The Opposite of Loneliness
Marina Keegan was a 22-year-old activist/writer who was killed in a car accident after her graduation from Yale. I am horrified to have to type the words “22-year-old” and “killed” in the same sentence and my heart goes out to her family.
She was on my mind a lot today because I had a happy day and it was inspired by her piece, “The Opposite of Loneliness.”
We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness, but if we did, I could say that’s what I want in life.
More than finding the right job or city or spouse – I’m scared of losing this web we’re in. This elusive, indefinable, opposite of loneliness. This feeling I feel right now.
I’ve never read a better descriptor of happiness: the opposite of loneliness.
I felt so grateful for the long list of people and experiences that make up my “opposite of loneliness” today.
{Source}
My legs felt so dead yesterday and today with falling temperatures, they felt much better.
I ran 3.1 miles in 29:14 today and although there is a part of me that wishes I were throwing out 5 and 10 milers like Speedy Gonzalez but heck, when I can’t run right, I’ll run left. :D
I decided to taste-test a new shot - the GU Jet Blackberry - because it seems that GU gels are at more races than Cliff shots.
It tastes like cough syrup and has a very thin consistency so it went down a bit easier than Cliff. No one needs a gel for a three mile run but I find that testing new gels during longer runs is just asking for trouble. :D
My day started with a yummy strawberry-basil smoothie and toast points with almond butter.
I made another round of homemade iced coffee - anytime I make my own iced coffee I want to weild it like a trophy.
Look at me: I’m being frugal and I’m saving the environment by not using a disposable cup - like a motherf*cking adult!
After my workout, my wisdom tooth extraction site started bleeding.
I called my oral surgeon and they said to place a moistened tea bag at the site because the tannins in tea can stop bleeding (the more you know!)
Luckily, it’s not a dry socket because that pain is hellacious. Lunch ended up being soft and quick - a Fage yogurt with a sprinkle of brown sugar blend.
Dinner was a tapas style take-out meal from Sultan’s Market - my favorite little Mediterranean joint: Lebanese spinach pie - different from Greek Spanikopita because it is always made vegan!
A cup of yellow lentil soup with one of my favorite hot sauce bottles from our New Orleans trip stirred in - Bayou Passion, Louisiana Pepper Sauce.
Alligators and crocodiles are awesome. :D
And since I was missing my greens, I also enjoyed a small tabouli salad - finely diced parsley with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and cracked wheat dressed in lemon juice and olive oil.
Off to do some hatha yoga then turn in early! Hope you had a great day.
Summer Strawberry and Basil Smoothie
Farmer’s markets are rolling in ripe, juicy strawberries and my basil plants suddenly blossomed overnight and I decided to make this classic combination into a delicious smoothie.
A cup of almond milk (Unsweetened is my preference)
A cup of water
Several handfuls of fresh basil
2 tsp. of honey or sweetener of choice
*Blend the above ingredients first.
Add two cups (or more!) of fresh, ripe strawberries and ice cubes blend to desired consistency.
Refreshing and Summer Sweet!
Did you have a summery breakfast this morning?
I enjoyed my smoothie with a slice of Ezekiel sesame toast points and my favorite new almond butter.
My mom gave us a new china set and the best part about these bowls and plates are the different butterflies in the center of each.
I love butterflies because of their association with change and transitions: can you imagine changing so much that at the end you are someone completely different or even unrecognizable from what you started as?
So beautiful and cool!
Happy Tuesday!
Hello Chickadees!
I am in love with this creamy almond butter from Archer Farms, Target’s house brand.
For breakfast, I had a slice of Ezekiel sesame toast with a spoonful of almond butter and it tastes heavenly.
Archer Farms is the only brand of almond butter I will buy. Why?
Apart from the fact that it’s an unhealthy oil, palm oil (click for a great article on the topic!) is an ingredient in both Justin’s Almond Butter and in some flavors of Peanut Butter Company’s offerings and the plantations which grow the trees have contributed to rain forest and wildlife destruction.
I don’t particularly love the taste of Justin’s Almond Butter and really disliked Peanut Butter Company’s Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter because palm oil has a very particular taste - and to think that it kills adorable animals?
NO FREAKING WAY will I be eating anything that hurts a 1-month old baby elephant.
I washed down my hurt baby-elephant anger with a tall glass of homemade iced coffee.
Lunch was simple and sexy green - avocado with baby spinach and balsamic vinaigrette!
Post-workouts, I enjoyed a strawberry smoothie made with strawberries, almond milk, and ice - perfectly refreshing today!
My dinner was delicious and exactly the same yesterday - garlicky greens (baby spinach), black beans with red onions, and quinoa and brown rice blend.
Dessert was a cup of unsweetened hot cocoa and a side of bully. :D
I hope you had a happy Tuesday!
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Edited: Thank you to the reader who let me know that Maranatha Almond Butter also contains palm oil!
{Wildlife officials attend to a pygmy elephant calf on Borneo island in Malaysia’s Sabah state. Malaysian wildlife authorities said they had rescued a pygmy elephant calf on Borneo island and expressed hope a planned sanctuary would provide protection for the endangered animals. The male calf, which is less than a month old, was pulled out of a deep moat surrounding a palm oil plantation.}
Picture Credit: MALAYSIA WILDLIFE AUTHORITIES, AFP and Getty Images.
A New Smile
I took my lunchtime salad for yesterday for granted.
I can’t enjoy it’s beautiful deliciousness today because I got my fourth wisdom tooth pulled and as the surgeon described it - “this was a colossus!”
This smooth and cool frozen yogurt and an iced coffee (without a straw) was my first meal today and will probably be what I eat for the rest of the day.
I love having an excuse to eat frozen yogurt three times a day. :D
Hopefully, I will heal quickly and since I will be base-building next week for our next marathon, this was a perfect time to sneak in this procedure.
I came home early and got up to get a blanket and someone took my spot on the couch. I get no sympathy from this one. :)
Sunny Bunny
Today couldn’t have been any prettier. Everything feels like a treat when it’s bathed in golden sunlight. :D
I went a little crazy this morning at breakfast - I didn’t feel like eating the usual meals and packed these half-pints of berries I got.
Yeah, I worked through them speedily. :)
Lunch was just a quick iced coffee and Kind Bar eaten on the go but dinner made up for that.
Cold roasted asparagus alongside lentils and wild rice + hot roasted Campari tomatoes and Baby Bellas.
I’ve been eating the baby bell peppers raw with hummus but roasting these little guys are even sweeter than regular bell peppers.
We’re off to meet some friends for drinks and plan our fall marathon - hope everyone had a great day!
Happy Mother’s Day!
This morning, I was treated to a surprise breakfast-in-bed for Mother’s Day for being an awesome dog mom. :)
I had dippy eggs and an Ezekiel muffin with berry preserves that I shared with John and sweet blueberries and raspberries…
…that I shared with my dog child.
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According to John, Nigel was very helpful with the cooking. :)
We decided instead of sending our own mother a bouquet, I would send one to John’s mom and John would send one to my mom.
This is my mom’s bouquet - isn’t it beautiful? John and I picked the same colors without realizing it - this was the bouquet I went with!
We also got a ton of camping stuff for our international adventure, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and going on an African safari!!
John’s mom carefully packed up a ton of John’s old camping/hiking/mountaineering gear and it was fun to go through it and hear about John’s past adventures.
It’s also helping us save money which I always appreciate!
Nigel was very excited about the large box! :)
The white fleece in the pictures above is my first Northface fleece and it’s as cozy as it looks. We have walking poles, tents, and our sleeping bags too!
As new as every part of this adventure will be and as nervous as I am about breaking in my boots, I can’t believe it - we’re going to Africa!
{Nigel Bear, helping me make the bed and do the laundry on Mother’s Day!}
Mother’s Day is all about having a grateful heart and I’m grateful for all the good happenings and good mothers in my life.
Everyday I’m Tapering
We are still a month away from the Farmer’s Markets opening and I’m getting impatient. We go through a few of these boxes everyday so I’m counting down the days.
My lunch this afternoon was something new - Nancy’s Cottage Cheese with fresh blueberries!
One of the best foods we ate on our trip to Russia last year, was tvarog - it has the texture of Greek yogurt (even thicker than Fage) with the bite of fresh cottage cheese.
I still can’t find cottage cheese as good in the States - everything is so salty and the consistency is off!
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{It might look like I’m resting, but this is what I call active sleeping.}
Today’s Workouts
Tapering before a marathon is always stressful for me - I need to run enough to maintain fitness but not do too much so that my legs are actually fresh come the Fargo Marathon. :D
On Monday, I went to a 60 minute C2 hot yoga class.
On Tuesday, I went to a 60 minute C2 hot yoga class and ran 3.5 miles in 35 minutes.
On Wednesday, I completed a 60 minute Hot Power Fusion Yoga class.
And today, I ran 5 miles in 49:19 and completed Rodney Yee’s Yoga for Strength routine - about 40 minutes in total!
I’m using my compression gear a lot more and trying to make sure I use the foam roller like it’s a job. Only one more week till the marathon!
I’m also cutting back on the C2 yoga classes moving forward and am running the miles a bit slower - I have to keep reminding myself I’ve done as much as I can and my body needs to rest to absorb the training.
Off to go take a hot bubble bath! Hope everyone is having a relaxing night! )
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
Not quite…bring on the blistering heat of summer please!
Breakfast started with half an Ezekiel English muffin with raspberry preserves. English muffins seem overrated but the ones by Ezekiel have a very nice and nutty texture.
I paired my muffin with a Chobani blueberry Greek yogurt and a cup of coffee.
My morning snack tableau looks to be Nigel’s very first Twilight cover.
Somehow the choice isn’t as dramatic when it’s between a vampire and an English Bulldog since that’s not really a choice - BULLDOGS 4EVA! :)
I also ate a tablespoon of raw honey for a sore throat - can’t get sick now!
Lunch was a veggie sub from Potbelly’s, a cute little sandwich chain that started in Chicago.
Stuffed with mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, oregano, and mustard - they dig out the bread for you and you can always ask for a freshly made one! :)
Nothing ever tastes as good as homemade to me so I hate when I’m out of groceries.
Dinner was endless bowls of veggie soup and hot chocolate - seriously, I can put away a lot of soup! :)
Today’s Workout is going to happen in twenty minutes - a C2 hot yoga class.
Hope everyone had a brilliant start to their week. :)
