200 Mile Radius

Last winter I decided my new phase was going to be all about eating locally grown/raised groceries.  Anyone who knows me knows that I dream big and deliver small when it comes to my phases. No, that isn't a typo.  I generally want to make HUGE changes.....I talk about them and the things I am going to do....and then the reality and size of the undertaking rears it's lovely head and I am knocked down a couple of notches.

I really don't mind this process though... because as I am falling down... onto the hard ground of reality, I generally tear away a few nuggets of knowledge that make their way into my daily life, making it better...or at least more interesting.

How was I going to do this? It started with a blog.

200 Mile Radius

Here is the outcome:

The blog lasted about two weeks. The plan was to only purchase foods that were grown/raised within a 200 mile radius of Austin. That meant that my food sources would have to be farmer's markets or from a delivery service that provided farmer's market products. It would also mean that I would only be eating produce that was in-season.

 I used Farmhouse Delivery and they were pure AWESOMENESS! I started this venture in the winter. That made it hard for me because I don't really care too much for many of the winter veggies. Honestly, there were several times when I didn't even know what some of the produce in my bushel actually was! One of the many genius things Farmhouse does is they send you a picture of the produce in the bushel that has the name of each item. They also provide some killer recipes!

Here is a picture from one of the bushels I received:

 I had them deliver for a few months, but it wasn't working out for me as I was working an insane number of hours at work and didn't even have the energy to make myself a PB&J...and the thought of actually cooking wasn't going to happen. I started giving the produce to a friend of mine so it wouldn't go to waste. It was too much for me to take on. So I cancelled my deliveries. That was the day the blog died too.

                                     
One day I hope to return to Farmhouse Delivery. They are that good!



Since I was working 10,000 hours a week, going to the farmer's market wasn't happening either. So I went back to my old ways....Starbucks for breakfast, maybe grabbing some almonds or string cheese for lunch, and dinner was something ordered through a microphone and given to me in a paper bag through a window... or delivered directly to my house by some teenage boy trying to buy new rims for his Kia.

I've learned that I am either "all in" or "all out" when it comes to most things. Especially healthy eating and exercise.

I'm either going to see my FANTASTIC acupuncturist/nutritionist  on a regular basis and following all of her advice. (btw....Marlene is the best! Even when I come back after a long time away she is kind, helpful and totally awesome. She is also very real. She "gets" it. She rocks!).....or the baristas at my Starbucks are creating my beverage of choice before my car even pulls up to the drive-thru speaker-box. (they are nice too...but they aren't really into helping me get on a road to health...they sell coffee that tastes like ice cream...touche´)

I'm the same with exercise. I'm either working out with a trainer 3 times a week, or you can see the imprint of my butt on my couch and I'm considering the walk up the stairs to bed my "exercise" routine.


My newest phase is to find my place "in the middle".

It's harder than you think.

I was raised on casseroles, juice from concentrate... and corn was the top vegetable in our house. The only thing that was green in our kitchen was the apple-green linoleum on the floors and the Formica counter tops. During my childhood I ran around with a permanent purple grape-juice mustache.

I have come a long way from the days of "cream of mushroom soup" being the staple ingredient in my meals but it isn't hard for me to return to those roots. My generation was the first to have Frakenberries and Fruity Pebbles....many of these sugar-laden cereals came out the year I was born.  Yeah for me! The processing of food hit an all-time high for my generation...and I have the big butt to prove it. I'm not blaming anyone for my challenges with food. The facts are that I love some "foods" that aren't good for me and it has taken me many years to change some of my bad habits, and some of my bad habits still have a vice-like grip on me.

One of the biggest "nuggets" of information I have learned in the past few years is how delicious real food can be! I know it sounds weird...but until you have eaten the goat-cheese salad from Blue Dahlia, you haven't lived.

I am going to work on balance in my eating. Farmer's market foods whenever possible, talking a walk around the block instead of having to have a $60 a month gym membership. I'm going to try to start small. This isn't usually how I roll....but I think it is what I need to do right now. No crazy stuff. Just getting back to the basics.

The 200 Mile Radius idea didn't happen as I wanted, but here are some of the "nuggets" I learned:

1. The seed to healthful eating has been planted in me and will hopefully grow slowly into good choices I will make for myself every day
2.  I know that it's worth taking the time to make it happen
3.  I am much happier when I am eating foods that are good for me
4. My brain works better when I'm eating healthful foods
5. Almond butter is awesome
6. Farm-fresh milk is sent directly from God
7. I don't like Cilantro or Anise...even if it comes from the farmer's market...ick!
8. Buddha's Brew is the best Kombucha ever!
9. There is something called pecan butter by Local Baby out there. Once you try it you will be willing to hurt people to get more of it. (please don't hurt people...just order it online... it's easier that way)
10. The best jams and jellies come from Confituras. There is no reason to argue this point. You won't win.

So I guess this is the reincarnation of a past phase in smaller more realistic "bites". We shall see....

Happy eating!

e~

10 books on Meditation = possible head injury

I have 10 books on meditation and 3 boxes of meditation cards. I have never successfully meditated in my life. As you can see from my large meditation collection I have a desire to meditate but have been unable to do so successfully...even once.

I fall asleep EVERY TIME.

Now, I know, from all of my reading about meditation that it is a "practice". It takes people years to become "good" at meditation, I get that...but I am guessing one has to stay awake to "still the mind".

My first attempt at meditation almost ended with a head injury.

I have a very comfortable chair that I thought would be perfect to try my first meditation.

Ridiculously comfortable to sit in with good back support. Perfect. My goal is to be the best meditator out there. Have the Dalai Lama call ME to ask how I became such a master at meditation, a girl can dream big, right? Even with this lofty goal I figured it would behoove me to start small. Like the books recommended, just practice sitting and breathing. How hard can that be?

Sitting cross-legged in the chair, I closed my eyes. I begin focusing on my breath (as the books had instructed). in.......out............in..............

I am startled by my head caressing the metal bookcase that sits to the left of the chair. I place my hand out to catch myself, but instead, choose to catch myself with my face. As I assess the situation from the floor, I ask myself a few questions:

1. Do I feel calm? not exactly

2. Do I feel enlightened? not so much

3. Do I feel like I have a head injury? quite possibly

As I lift my broken spirit and bumped head off of the floor, I begin to ponder why it is that I fell asleep. Maybe I am actually GREAT at meditation...so great that I was able to quickly go into such a state of meditation that my mind actually closed off to all things outside of myself and I wasn't sleeping but was actually in another realm.

Or maybe I fell asleep, fell out of a chair and hit my head.

I think the answer is "B".

Namaste,

e~