Juicy, Drive ‘Em Crazy

See, what happened was…

I was bored at work last Friday. Everyone was gone and whatever work I had to pretend to do had long been accomplished.

So I decided to check out the offerings on Netflix. Scrolled over to the documentaries section and decided on two.  One was “Still Bill” and is about a musical artist I’ve always loved – Bill Withers.  If you get a chance, you should check it out.  He is one cool, cool dude.  Wait.  Where was I?  Oh yes, the other documentary was “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.”  Y’all!

Basically it’s about two dudes who lose a tremendous amount of weight and clear up all sorts of chronic and acute health problems by adopting a “juice only” diet for a number of days.

And now guess who’s going to do it?  Oh yeah, that’s right.  Your favorite blog-land nerd – moi!  I don’t need – or want – to lose hundreds of pounds.  About 10 will get me right.   So what I’ve decided to do is one meal + unlimited juice for a week.  After that I think I’m going to substitute the juice for one meal – probably breakfast.  In addition to the weight loss, I’m hoping consuming the additional nutrients will help me with my eczema – it has gotten increasingly worse over the last two years or so and I’d really like to chunk the topical steroids in the garbage.  I’m pretty sure they cannot be good for my health.

After some hints and suggestions from One From Philly (thanks again!), this is the juicer I’m going with – I’m just waiting for a 20% BB&B coupon to make its way to me.  As soon as I get the juicer, it’s a go.  I’ll let y’all know how it goes and if there are truly any benefits beyond the weight loss.

Do you juice? What’s your favorite combo? If you don’t is it something you’d consider??

If you’re interested, here’s the link to the documentary:  http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

And if you’re like my Mom and that link doesn’t work for you (O_O), here it is on hulu:  http://www.hulu.com/watch/289122/fat-sick-and-nearly-dead

Am I supposed to put some sort of disclaimer on this entry? This is my blog, no one paid me to push this movie, I’m certainly not making any money from it, and if I pass out ’cause all I’ve consumed is some celery juice, I promise not to sue.  How’d I do counselors??

19. Something I Hate

18. Drink

Mmmmm. Coffee in one of my favorite mugs and two cinnamon sugar donuts. Saturday morning was nice. Real nice.

You Gon’ Eat Yo Cornbread?

Confession:  I just watched “Life” for the first time last weekend.  HIlarity!  Moving on…

With two weeks of fasting under my belt – and one week to go – I have come to a horrifying realization.

I, Nerd Girl, eat a lot of crap.

Now my meals? Well balanced – more plant than animal, appropriate serving sizes and all that jazz.  I don’t fry anything I cook.  I’m not big on soda or juice, water is my drink of choice.  But oh, I can snack!

Usually I buy the same stash of snacks weekly at the grocery store – pretzels, Doritos, sandwich creme cookies, goldfish, Triscuits.  I thought between Lovegirl’s snacks and lunches she was consuming all of the snacks.  Um, no.

We have had the same bags of Doritos, goldfish and pretzels for two weeks.  The cookie container?  Nearly full.  Smoochy doesn’t snack at all.  That means either someone is breaking in in the middle of the night gorging themselves on snack food…or it’s me.

No wonder my thighs currently need their own ZIP code.  I’m not sure how I wasn’t aware of this before, but I really wasn’t.

As I prepare to come off of this fast, I’ve got to somehow figure out a way to enjoy my favorite snacks – but definitely in moderation.  Any tips? Tricks? Clues?  I was thinking of eating clean Sunday – Friday and going “wild” on Saturdays. Anybody done this??

(I’m down 6 pounds which thrills me to no end.  I’d like to drop another 7 and then tone and maintain)

NOTW: OPI's "Not Like The Movies" This is one of those color changing polishes - it photographs silver, but on my nails it's a silvery purple and sometimes a silvery green. Its okay, not a fave.

 

(Mostly) Angry Blah Woman Randoms

• Thanks everyone for your suggestions regarding washing/detangling/styling LG’s hair.  I will definitely be washing it in braids from here out!
• I cannot believe R.ick S.antorum is crazy enough to think that the public is crazy enough to think he actually said “blah” people and not black people. Sir, you are definitely a contender for O_o award of 2012 – and we’re only 10 days into the year.
• I am about halfway through the Henrietta Lacks story.  I don’t know why I am continually amazed at how people in power abuse and profit off those with less power.  But I am.  Geez.
• The Steelers are out of the playoffs. Now I’ve got to find a team to root for the rest of the season.  Definitely won’t be the Saints!!!
• And I’m glad LSU got rolled last night!  Yeah, I’m not really down with the Louisiana teams…
• I came to the realization yesterday (yep, I’m a little slow) that the way I’m eating while on this fast is how I should be eating the majority of the time.  Duh!  Definitely working on incorporating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains into our diet.  Even LG said last night’s vegetable soup was tasty.
• My crockpot is working overtime.  I’ve put something in it every night for the last couple of nights and I wake up to a nice lunch/dinner for the day.
• Seriously???  Slave-centered math questions???
• I need a new soup recipe.  Anybody made anything fabulous lately?  Think I shall spend the afternoon trying to find something appealing.
• Just found out our previous governor pardoned 8 killers during his two terms in office.  The law that allows governors to do this should be repealed.  That’s all kinds of ridiculous.
• I finally made something from Pinterest.

Behold! My paper clip bookmark. You know you're impressed!

Okay, so maybe the first picture didn't impress you. But now that you see it in action, you're impressed. Right? Riiiiight.

NOTW: OPI's "How You Blue-In" I love this color! It's a little more teal IRL, but I'm finding it hard to accurately shoot these polishes...

Sorry Ladies, He’s Taken…

Saturday evening – after spending 4 hours in the woods with 115 giggling screaming 1st and 2nd graders at a Girl Scout Princess Tea Party – I went to visit a friend and her new baby.  I was gone for about 4 hours.

When I came back I was greeted with:

I still don't like eggs. o_O

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And:

Old school - stacked TVs!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a helluva man who secures both a big arse tv AND a flat of brown eggs in the time it takes to coo over a cute newborn baby.  I am truly living the life!

Also, here’s the recipe for the cheesy corn puffs I made last night.  I got the recipe from Food Network Magazine. I didn’t like them.  They were way too egg-y tasting for me.  Smoochy liked them, Lovegirl did not.  I forgot to take a picture of my finished product – though I will say that mine were very flat and not all puffed up and pretty like the ones in the magazine.  My oven is having temperature issues, and while I do think that affected the look of the puffs, I don’t think it had anything to do with the overwhelming egg flavor with which I was assaulted!!!  Yes, I realize this is not a glowing endorsement for the cheese puffs.  You may like them….

Here’s what they looked like all purty and glossed up for the magazine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 cup creamed corn
4 T unsalted butter
1 t salt
1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1/2 C shredded pepper jack cheese + extra
1 T chopped fresh chives (didn’t use these ’cause I didn’t have any)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line 2 baking sheets (I used one) with parchment paper.

2.  Bring the corn, butter, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes. (Um, yeah, as soon as I added the flour there was no stirring or pulling. The dough lumped up. I gave it a few stirs and called it quits.)

3.  Scrape the dough into a bowl, let cool slightly.  Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.  Stir in the cheese and chives.  Chill the dough 15 minutes.

4.  Scoop tablespoon-size mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Sprinkle with more cheese.  Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown and puffy, 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve warm.

(I got about 12 puffs from this recipe – the recipe says it yields 24???)

Homecoming 2011

A few random thoughts from my short trip to the Bluff this weekend:

• I’ll never skip the game again.
• Who are these people?
• Good googley moogley – everybody’s gained weight.  I have to squint to recognize folks.
• New fitness goal: remain recognizable.
• Next time Baboo da Que throws a party, skip it.
• I am so glad I went to UAPB.
• I am so glad I don’t live in Pine Bluff.
• Why do people think this two-tone plastic helmet hair looks good?
• Why do all these old men keep asking me to dance?
• Being on the dance floor when “Freaky Tales” comes on is a mistake.
• Did this chick just say I was sitting in her chair? Yeah, okay.
• Aisha’s chicken is just as tasty now as it was when we were in school.
• I think I’m going to invent myself a line dance.
• Next year: get a room, stay two days, make Smoochy take a day off and join us!

I managed to take one picture. Of chicken. From Aisha’s. Don’t judge me!

Nom nom nom

Ten on Tuesday

• Brrrrrr…..it’s cold out here.  Even though I feel like an old person when I discuss the weather, I’m going to do it anyway.  It is downright chill-ay!  I think it was 58 when I got up this morning and today’s high is only supposed to be in the low 70′s.  Fall?  Yes, please!
• Tropical Storm Lee hit with a slow, slow vengeance.  It rained for 3 days.  I slept for 3 days.  ‘Twas marvelous!  Except for all of the flooding that occurred – we weren’t affected, but I know that others weren’t so fortunate.
• You know who has no sense of urgency?  An almost 7 year old kid.  My child is slow as molasses in February.  S-L-O-W!
• My hair looks ridiculous.  I guess I should’ve expected to look like S.hirley T.emple since I spent 2 days with pipe cleaner curlers in my head.
• Speaking of pipe cleaners, I am shocked at how many people don’t know what they are.  People are forever asking me what I curl my hair with.  When I tell them pipe cleaners, a blank look takes over their face.  You wouldn’t believe how many times in a week I find myself saying “you know, the little fuzzy things that children do crafts with in Sunday School…they make little bug antennas with them…they come in lots of colors, about yea long….no?”
• Did anybody watch the game last night (Miami v. Maryland)?  Maryland truly has some of the ugliest uniforms I’ve seen in a long time.  On the other hand, I love the Oregon’s uniforms – hot!
• Who’s watching RHOBH this season?  I wasn’t going to, but tuned in last night anyway.  Well, I’d pretty much made up my mind to skip the madness, but then I saw the previews for the rest of the season.  I’m in!
• In case you don’t know – I did one hundred mother freaking pushups yesterday!  One hunnit!  And I still have 5 more pushup workouts to go…
• I made shepherd’s pie Sunday from a recipe I got at Jameil’s spot.  Smoochy loved it.  Lovegirl liked it.  Until she realized those were mashed potatoes on top.  She “doesn’t do” mashed potatoes.  I still haven’t had it, but it looks/smells good.  I’ll try it tonight.
• Smoochy was supposed to spank Lovegirl when he made it home this weekend.   He said he’d been talking himself up for two days trying to get his mind right to spank her and that he’d decided he was going to just close his eyes and swing because he couldn’t bear to look. Totally didn’t happen.  I.am.shocked.  #whodidimarry

Have a great day!!  Peace and blessings all around!

Monday Randoms

• Good morning, good morning, good morning!
• My weight?  Right back up to 171.4.  I managed to gain back every single ounce of the weight I lost week before last.    But, I’m not surprised.  Chick-Fil-A, Zaxby’s, IHOP, and Ding How Chinese Bistro all in one week…yeah, all the exercising I did was no match for my crizzappy diet last week.  Back in the saddle I go!
• Project clean-up-the-house continued this weekend.  I ran across a desk nameplate that Smoochy bought me to celebrate my second real job after college.  Sweet huh?  Except for the fact that he bought it about 8 months before we got married and it had my maiden name on it.  I really and truly thought the man was trying to call it off.  Yeah, I flipped.  Oops.
• Babs, if you’re reading this?  I howled when I read your comment on “Incognegro!”  I mean howled!
• Signed Lovegirl up for another session of swim lessons.  Figured we’d better strike while the iron is hot.  Her being in the pool is also a built in guarantee that I’ll be working it out consistently in the gym for the next two weeks.
• Speaking of fitness, a friend and I are doing the 100 pushup challenge again.  Join us?  Today’s day 1 – no catching up required
• I’m cleaning up/planning to decorate (for real this time) in anticipation of starting a PhD program next fall.
• I have been soaking my locs in coconut oil nightly to try and bring them back to life.  They feel better, not great, but much better.  I’m going to a loctitian the first week of August to have them professionally tightened, styled, and maybe even dyed.  I think I’m tiring of the gray.
• I was irate yesterday while trying to get my oil changed at the local WMart. The manager and I had a long discussion – well, I discussed, he listened – and I got a $25 gift card for expressing my concerns. Yay!
• I’ve decided after all of the horrid news over the weekend, I’m back on a news-viewing strike.  Y’all let me know if anything major happens this week…
• Oh, if you’re participating in our next book club, go ahead and try and get your book ASAP.  This one wasn’t available electronically as far as I could tell nor was it at the library or local bookstore (Borders…) so I had to order it from Amazon.  I hope it gets here soon!

That’s it for today – I’ve got work to do this week and I hope to take Friday off to do some back-to-school running around sans Lovegirl.

Babs?  This is for you

Smoochy and Lovegirl. In the flesh. Kinda...

Just Waking Up In the Morning, Gotta Thank God…

All right good peoples!  The other day we griped, we groaned, we whined – I hope everyone is feeling better and that the issues that were weighing you down earlier in the week have been resolved – or are on their way to resolution. Let’s go into the weekend with thankful hearts and grateful sprits.  I’m thankful for…

• My future sister-in-law hipping me to “ring finger manicures.”  My ring fingers got a coat of copper glitter on top of my “Chocolate Moose” manicure – love it!
• The “torcher” shaved ice I had yesterday - hot/cool cinnamon-y goodness!
• Knocking out 1/2 of Lovegirl’s school supply list yesterday.
• Being able to wear jeans today – it freakin’ rocks!
• My iPhone.  Oh yeah, I love it.
• Smoochy keeping me in a steady supply of watermelon this summer.  The one he bought yesterday is de.lic.ious.
• My blog buddies – y’all are awesome. 
• White nectarines.  Man oh man are they fantastic!!!  I can’t remember who mentioned them – KRock or MrsTDJ I think - but thank you ma’am!
• God’s mercies - new every morning.  Every morning y’all!

Okay – gimme what you got!