rack over a tray of cubed root veggies, roasted in 2 hours, delicious. I still have most of the frame and the backbone in my fridge for stock. Plus, randomly yelling spatchcock in the house was a source of amusement for day.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Punching is SO GOOD. I do recommend you have someone tutor you who has some sort of martial arts training. It's really easy to sprain your wrist, even when you've got a qualified teacher (voice of experience, here).

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

I think the thing that has kept me from some exercise/movement activities has been needing another person: a tutor, a spotter, etc. I'm just going to have to get over that and work with other people.

This is coming from someone who, when her SO asks, "How was your walk at the park?" rates the success of said walk on the amount of people encountered when walking. The more people on the trails, the more critical the assessment. Yesterday's walk: met one Basset Hound + owner, saw one guy at a distance. Total success.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

This is coming from someone who, when her SO asks, "How was your walk at the park?" rates the success of said walk on the amount of people encountered when walking.

Ha! And I rate my days (in general) on how few people I encounter. =D