"Meatless Monday"

Aside from my post about sugar yesterday, another food-related goal I've decided to implement is to eat vegetarian 2-3 days a week. I originally got this idea from hearing about a movement called "Meatless Monday" (www.meatlessmonday.com). For health and environmental reasons, many people have chosen to follow Meatless Monday, which cuts down their meat consumption by 15%.

There are a couple reasons I want to do this. Health is first and foremost. We Americans tend to see meat as the main dish and relegate vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to side dishes. In fact, diets containing high consumption of meat can lead to higher risks for cancer and heart disease. Going vegetarian even for a couple days a week can be a challenge if you still want to eat healthy. The easiest thing to do is to reach for breads, pasta, cheese, and other not-so-good-for-you items. I'm hoping that by taking this on, it will force me to be a more creative cook by having to find ways to make satisfying, tasty meals that are vegetarian and healthy.



A general note about me and the future of this blog:

Right now, I feel like I'm in a phase of active searching. I have been doing a lot of research and reading about holistic health: physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional. I have become particularly interested in the interaction between Eastern and Western medicine and what the two can teach each other. What's fascinating is that the more I read, the more everything is revealed to be interconnected. I am letting instinct take over: if a certain book seems like it might be interesting, I'll pick it up; if I'm reading online and a link seems pertinent, I'll click it. More often than not, what I find somehow ties into and reinforces everything I've already learned. I realize this paragraph is a little abstract or esoteric. I can't help that now, though, because even I am not yet sure where I'm going with all of this. I hope to use this blog as an outlet to explore some of these thoughts and to share with anyone who is interested what I'm finding out. I do think I'm on an interesting path, and I hope you'll want to come along for the ride!

Various Food-Related Thoughts

Even some people who don't know me very well know that I'm a candy fanatic. Especially if it's chewy and sour (but really regardless of what type it is), I love love love candy. With start of school stress this semester, though, things got a little out of hand. Valentine's Day and Easter candy had just hit the stores and I was EXCITED. I bought two (big) bags of Sweethearts in the span of a week. I bought Sweettarts shaped like hearts. I bought Cadbury eggs and Russell Stovers. I honestly went on a mad candy binge for almost a week. As I did homework, a bag of candy was always within arm's reach on the coffee table.

Then the second week of school started and I noticed something weird. I was exhausted. Not just tired: I could barely get out of bed in the morning and I was struggling through every day. It didn't matter how much sleep I got or what time I went to bed at night. I also had no motivation to do anything at all. I felt distracted and anxious, almost depressed, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me.

Then, genius me made the connection and started doing some research. Like pretty much everyone, I certainly knew sugar wasn't GOOD for you. After all, it's just empty calories. Plus, John always refuses to put sugar in his coffee or drink regular pop because of how you get an immediate "sugar rush," but have an energy crash shortly after. Sure, I knew these things. But what I found out was truly unbelievable. Not only is sugar responsible for that "crash" not long after eating it, eating too much consistently can cause or contribute to fatigue, anxiety, distraction/inability to focus, and depression. In fact, one study on rats (who apparently metabolize sugar similarly to how we do) showed that rats offered either sugar or cocaine went for the sugar. This included rats who had already ingested cocaine and had become addicted to it. Even they still picked sugar! (Forgive me for not citing this study, I can't remember where I found it and I don't feel like digging it up.) Now, I'm not suggesting that sugar is more addictive than cocaine, but this is just an example of ongoing research that suggests that sugar can have effects on the brain similar to addictive substances.

After finding all that out, I've decided to significantly cut down on sugar consumption. By this I'm referring to refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup, not natural sugars in fruit. I have had no candy or other sweets in the last week or so, and I can't even describe how much better I feel. That alone is a great motivation to stick with this.

I would caution anyone who might be interested in trying the same thing to be careful about sugars found in unexpected foods. A lot of white breads and other refined carbohydrates are full of sugars. Also, I was comparing labels at Kroger the other day for canned tomatoes, and found that Kroger brand canned tomatoes have high fructose corn syrup as their THIRD ingredient (right after tomatoes and tomato juice!). Hunts brand doesn't have any. It also makes me question the quality of the tomatoes Kroger is using if they have to add a bunch of corn syrup to get them to taste good.

Here is an article with some great tips on cutting back on sugar and having more energy generally:

Remember Me? Random Life Updates

Probably not, because, as is typical with me, I have not been updating this blog! Last semester got incredibly overwhelming beginning in about mid- to late October. I had a cite source to do for Law Review, Chad and I got started on our trial (which was November 16), I was doing work for two professors, helping the Academic Excellence Program out with Civil Procedure, desperately trying to think of a topic for my student note for Law Review, got called in for jury duty (and got in a car wreck--not my fault--on the way there!), and to top all that off, I got so sick I ended up at MedExpress where they had to put me through two IV bags before they'd let me leave because I'd gotten so dehydrated. Whew! Like I said: OVERWHELMING.

That being said, I am incredibly thankful for the people in my life who helped me during all of the above. Both my parents were incredibly supportive. My dad gave me advice on an evidence question Chad and I had about our trial and called me and texted me with encouragement while I was sick. My mom brought me her homemade chicken noodle soup (which is somehow ALWAYS better than when I try to replicate it), tons of other food, and a pillow pal, which I'd really been wanting (yes, it's a stuffed animal and I'm 23, but they're adorable). Even though John was gone for the semester, he was always in touch. Even when I'm feeling at my worst, he always finds a way to make me laugh. Chad was understanding through everything, and I know there were several times when he rearranged his schedule to accommodate my being sick while we were getting ready for trial. One of my best friends, Rob, came over to bring me medicine when I ran out and couldn't even think about going to get more. That same day, he took me to MedExpress and stayed with me the whole two and a half hours I was there on the IV, for which I'm especially grateful.

Of course, after the trial was Thanksgiving break (much needed), and then came finals. Luckily I only had three because Trial Ad was already over. At the time, I felt VERY worried about them. They seemed a lot different than last year's somehow. The time limits were brutal, and in Admin, the word limit seemed impossible. Oh, and here's another reason to be thankful: I had written down the date for the Evidence final as Tuesday of the second week of finals week. That final was actually on MONDAY of that week. Thank God that Sunday night I told Chad what I was planning to study the next day, and he pointed out that the final was the next day, or I truly would have missed it. Having one less day to study for that final was stressful to say the least.

Christmas break couldn't have come at a better time. I got to see so many people I've missed for a long time. Emily was in town, of course, and we got a chance to shop for bridesmaids' dresses (and we found one!). Ryan and Katie were in, and the two of them and I went and spent an evening at Emily's just hanging out and catching up. Sarah Bell and I had a huge marathon shopping day. We went to the mall to pick up last minute gifts, bought dresses for the Country Club's Cheer Party at Elizabeth Michaels, I got my eyebrows waxed, and we grabbed sushi. The next night, my Dad and I met Sarah and her family at the Cheer Party and we all had a great time. I also got to see Sam, Ryan, and Tabitha at a new(ish) Mexican restaurant in town for lunch. Tabs is growing up into the prettiest little girl ever.

Not only did I get to see some of my oldest and best friends, I also spent a lot of time hanging out with my family. I haven't had that much fun in a long time. My Dad made an awesome roast one night for dinner. My Mom and I watched Christmas movies, wrapped presents, and caught up. Jimmy and I went to Kroger on Christmas Eve and miraculously found a seven pound standing rib roast (on Christmas Eve!!!). We brought it and a bunch of other goodies home with us, and my mom found her favorite prime rib recipe. Jimmy's girlfriend Cassie came over a bit later. We ended up having one of the best meals I've had in a long long time. Pat came over after spending some time at an annual Christmas party he goes to, and we all ate rosemary prime rib (horseradish on the side, of course) and roasted new potatoes, citrus green beans, and cheesecake for dessert. On Christmas morning, my mom and I met everyone at my Dad's house to unwrap presents. Everyone had obviously put a lot of effort into their gifts, and I know I got some of the best presents I've ever received. Pat got me the Misto, which aerates olive oil so you can mist it like Pam; a wine stopper that seals the bottle (which I definitely needed); and a wonderful cookbook called Around My French Table (which I'll discuss in a separate post). Jimmy got me a lovely bottle of white wine and a really nice champagne for New Years. And I got a much-needed vacuum cleaner specially designed to pick up pet hair.

I spent New Years in Jackson (MI) with John and his family, which is kind of the tradition now. I took Newton with me and he behaved wonderfully. He and Bandit (John's family's dog) got along great. On New Year's Eve, we went out to a local sports bar with some of John's friends from high school and then went to his friend Phil's house. The night was a lot of fun.

When school started back up, I had a lot of anxiety about coming back. Fall semester really seemed to knock the wind out of me. It's taken some time to get back into the swing of things, but I think I'm slowly but surely getting there. Grades came back and they were better than I expected, so that relieved a lot of the worry I'd been feeling. I also decided against participating in Lugar this year. I love litigation and definitely want to join next year, but after last semester I've realized the dangers of taking on too many obligations. I made the decision not to run for Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review so that next year I have a better chance at being able to do Lugar. I do have a pretty tough class schedule (Appellate Advocacy, Business Organizations, Sales and Secured Transactions, Jurisprudence, and Criminal Procedure), but I think it will be manageable as long as I don't overbook myself on non-school-related activities.

Well, there's the rundown on everything that's been going on since I last posted. Now that I'm caught up to the present, I hope to post more often on here. Believe it or not, I haven't been totally remiss in the goals I talked about in my last posts, and I'm planning to update about that soon enough. Until then, adieu!

plum vanilla preserves and a pom...

...is how I have spent my afternoon. At some point I'm going to have to get going on school stuff but I just haven't been up to it yet. I'm a little tired today and I'm already ready for the weekend- it's been a really busy week.

So when I came home from school and meetings today, I cleaned up the kitchen from my last cooking endeavor (which I'll get to) and decided to try the new hobby I have decided to have: canning. Food Network Magazine had some really easy recipes that were pretty small-scale, which was nice because a lot of these recipes make pounds and pounds of stuff. I decided to make plum vanilla preserves because that's something unique that you can't just buy. I just finished them (the jars have to sit for 24 hours now without being moved) and all the lids popped (which is a good sign and means that the jars probably sealed properly). Although the process takes awhile, it really doesn't require constant attention, so if you have to be around the house anyway because of homework or whatever else this is a good thing to try.

Anyway, I realized today that I'd never done an update on my last posts. I think the last few weeks have been actually very successful, and I'm feeling pretty productive. I am (pretty much) keeping up with all of my classes. My freezer is full of homemade chicken stock, lasagna, and beef stew, ready to be reheated when I don't feel like cooking dinner. Overall, this semester is already extremely busy and pretty stressful, but I think I'm keeping up well enough.

Oh- and my recipe index is up and running. I'm actually really proud of it. I have ten or twelve categories (starters, soups/stews, salads, etc.). Every recipe I can remember cooking is written on an index card that also has the cookbook it came from and the page number, any notes or changes I made to the recipe, and the category it should be filed under. I found a really nice index card box at Office Depot that's just plan black. Also, the random recipes I had all over the place are now filed into books, so that got taken care of too. I've already cooked a couple of them now that they're organized well enough that I can actually see what's what.

I can't think of many other updates. Can you tell I'm just not in the mood to talk about school?

Letting It Go

I just wrote and then deleted a signature Laura tirade for this blog. Instead I'm writing this:

I want this page to remain a purely positive, calming influence. And- sorry, everyone- that's for totally selfish reasons. Although I hope if you're reading this you find what I have to say worthwhile, I began this blog for myself and myself only.

It's back to "don't sweat the small stuff," and also, as the immortal song goes, "let it be."

I know- and I have known for a long time- that I can be short-tempered. Rash. You name it. And I have a tendency to dwell on things that have angered me, giving them far more attention than they deserve. As I noted in my first post, this blog is for me to try to be honest about my personal shortcomings. By putting them out in the open and owning them, I hope to gain the motivation to work toward overcoming them.

So: in the area of emotions, of tempers, of relationships: I will make an effort to think before I speak, to get worked up or upset only about things that truly matter to my life, and to let go of negative feelings that hurt me far more than they hurt anyone else.

Thinking positive...

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Yesterday was a very stressful day.

Newton was sick and I couldn't be home to care for him because, obviously, I have to work.

I checked my email in the morning and saw no new messages. Two hours later, I checked again, and studdenly there were messages from Law Review and from Professor DiSalvo, both notifying me of assignments that are due BEFORE school starts.

I had an email from Career Services talking about job applications- the first round of which are due the 16th (if I need to apply for a new job).

I suddenly realized that if I would need to apply for a job, I would need a transcript. You can't get a transcript with a hold on your account. I have a hold on my account until my student loans come in. Student loans don't come in until the first week of classes (after job applications are due). (I did find out from Career Services that I can use my unofficial transcript from MIX, so if anyone else is having this same problem, don't panic the way I did.)

Meanwhile, I was working on a section of a motion for summary judgment that was due by the end of the day.

Later on, I went to dinner with some coworkers and tried desperately to relax. Two sangrias and a wonderful Vandalia pizza later, I was still wound up. I called John on the way home, talking a mile a minute, virtually panicking.

He listened to me and tried to be calming, and I felt better once I got off the phone. Later that night I texted him to tell him I was going to sleep, and he said goodnight, and also, "Don't sweat the small stuff."

My immediate reaction was BUT THIS ISN'T SMALL STUFF, IT'S SCHOOL AND WORK AND ALL OF THIS IS IMPORTANT AND BIG! Luckily I didn't say any of this, because later on I began to think about what really is "small stuff" and to think about what is worth worrying over.

I remembered reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, a WONDERFUL book that I would say is a must-read for pretty much anyone. He discusses worry and talks about the unproductiveness of it. Thinking about this, I began to realize that even though the things I was worried about were important to me, they were not worth worrying over the entire day. Other than the motion for summary judgment (which I finished), there wasn't a thing I could do about any one of the other things while I was at work.

The homework and other due dates could be dealt with when the time came. The key is that the time was not yesterday. All of those things were "small stuff" in the sense that they were remote.

I'm writing all of this down because I want to keep it in the forefront of my mind when I begin to worry about things I cannot change or deal with. Worry just impairs what you're doing in the present. I think dealing with worry involves a combination of acceptance and prioritization. This is something I need to focus on, especially throughout the next semester, which will probably be the busiest of my life.

Idea Notebooks

Ever since I was little, I've tried to keep a notebook with me at all times to write down random thoughts, ideas, song lyrics, or quotes I hear that I want to remember for the future. Sometimes I doodled, sometimes I wrote mini diary entries, and sometimes I just made grocery lists. Somehow, when I got to college, I kind of fell out of the habit of doing this, and my old notebooks are probably long gone after all the moving I've done since I graduated high school.

Now that summer is drawing to a close and first semester of 2L year is about to begin, I'm thinking of rediscovering the idea notebook. New Years has never been a big goal-setting time for me; the time of the year when I get the feeling of "new beginnings" has always been the beginning of the school year. Over New Years, the Christmas letdown still lingers, the weather has been frigid for months and will continue to be for months, and other than the date, nothing seems to really change. When school begins, though, it's time to buy fresh school supplies and pick up brand new books. The air itself begins to change: the smell of Autumn slowly drifts to the senses, the evenings and mornings become brisk. There is nothing more exciting than the feeling of being on the brink of a big change. Therefore, the beginning of the school year is when I evaluate my life. This year, I want to do so quite holistically. There is always room for improvement in all areas of life.

First things first: this blog. I created this blog to be an extension of my idea notebook ("IN"). (Sidenote: how law school was the short cite I just did? ;-).) The IN will serve as a place for drafts and brainstorming and the blog will be the final product. The nice thing about the blog is that I virtully can't lose it. Hopefully it will be a place to share my aspirations and plans- and if anyone reads it, it'll be motivation to stay on track. Sometimes life gets in the way of my great ideas- school, work, and social life are all important, and personal goals can often fall by the wayside. I want to try to have better follow through on my ideas and take the necessary time to put them into action.

I will probably do a post for each facet of my life to evaluate where I am now and where I want to be. I still need some time to consider these things, and I don't want to write prematurely. For now, though, I want to post some long-term goals that will be ongoing before and throughout the beginning of the semester.

• I read a wonderful idea in a magazine about indexing all your cookbooks. I cook quite a bit and from several different cookbooks, and I'm afraid at some point I will remember recipes but not remember where they are located. The suggestion I read involves getting one of those recipe boxes with index cards. You file the name of the recipe on an individual index card in alphabetical order, and on the index card you write the recipe name, the cookbook it came from, and the page of the cookbook. That way you keep track of everything you've cooked and where it came from.
• I also have a ton of recipes I've cut out from various magazines and printed from online. They're all stuffed in a notebook somewhere, and I rarely ever use them because they're so disorganized. I want to organize them into a binder (probably multiple binders) by category, and create a table of contents and index for them.
• Once school starts, I find it so easy to go eat something quick, and generally what I eat ends up being unhealthy. I want to spend a couple of days before school starts cooking things that freeze easily (lasagna, pesto, chicken stock, bread, etc.). I'll freeze these and other things into individual serving sizes and reheat as a meal or as the beginning of a quick meal. I also found a great recipe in my new Barefoot Contessa cookbook (Barefoot at Home) for orange marmalade that you can can yourself and keep up to 6 months. That might be a great breakfast staple.

On the topic of food, I also hope to have a few dinner parties this semester!

I'm going to call it quits for now- I think this post has become too long already. I guess I had more to say than I thought. If anyone has any suggestions about what I've written please share!