If 10,000 people go vegan for one meal a week, in a year we'll avert the amount of carbon dioxide produced by 548 pizza delivery cars.
Wild, huh?
As for me, I'll make my vegan choice be City O' City in downtown Denver. Check out their offerings here.
Some people are ascairt of the word "vegan", but with delectables like pizza with seitan sausage, carmelized onions and fresh sage... You can't live in fear for long!
Oh, and for my GF friends, all of their offerings can be made gluten free too!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
100 things
1. I am a wife, daughter, birthmom, niece, daughter-in-law, half-sister-in-law, cousin and friend.
2. I am a textbook Scorpio.
3. I'm an only child.
4. At one point, I had four step-sisters, three step-brothers and a nephew two years younger than me, but none of them lived in the same house as I did.
5. I have no idea what happened to any of them. (Update! Found one on Facebook!)
6. By the time I was 25, I'd lived in 22 different places in my life.
7. No, I was not a "military brat". I just had a very indecisive mother.
8. I have lived in four states: California, Oregon, Virginia and Colorado.
9. There are so very many things to love about Colorado, but my heart will probably always be in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
10. If I could live anywhere other than CO right now, I would move back to VA or maybe North Carolina.
11. There are tons of places I haven't been yet, so I can't say for sure where exactly I would live.
12. I have had the same best friend since we were ten years old.
13. I wish I had more friends like her, in both substance and longevity.
14. My folks divorced when I was 18 months old.
15. I don't care what they say, kids never have the same lives after divorce.
16. Because of that, I honestly believe I won't get divorced.
17. I went to eight different schools from K-12.
18. Going to so many schools growing up taught me to make friends quickly but not to cultivate deep friendships.
19. Through Facebook I have found kids I went to school with all the way back to kindergarten.
20. I have a master's degree in Sociology.
21. My degree doesn't really do a whole lot for me in my job or my life.
22. I freaking despised my entire grad school experience. The advisor, the classes, the thesis - what a waste of time and money.
23. I can't even say specifically what my thesis was about, but it was generally about open adoption.
24. I am a birthmom in an open adoption. I had a baby in 1998 and placed him for adoption with a wonderful family. We talk to each other every week and see each other several times a year.
25. It was the hardest but most amazing choice I've ever made.
26. Sometimes I feel God put me on this earth to educate people about how amazing open adoption can be.
27. I feel blessed to have a part in my son's life. His parents feel blessed to have me in their lives!
28. I own two cats: Marigold and Obi.
29. I don't think Marigold will ever stop peeing on the floor.
30. To me, dealing with the cat peeing on the floor is akin to changing a baby's diaper. However, it drives my husband completely bonkers.
31. I work at a prestigious law firm.
32. I actually like my job. It's ridiculous that they pay me so well for what I do.
33. Some days I get wanderlust and think about leaving my job and doing something more emotionally fulfilling. Then I panic because I don't know what else I would do.
34. I really wish I could get paid similarly for walking dogs and petting cats.
35. I love to cook. If I could get paid to cook, I would.
36. I also love to scrapbook.
37. I do not work for a big time scrapbookingcult corporation.
38. Ilost invested a lot of money over time by working for such a corporation. But I got a lot of cool stuff out of it.
39. I've taken more personality tests and career tests than I care to admit.
40. Maybe I'm just afraid of change after all?
41. Once I thought that working in a high security government job was right up my alley.
42. I let that dream go after my husband freaked out when I shared the idea with him.
43. I thought it might be fun to tutor kids in math or Spanish. I just don't know how to get started.
44. I wish I had the creativity to write a book.
45. I did paint a really cool picture of a rose I saw in a magazine. That painting hangs on my wall today.
46. I bought my first home when I was 25.
47. I didn't paint a single wall for 6 years. Then I painted one bathroom really REALLY blue (like taskbar on your computer blue).
48. When my husband and I bought a house, I painted every wall a different color before we moved in.
49. I got my first credit card when I was 26, the year after I bought my condo.
50. I am going to be credit card debt free in 2010. (AMEN!)
51. I am blood type A. This means I should be vegetarian and should not eat red meat or dairy.
52. I do not like parmesan cheese or cilantro. I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't.
53. I have a weird crush on Eminem. I cannot explain what I like about him (certainly not his body omigosh)
54. My celebrity boyfriends are Matthew McConaughy and Kenny Chesney. I have asked for a pass from my husband if either of them wanted to take me on a cruise for the weekend.
55. I played flute and piccolo in high school and college.
56. Yes, I was in the marching band.
57. Everything they say about band camp is true.
58. I really really love to sing.
59. I met my husband while I was singing.
60. It was karaoke night, the song was "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks.
61. I'm a Broncos fan.
62. I think part of the reason my husband asked me to marry him was because I cooked him great meals and I could hold my own in a football-centered conversation. I'm okay with that!
63. I was really good at math in school.
64. My calculus teacher taught us by bringing in cheese, crackers and salami to demonstrate a problem. I thought if I were a teacher, I'd want to be like her.
65. My favorite fruit is the Honeycrisp Apple.
66. I drink at least half my body weight in ounces of water every day.
67. It started out as a weight loss tool but I'm not losing a bunch of weight and now, if I don't get that much to drink, I feel dehydrated.
68. I wish I could get rid of 15 pounds.
69. I did a summer project for Habitat for Humanity when I was in college and helped build a house from slab to shingles.
70. I can totally hold my own with a miter saw.
71. I didn't know either of my grandfathers. One took his life 4 years before I was born and the other died when I was one.
72. I became very close with my grandfather's sister-in-law.
73. She taught me a valuable lesson about time. We lost her to cancer in 2005.
74. Reading old journals I wrote both cracks me up and grounds me. I try to keep up with journal writing but I'm a slacker. Most of my writings when I was young were about boys.
75. When my husband and I were still engaged, we stopped using tobacco together on the same day in 2005. On a road trip. In a car. On the way to introduce him to my father. No stress! We still liked each other after that trip and haven't used tobacco since!
76. Spending six weeks in Mexico while getting college credit was the sweetest trip abroad EVER.
77. My favorite thing to do is read. However, I have a terrible memory, so even if I have read a book, I might not be able to tell you a darn thing about it.
78. I go to the library at least once a week because I never want to ride the bus to/from work without a book. I have bookshelves full of books I have read but don't want to re-read because of all the great books yet to be read in the library.
79. I got to drive my 1983 Mazda RX7 across the country when we moved from VA to CO the summer before my high school senior year. In Kansas, I put the cruise control on 110 mph and didn't slow down until I hit the Colorado border.
80. I'm learning to sew.
81. It's not as easy as some people make it seem.
82. I sewed two curtains for my living room, which took me several hours start to finish and I ripped out at least a foot of seams during the process.
83. I am determined to learn how to knit and/or crochet this winter. I have no doubt this will end in the production of a blue and orange blanket in the future.
84. My husband gave me diamond earrings for my first birthday we were together. Not being a big earring wearer, we turned them into my engagement ring.
85. We bought a 1976 Dodge Motorhome for $900. We call it the "Shaggin' Wagon"
86. The Indigo Girls have been my favorite group since 1989. Up until a few years ago, I knew every Indigo Girls song by heart. I haven't kept up with their new music as much.
87. I've been skydiving twice. Now, after taking off in a commercial jet, seeing the squares of land below, my stomach does flip flops. I'm not sure I could jump out of a plane again.
88. I like to travel in the winter and spend summers in Colorado. The Czech Republic is the farthest I've been, and it's REALLY cold and dreary in the winter. Hawaii, however, is beautiful.
89. My stereo wakes me up every morning at 6:00 playing the classical music station. The first song is always the "Sunrise Serenade" which is supposed to ease you into the day. It works!
90. I really like to turn the volume up LOUD while listening to classical music. It vibrates in my soul.
91. My husband is much better at making coffee than I am. I don't know why.
92. I have one cup of coffee every morning. Rarely two. Must have creamer (Vanilla, if I have a choice)
93. I used to drink tea only if it was iced and sweet. I'm learning to really like hot tea.
94. My first, and last, attempt at snowboarding was on a 13,000 foot mountain. It was comical and battering.
95. I went skiing down that same mountain later that year.
96. I haven't done either since.
97. Having a good hair day can make everything else completely bearable.
98. I struggle with my faith on a daily basis.
99. I realize that I the reason I adored Choose Your Own Adventure books so much as a kid is because life is a lot like them, except you don't get to see what would happen if you made the other choice.
100. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change anything. Or I'd change everything.
2. I am a textbook Scorpio.
3. I'm an only child.
4. At one point, I had four step-sisters, three step-brothers and a nephew two years younger than me, but none of them lived in the same house as I did.
5. I have no idea what happened to any of them. (Update! Found one on Facebook!)
6. By the time I was 25, I'd lived in 22 different places in my life.
7. No, I was not a "military brat". I just had a very indecisive mother.
8. I have lived in four states: California, Oregon, Virginia and Colorado.
9. There are so very many things to love about Colorado, but my heart will probably always be in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
10. If I could live anywhere other than CO right now, I would move back to VA or maybe North Carolina.
11. There are tons of places I haven't been yet, so I can't say for sure where exactly I would live.
12. I have had the same best friend since we were ten years old.
13. I wish I had more friends like her, in both substance and longevity.
14. My folks divorced when I was 18 months old.
15. I don't care what they say, kids never have the same lives after divorce.
16. Because of that, I honestly believe I won't get divorced.
17. I went to eight different schools from K-12.
18. Going to so many schools growing up taught me to make friends quickly but not to cultivate deep friendships.
19. Through Facebook I have found kids I went to school with all the way back to kindergarten.
20. I have a master's degree in Sociology.
21. My degree doesn't really do a whole lot for me in my job or my life.
22. I freaking despised my entire grad school experience. The advisor, the classes, the thesis - what a waste of time and money.
23. I can't even say specifically what my thesis was about, but it was generally about open adoption.
24. I am a birthmom in an open adoption. I had a baby in 1998 and placed him for adoption with a wonderful family. We talk to each other every week and see each other several times a year.
25. It was the hardest but most amazing choice I've ever made.
26. Sometimes I feel God put me on this earth to educate people about how amazing open adoption can be.
27. I feel blessed to have a part in my son's life. His parents feel blessed to have me in their lives!
28. I own two cats: Marigold and Obi.
29. I don't think Marigold will ever stop peeing on the floor.
30. To me, dealing with the cat peeing on the floor is akin to changing a baby's diaper. However, it drives my husband completely bonkers.
31. I work at a prestigious law firm.
32. I actually like my job. It's ridiculous that they pay me so well for what I do.
33. Some days I get wanderlust and think about leaving my job and doing something more emotionally fulfilling. Then I panic because I don't know what else I would do.
34. I really wish I could get paid similarly for walking dogs and petting cats.
35. I love to cook. If I could get paid to cook, I would.
36. I also love to scrapbook.
37. I do not work for a big time scrapbooking
38. I
39. I've taken more personality tests and career tests than I care to admit.
40. Maybe I'm just afraid of change after all?
41. Once I thought that working in a high security government job was right up my alley.
42. I let that dream go after my husband freaked out when I shared the idea with him.
43. I thought it might be fun to tutor kids in math or Spanish. I just don't know how to get started.
44. I wish I had the creativity to write a book.
45. I did paint a really cool picture of a rose I saw in a magazine. That painting hangs on my wall today.
46. I bought my first home when I was 25.
47. I didn't paint a single wall for 6 years. Then I painted one bathroom really REALLY blue (like taskbar on your computer blue).
48. When my husband and I bought a house, I painted every wall a different color before we moved in.
49. I got my first credit card when I was 26, the year after I bought my condo.
50. I am going to be credit card debt free in 2010. (AMEN!)
51. I am blood type A. This means I should be vegetarian and should not eat red meat or dairy.
52. I do not like parmesan cheese or cilantro. I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't.
53. I have a weird crush on Eminem. I cannot explain what I like about him (
54. My celebrity boyfriends are Matthew McConaughy and Kenny Chesney. I have asked for a pass from my husband if either of them wanted to take me on a cruise for the weekend.
55. I played flute and piccolo in high school and college.
56. Yes, I was in the marching band.
57. Everything they say about band camp is true.
58. I really really love to sing.
59. I met my husband while I was singing.
60. It was karaoke night, the song was "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks.
61. I'm a Broncos fan.
62. I think part of the reason my husband asked me to marry him was because I cooked him great meals and I could hold my own in a football-centered conversation. I'm okay with that!
63. I was really good at math in school.
64. My calculus teacher taught us by bringing in cheese, crackers and salami to demonstrate a problem. I thought if I were a teacher, I'd want to be like her.
65. My favorite fruit is the Honeycrisp Apple.
66. I drink at least half my body weight in ounces of water every day.
67. It started out as a weight loss tool but I'm not losing a bunch of weight and now, if I don't get that much to drink, I feel dehydrated.
68. I wish I could get rid of 15 pounds.
69. I did a summer project for Habitat for Humanity when I was in college and helped build a house from slab to shingles.
70. I can totally hold my own with a miter saw.
71. I didn't know either of my grandfathers. One took his life 4 years before I was born and the other died when I was one.
72. I became very close with my grandfather's sister-in-law.
73. She taught me a valuable lesson about time. We lost her to cancer in 2005.
74. Reading old journals I wrote both cracks me up and grounds me. I try to keep up with journal writing but I'm a slacker. Most of my writings when I was young were about boys.
75. When my husband and I were still engaged, we stopped using tobacco together on the same day in 2005. On a road trip. In a car. On the way to introduce him to my father. No stress! We still liked each other after that trip and haven't used tobacco since!
76. Spending six weeks in Mexico while getting college credit was the sweetest trip abroad EVER.
77. My favorite thing to do is read. However, I have a terrible memory, so even if I have read a book, I might not be able to tell you a darn thing about it.
78. I go to the library at least once a week because I never want to ride the bus to/from work without a book. I have bookshelves full of books I have read but don't want to re-read because of all the great books yet to be read in the library.
79. I got to drive my 1983 Mazda RX7 across the country when we moved from VA to CO the summer before my high school senior year. In Kansas, I put the cruise control on 110 mph and didn't slow down until I hit the Colorado border.
80. I'm learning to sew.
81. It's not as easy as some people make it seem.
82. I sewed two curtains for my living room, which took me several hours start to finish and I ripped out at least a foot of seams during the process.
83. I am determined to learn how to knit and/or crochet this winter. I have no doubt this will end in the production of a blue and orange blanket in the future.
84. My husband gave me diamond earrings for my first birthday we were together. Not being a big earring wearer, we turned them into my engagement ring.
85. We bought a 1976 Dodge Motorhome for $900. We call it the "Shaggin' Wagon"
86. The Indigo Girls have been my favorite group since 1989. Up until a few years ago, I knew every Indigo Girls song by heart. I haven't kept up with their new music as much.
87. I've been skydiving twice. Now, after taking off in a commercial jet, seeing the squares of land below, my stomach does flip flops. I'm not sure I could jump out of a plane again.
88. I like to travel in the winter and spend summers in Colorado. The Czech Republic is the farthest I've been, and it's REALLY cold and dreary in the winter. Hawaii, however, is beautiful.
89. My stereo wakes me up every morning at 6:00 playing the classical music station. The first song is always the "Sunrise Serenade" which is supposed to ease you into the day. It works!
90. I really like to turn the volume up LOUD while listening to classical music. It vibrates in my soul.
91. My husband is much better at making coffee than I am. I don't know why.
92. I have one cup of coffee every morning. Rarely two. Must have creamer (Vanilla, if I have a choice)
93. I used to drink tea only if it was iced and sweet. I'm learning to really like hot tea.
94. My first, and last, attempt at snowboarding was on a 13,000 foot mountain. It was comical and battering.
95. I went skiing down that same mountain later that year.
96. I haven't done either since.
97. Having a good hair day can make everything else completely bearable.
98. I struggle with my faith on a daily basis.
99. I realize that I the reason I adored Choose Your Own Adventure books so much as a kid is because life is a lot like them, except you don't get to see what would happen if you made the other choice.
100. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change anything. Or I'd change everything.
If you live in California
I strongly encourage you to vote YES on Prop 2. It is the modest measure that stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, ending the practice of cramming farm animals into cages so small the animals can't even turn around, lie down or extend their limbs. Here is a very cute video showing what the animals have to say about Prop 2 (HT to my mom)
Sadly (VERY VERY SADLY), the truth isn't as cute as even the worst parts of this video. The truth is that these animals lead horrible lives. Treating our food sources with respect will only reap bountiful rewards for us human beans in the long run. So, please, my California buddies, vote YES on Prop 2.
Sadly (VERY VERY SADLY), the truth isn't as cute as even the worst parts of this video. The truth is that these animals lead horrible lives. Treating our food sources with respect will only reap bountiful rewards for us human beans in the long run. So, please, my California buddies, vote YES on Prop 2.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Playing the numbers game
Isn't it funny how the littlest things can really blow up and change our thinking - about our day, about ourselves...?
Our company brought in representatives from our insurance company to run tests on employees who wished to have their numbers. They took measures for weight, blood pressure, BMI, body fat percentage, glucose and cholesterol.
They do this because they want to encourage healthy lifestyles for employees so that we may work for the machine longer. I get it.
I feel quite healthy in general. Low blood pressure, which is odd for a law firm secretary.
My blood glucose level was well below the normal range. This is great news, because I was borderline gestational diabetic 10 years ago. I'm always suspect regarding those levels and how my blood sugar may fluctuate throughout the day. It's good to know that I'm not diabetic.
Apparently I'm just fat. I always struggle with my weight, it's so easy to struggle with! I would like to drop 10 pounds but would LOVE to drop 15. Using weight and height, they calculated my Body Mass Index. This number doesn't tell you anything except what your weight divided by your height is. Frankly, I think they should toss out the BMI number entirely.
Then they took my body fat percentage. Apparently, one out of every three cells in my body is a fat cell based on the results of that test. How much does that suck? For females, 18-39 years old, the ideal range is 14-23%, 40-59 years old it's 18-30%, and I'm up there with the 60+ year olds. Actually, it's off the chart. Sad, isn't it?
I have been really focusing lately on getting healthy. The truth is, I eat really healthy. I have ever since I found out high cholesterol runs in my family. And I knew I could lose the weight if I just exercised more. So I've been hitting the circuit at the Rec Center after work, and that has really been great.
I would advise other people to not base their self-esteem on what some numbers on a sheet of paper say. But I have a hard time not doing the same thing. I guess I need to view it as a personal challenge: to lower every one of those numbers each month.
So, wish me luck. It's time to take charge of my health. I want a HOT body, but more than that, I want low numbers all around. Lower the numbers, the body will follow?
Our company brought in representatives from our insurance company to run tests on employees who wished to have their numbers. They took measures for weight, blood pressure, BMI, body fat percentage, glucose and cholesterol.
They do this because they want to encourage healthy lifestyles for employees so that we may work for the machine longer. I get it.
I feel quite healthy in general. Low blood pressure, which is odd for a law firm secretary.
My blood glucose level was well below the normal range. This is great news, because I was borderline gestational diabetic 10 years ago. I'm always suspect regarding those levels and how my blood sugar may fluctuate throughout the day. It's good to know that I'm not diabetic.
Apparently I'm just fat. I always struggle with my weight, it's so easy to struggle with! I would like to drop 10 pounds but would LOVE to drop 15. Using weight and height, they calculated my Body Mass Index. This number doesn't tell you anything except what your weight divided by your height is. Frankly, I think they should toss out the BMI number entirely.
Then they took my body fat percentage. Apparently, one out of every three cells in my body is a fat cell based on the results of that test. How much does that suck? For females, 18-39 years old, the ideal range is 14-23%, 40-59 years old it's 18-30%, and I'm up there with the 60+ year olds. Actually, it's off the chart. Sad, isn't it?
I have been really focusing lately on getting healthy. The truth is, I eat really healthy. I have ever since I found out high cholesterol runs in my family. And I knew I could lose the weight if I just exercised more. So I've been hitting the circuit at the Rec Center after work, and that has really been great.
I would advise other people to not base their self-esteem on what some numbers on a sheet of paper say. But I have a hard time not doing the same thing. I guess I need to view it as a personal challenge: to lower every one of those numbers each month.
So, wish me luck. It's time to take charge of my health. I want a HOT body, but more than that, I want low numbers all around. Lower the numbers, the body will follow?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Natural Weed Control
Are you spending more time pulling weeds than enjoying the garden you've doted on all summer? Are you worried about the effect on the health of your family by using awful toxic pesticides?
My alternative? We use fabric. Fabric groundcovers block sunlight which deters weeds while simultaneously keeping the soil moist so you don't have to water as much.
Any fabric will do, really. They sell the weed fabric at the big box stores for about $10-12 for a 50 foot roll. You thought gas was expensive? Try a gallon of Round Up for $20!
If you have an old army blanket in the basement that's half eaten by moths, throw that out in the yard! It will even compost over time!
You can lay fabric under decks, or gravel pathways, or brick/stone patios. If you use it in the garden, all you do is cut circles out of the fabric where you want to plant, throw some mulch over the rest of it and voila! You're green!
Fabric in the garden definitely works for me!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
