September Streak - Food Log and owls

Gratuity: The Beauty of Birds

Goal Work: Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. - Henry Van Dyke

Last month I tried a streak to journal what I ate in my food log every day.  I was not very successful.   This month I am going to do the same thing, but I have decided I will post the log everyday in my blog.  This will give me some accountability.    I also have pledged one dollar a day for the month of September to the NW Raptor Center.   They may be across the country, but I have so enjoyed their chronicles of the eight baby owls they have raised over the last few months.  I admire their work and want to give them my thanks for an enjoyable journey.    I let them know of this commitment and my plans to send them a check at the end of this month to the following address:

They started so small and ugly.

and grew so big and majestic

NW Raptor Center - 1051 Oak Court, Sequim 98382.

So even on days that I don't have the time or inclination to write a blog entry,  I will share my food log.

08:30AM	10oz water
	10oz protein drink
	1 peach
10:00AM	10 Carob Chips
	10 oz water
01:00pm	1 cup spaetzle
	1 cup red cabbage
	2 cups green salad
	10 oz water
02:00pm	handful walnuts
05:30pm	1 apple with Miso sauce
	1 diet coke
06:30PM	.5 cup spaetzle
	.5 cup red cabbage
	10 oz water
08:00PM	5 cherry tomatoes
10:45PM	2 tablespoons Spagetti Squash
	10 oz water

Looking Back - Volunteering

Gratuity -  All the folks who have helped me out over the years.

Goals - We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.  ~Winston Churchill

One of my secondary goals was "Volunteering - Probably prefer cooking or something with animals."    This year I volunteered by cooking and serving once at the local soup kitchen and really did enjoy it.  It was organized by the IBM 100 year celebration.   An amazing women organized it and it seems she often volunteers with the scouts at this soup kitchen.    I found the soup kitchen really did not need many volunteers as they are staffed with paid workers but what they do need is a group to volunteer to plan the meal, buy the food , prepare, cook and serve the food.    I enjoyed the work but I am not so sure it really was a high impact volunteer activity.   

I also volunteered at the Beacon Strawberry festival helping to make the shortcake for the Strawberry Festival (the video at the link shows exactly what I did;  I think I was on a break when they took that video) .  There were lots of volunteers to help make money for the Beacon Sloop Clearwater group and make the crowds happy. 

With both these  volunteer opportunities,  I felt I got much more then I received.   So why don't I volunteer more?  The answer is because of guilt.   If I volunteer cooking then I think about the cooking I am not doing for my family.   If I  volunteer at the SPCA, I  think about not taking care of my own animals.   If I was to volunteer for Meals on Wheels, I would think I should be spending time with my own aging mother-in-law.

Hence I stay on the same roller coaster. Until I can take care of my own responsibilities, my volunteer efforts will be severely limited.  I know that I really am the one that suffers the most for this and that is why I am trying to figure out how to be more efficient with my time.    I really do want to make a life.

MIT - Laundry

What I ate

08:30AM	1 Peach
	1 Apple
	10 oz water
10:00AM	tea
11:00	1 Pear
01:00PM	1 Cup Kale Salad
03:00PM	1 Cup Curried Cashew Cauliflower with peas
	10 oz water
05:00PM	1 nectarine
	10 oz water
08:30PM	1 cup vegan Sausage and Pepper
	2 nectarine
	10 oz water

Looking Back - Continue Yoga

Gratuity:  What a beautiful day! 

Goal Work:  Before you've practiced, the theory is useless.  After you've practiced, the theory is obvious.  ~David Williams

Yoga and I have an interesting relationship.    I dread going and often miss my twice weekly class.  While doing my yoga practice I waver between enjoying a state of relaxation and boredom, between enjoyment of the pose and dread of the pose.     When is is over  a feeling of  rejuvenation and relaxation enters my body and stays for many hours afterward.    I really do experience the benefits of yoga but they are not enough to drag me to class on a regular basis.  The demands of day to day life often get in the way.   


Oh I have definitely made progress.    My sun salutation has witnessed amazing improvement  and I am actually completing some of my balance poses without falling on my face.


That said I have to give myself a C for Yoga.  If I could figure out how to get to class at least twice a week I would raise that grade to a B.


MIT - Call to make appointment to get chip for Chance (the cat)


What I ate today:

Zucchini Bread

Kale Green Smoothie with Peach and Flax

3 Watermelon Slices

10 oz Water

Chard Pie

3 Watermelon Slices

10 oz water

1.5 Cup Vegtable Soup

Zucchini Bread

10 oz Water

12oz Zucchini Parm

3 pieces Watermelon Slices

10 oz Water

Looking Back - Continue TaeKwonDo

Gratuity: The power of desire  

Goal Work -  The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

With a smile on my face, I declare that I get a big fat A+ for Continuing Taekwondo.   When I first joined, a few folks looked at me with knowing glances, knowing that I would not last long.   I was unable to do one push-up and hardly one leg in and out.    My kicks were lower and slower then all around me.   My form became crystallized much slower than those of the younger minds around me.    My only strength was  my strong and loud yells.   My other strength was my desire to achieve this.  

It has not been easy, but because TaeKwonDo is structured so that all of the skills are broken into small segments that can be perfected over time, I was able to overcome any difficulties by attending all classes and doing a lot of practicing at home.  I have come a long way with strong encouragement by the instructors and fellow students.     I routinely do 30 push ups, 30 leg in and out, and 50 sit ups.    It may take until the day before each test to finally have perfected my forms and weapons, but by next week I will be taking my test for Red Belt, and I should have my Black belt sometime next year.

I've watched many folks sign up and drop out after a few months.   I almost had to drop out when I injured my knee earlier this month.   I've also watch many folks complete all requirements for Black Belt, and I am motivated by their persistence.  Aaaayaaa!

MIT - Plan Birthday trip to city for Ethiopian Food

What I ate today

08:45AM	Chard Pie
	2 peaches
	20 oz water
11:15AM	1 Nectarine
	1 black tea
01:00PM	Tofu Shirataki with cashew Crème
	1 tomato
	3 Watermelon Slices
	10 oz water
04:30PM	3 Watermelon Slices
06:15PM	1 Cup Vegan Mac and Cheese
	1 tomato
	10 oz Water
09:00PM	2 tablespoons of Zucchini Bread Batter
	10 oz Water

Looking Back - Learn Piano

Gratuity  My dog Cassie on the mend!

Goal Work: Get up from that piano. You hurtin' its feelings. --  Jelly Roll Morton

When it comes to music my mind is not really wired to easily process the magic necessary to make music but I still enjoy it anyway and I am in awe of those who make music so effortlessly.  I must admit I feel frustration that I make such little progress and that is my excuse for why I have not been practicing very much.    I tell myself that 15 minutes a day is what I should find time for but before I know it the day is over and I have not done my 15 minutes.    I think that I have to give myself a "D" for piano.   

 I will try harder to find the 15 minutes to play the piano but what often happens is the 15 minutes turns into an hour because I really do enjoy it.  I just need the discipline to stop at 15 minutes.



MIT: Find out if  Ethiopian food is vegan (some options are).

What I ate today

08:10AM	2 peaches
	20 oz Water
	8 oz black Tea
01:18PM	1.5 Cups Veg Soup
	2 Peaches
	2 Shrimp
03:00PM	2 Peaches
05:45PM	1 Slice Zucchni brad
06:30PM	1 cup rice, .5 cup chinese veggie and Shrimp
09:30PM	.25 cup vegan macaroni and cheese (a taste of what I had finished cooking)

Looking Back - Learn Spanish

Gratuity: Connecting the dots! 

Goal Work:   “Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow.” --Oliver Wendell Holmes

My quest to learn Spanish has just started.  It was a delayed start because I was waiting for my department's education budget to open up and allow me to order Rosetta Stone.    I am really enjoying Rosetta Stone.  It is fun!   Although I am not quite sure it will really aid me in mastering this language, in the meantime I figure it will help to delay the loss of a few brain cells.    As I become more fluent:

• I also plan to watch some Spanish TV a few days a week. 
• Maybe take a College Course in Spanish.
• Maybe go on a Spanish Speaking Immersion Vacation.
• Maybe tutor some Spanish speaking folks in English (and they can tutor me in Spanish).
• Find some other opportunities to practice my Spanish.

I really feel I have just started on this Spanish quest so it is hard to give myself a grade.    I guess since I just have started I can give myself a "C" with the hope of improvement as I progress some more.


MIT - Apply Tick/Bug medicine to dogs - Done

What I ate today:

1 egg

1 tsp Ketchup

2 saucer peaches

20 oz water

3 Cups Cucumber/Tomato Salad

3 oz Marianated Temphe

10 oz Water

1 Plum

2 Green Peppers

.5 large Popcorn

.5 large Diet Coke

2 Slices Bruchetta

1.5 Cup Pasta with tomato Sauce

.25 slice eggplant Parm

1 small cold stone Ice Cream

Looking Back - Run a 10K and 15K and think about running a half-marathon

Gratutiy: The ability to travel to so many places.

Goal Work: “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” - Jimmy Dean

Run a 10K and 15K and think about running a half-marathon -   I give myself a "A" for effort. 

I've completed my 10K in 1 hour and 16 minutes. I have signed up and I am actively training for the Disney Wine and Dine half Marathon.

 This last year I have been really good about running at least three times a week.   At times when I was training for the 10K I ran almost every day which really was a bit much and I hurt myself.   I learned from the experience though and now as I train for my half marathon I am working hard at not trying to overdo it.

In that vein I decided not to run the 15K as I did not want to jeopardize my health for the half-marathon.  To me it was a smart adjustment to my goals.

MIT - Call Dentist - done

What I ate today:

08:30AM	1 egg
	1 tsp Ketchup
	1 cup Kale Salad
	1 Plum
	10 oz Water
09:30AM	10 oz Water
12:30PM	1 large Fajita from Yesterday
	2 saucer peaches
	10 oz Water
03:00PM	2 saucer peaches
	10 oz Water
06:00PM	1 Fajita
	1 saucer peach
	10 oz Water
08:00PM	1 tsp chocolate chips
	1 tsp walnuts
09:00PM	10 oz Water