Quickie post as I collect my thoughts and intend to do a better post later. I missed my usual Wednesday Weigh In update because...I just did. Tonight was our opera workshop scenes recital which was 3 1/2 hours long and just drained all energy out of our entire department. Sigh. But it went. It went alright, I think I sounded okay though I still wasn't super happy with it. Lack of connection, I think. It was all thrown up so fast that I didn't do enough work on my character and as a result felt very disconnected from the scene. But it's over now, so that's that. For anyone wondering it was a scene from Rossini's "Guillaume Tell" (in French. Oh yes) and I was Mathilde. Sauve Guillaume. Il meurt victime de son amour de son pays. Yes sir.
Today I was also in a general funk, which I attribute to many things, but in no small part to my lack of gym for over a week. I know, I know. Timing has been strange this week. I had to buy clothes/dress rehearsal Tuesday and get groceries yesterday. The weekend was lost to various recitals and pure laziness. I WANT to go back, I just don't think I can before maybe Saturday and then not again until maybe Tuesday. But I want to keep moving, I really do like it even though it makes me smelly.
Crashing now after that LONG concert. Well done all performers, everyone was brilliant and true opera slaves tonight. Well done.
Status update and a MEGA GLEE RANT
I lost again! Yay! Though I again am not sure just how much...I'm calling it 1...it might have only been 1/2 but such is life. MAJOR exercise today, at least for me. I crashed my school's dance class and then later went to Zumba. Zumba was crazy intense and awesome, I hope I can go regularly. Very fun times, even though I feel like an idiot for most of it. Luckily no one else is doing much better with the steps than I am. The major downside of this class is that there are giant support pillars in the exercise room so you can't really see the instructor. Upside is that the 2 girls in front knew what they were doing and they actually demonstrated the moves almost better than the teachers.
Also, I recommend the new Lean Cuisine-steam-in-the-bag-and-pour-it-onto-a-plate-instead-of-eating-from-those-little-plastic-trays-things. I had the chicken pot-stickers for dinner tonight (lazy dinner...) and the pot-stickers were somehow crunchy. Like...they way they would be slightly crisp at a restaurant. And the sauce was a spicy-sweet blend that wasn't completely overpowering. I added some more broccoli to make it a legit meal and now I feel very veggie filled and satisfied.
But okay. Now I have a rant. If you only care about my food intake and exercise exertions, feel free to leave. But Glee and I need to have some words. It is time.
GLEE,
I have let at lot slide. That might be a lie. I've let some things slide. But now, once again, you've gone too far. I take you to last night's episode (This contains no spoilers because, IMO, nothing happened at all in this episode.)
Your average high school orchestra does not sound good. Quite often it sounds like cats dying. My parents THANKED me when I finally quit violin (for...many reasons, but not having to sit through another orchestra concert was definitely on the list). There is no possible way you found a full youth orchestra wandering around your high school two days before a show went up and had them play it that well. That orchestra does not exist at that school.
All the people at McKinley High ever do is complain about how disrespected their arts programs are, but apparently they have a FABULOUS orchestra of 14 year olds just wandering around waiting for people to summon them to their stupid benefits. Also, there is a full band at every rehearsal for this stupid club. There is no way you are half as ignored and underfunded as you think you are. YOU HAVE YOUR OWN ACCOMPANIST. My 3 choirs in high school didn't have a separate accompanist. Our director played for us. You obviously have money, or someone just loves you, so stop whining about it. Also, you never talk to your accompanist or your backup orchestras/bands. How could you possibly not be friends with any of the instrumentalists who come to all of the rehearsals that you do? Obviously you're all disrespectful bitches to everyone around you. Maybe that's why no one came to your benefit.
Which brings me to my next point:
Glee kids claimed they could not get a soul to come to this benefit. There were like 2 people in the audience. However, on stage you had all of Glee club, a full orchestra, various combo bands, and A FULL GOSPEL CHOIR (...that Mercedes had stashed in the back of her car? Where do you hide a gospel choir? I mean, the orchestra had their own room, I get that, but everyone was hanging out in the choir room and we saw no gospel choir. Was this benefit on a Thursday night? Did they have rehearsal so they had to come late? Why would you hold a high school benefit on a Thursday? That's a school night. I digress.)
All I'm saying is you had a ton of performers and you're telling me not ONE parent came to this thing? An orchestra full of tiny people and...they all just took the bus home? REALLY? Every Glee parent we've seen on this show is pro-Glee and none of them came to their child's benefit? None of the gospel choir members felt like sitting in the audience for the first half? I mean, there is saying that your club is the neglected club but even the unpopular clubs have parents and siblings.
CLEARLY I HAVE MANY ISSUES WITH THIS SHOW. I should not be watching it but I can't stop. I can't help it, I love the idea of this show but it is just terrible every week. GAH. I am filled with rage and annoyance. Again, I say, I should stop watching. Maybe I will. Maybe this is my last episode ever. I seriously need to drop it like a bad habit and another 60 pounds.
Okay. I've said my peace. I actually could say quite a bit more, but I won't. For now. But Glee, you time on my Hulu stream is nearly up. You've been warned; get it together.
Also, I recommend the new Lean Cuisine-steam-in-the-bag-and-pour-it-onto-a-plate-instead-of-eating-from-those-little-plastic-trays-things. I had the chicken pot-stickers for dinner tonight (lazy dinner...) and the pot-stickers were somehow crunchy. Like...they way they would be slightly crisp at a restaurant. And the sauce was a spicy-sweet blend that wasn't completely overpowering. I added some more broccoli to make it a legit meal and now I feel very veggie filled and satisfied.
But okay. Now I have a rant. If you only care about my food intake and exercise exertions, feel free to leave. But Glee and I need to have some words. It is time.
GLEE,
I have let at lot slide. That might be a lie. I've let some things slide. But now, once again, you've gone too far. I take you to last night's episode (This contains no spoilers because, IMO, nothing happened at all in this episode.)
Your average high school orchestra does not sound good. Quite often it sounds like cats dying. My parents THANKED me when I finally quit violin (for...many reasons, but not having to sit through another orchestra concert was definitely on the list). There is no possible way you found a full youth orchestra wandering around your high school two days before a show went up and had them play it that well. That orchestra does not exist at that school.
All the people at McKinley High ever do is complain about how disrespected their arts programs are, but apparently they have a FABULOUS orchestra of 14 year olds just wandering around waiting for people to summon them to their stupid benefits. Also, there is a full band at every rehearsal for this stupid club. There is no way you are half as ignored and underfunded as you think you are. YOU HAVE YOUR OWN ACCOMPANIST. My 3 choirs in high school didn't have a separate accompanist. Our director played for us. You obviously have money, or someone just loves you, so stop whining about it. Also, you never talk to your accompanist or your backup orchestras/bands. How could you possibly not be friends with any of the instrumentalists who come to all of the rehearsals that you do? Obviously you're all disrespectful bitches to everyone around you. Maybe that's why no one came to your benefit.
Which brings me to my next point:
Glee kids claimed they could not get a soul to come to this benefit. There were like 2 people in the audience. However, on stage you had all of Glee club, a full orchestra, various combo bands, and A FULL GOSPEL CHOIR (...that Mercedes had stashed in the back of her car? Where do you hide a gospel choir? I mean, the orchestra had their own room, I get that, but everyone was hanging out in the choir room and we saw no gospel choir. Was this benefit on a Thursday night? Did they have rehearsal so they had to come late? Why would you hold a high school benefit on a Thursday? That's a school night. I digress.)
All I'm saying is you had a ton of performers and you're telling me not ONE parent came to this thing? An orchestra full of tiny people and...they all just took the bus home? REALLY? Every Glee parent we've seen on this show is pro-Glee and none of them came to their child's benefit? None of the gospel choir members felt like sitting in the audience for the first half? I mean, there is saying that your club is the neglected club but even the unpopular clubs have parents and siblings.
CLEARLY I HAVE MANY ISSUES WITH THIS SHOW. I should not be watching it but I can't stop. I can't help it, I love the idea of this show but it is just terrible every week. GAH. I am filled with rage and annoyance. Again, I say, I should stop watching. Maybe I will. Maybe this is my last episode ever. I seriously need to drop it like a bad habit and another 60 pounds.
Okay. I've said my peace. I actually could say quite a bit more, but I won't. For now. But Glee, you time on my Hulu stream is nearly up. You've been warned; get it together.
Marathon Monday! (Go Sheree!!)
Today was one of those super rare days where I worked out super hard, ate all my veggies, and had a very hard time eating my minimum points for the day. It was a nice change of pace from scrambling at dinner to makeup for my poor decisions earlier in the day.
But that is not the point of this post. This post is to give a huge shout out to Sheree Dunwell who is running in the Boston Marathon tomorrow. Sheree started this quest to Marathon Monday after losing a whole mess of weight and getting herself in shape. Now that she's looking good, she's doing some good. She's raised over $7500 for her charity Mass Mentoring Partnership. She's danced and bowled in a banana suit for this cause, and tomorrow she's going to bust her ass for 26.2 miles because she's a champion. Sheree, know that I'm cheering you on from across the country. You are incredible. And when you cross that finish line, I hope someone is waiting to cart you home in a wheelbarrow full of ice. Because you deserve it :)
But that is not the point of this post. This post is to give a huge shout out to Sheree Dunwell who is running in the Boston Marathon tomorrow. Sheree started this quest to Marathon Monday after losing a whole mess of weight and getting herself in shape. Now that she's looking good, she's doing some good. She's raised over $7500 for her charity Mass Mentoring Partnership. She's danced and bowled in a banana suit for this cause, and tomorrow she's going to bust her ass for 26.2 miles because she's a champion. Sheree, know that I'm cheering you on from across the country. You are incredible. And when you cross that finish line, I hope someone is waiting to cart you home in a wheelbarrow full of ice. Because you deserve it :)
Tales of Recital Food
Well. It's Saturday. I have about 9 week points left. I've gone to the gym twice this week. I intended to go today but...best laid plans, I supposed. I should go tomorrow. Recital food is a major temptation, especially when all that is offered is delicious homemade sweets.
For everyone who's not a musician, recital food is an art form unto itself, or at least it was at my undergrad. It's the food at the reception after the recital. Here at grad school the receptions seem much more low key, but I have been to receptions in the past that included a full home-cooked Italian buffet, or were professionally catered, or had mountains of Chick-fil-a nuggets, or had gourmet cupcakes as far as the eye could see. At my undergrad, the food was a much bigger deal than the recital itself. This grad school...neither seem to be that big of a deal, to be honest. Attendance is much lower than my other school, so that's why the receptions are so much smaller. BUT still delicious. This one featured possibly the best chocolate chip walnut cookies I've ever had. They were also the size of my hand and twice as thick. And cupcakes. So, you know...temptation. I'm weak.
I have no idea what the food will be tomorrow. It's like the encore, always a suprise. And sometimes, much more appreciated than an encore. I hope gym attendance before (or after, I suppose, it all comes out in the wash) the recital will offset the points damage.
For everyone who's not a musician, recital food is an art form unto itself, or at least it was at my undergrad. It's the food at the reception after the recital. Here at grad school the receptions seem much more low key, but I have been to receptions in the past that included a full home-cooked Italian buffet, or were professionally catered, or had mountains of Chick-fil-a nuggets, or had gourmet cupcakes as far as the eye could see. At my undergrad, the food was a much bigger deal than the recital itself. This grad school...neither seem to be that big of a deal, to be honest. Attendance is much lower than my other school, so that's why the receptions are so much smaller. BUT still delicious. This one featured possibly the best chocolate chip walnut cookies I've ever had. They were also the size of my hand and twice as thick. And cupcakes. So, you know...temptation. I'm weak.
I have no idea what the food will be tomorrow. It's like the encore, always a suprise. And sometimes, much more appreciated than an encore. I hope gym attendance before (or after, I suppose, it all comes out in the wash) the recital will offset the points damage.
25 Below
Officially down the big 2-5. Not sure why this feels like an awesome landmark, but it does.
There was very little posting this week because there was very little activity on my part. At all. I took the week off from just about everything but watching my food. I didn't go to the gym, I let myself recover from the craziness of the opera in which I had little to do but had to constantly be away from my house. Which, as a result, meant that I actually did exercise during the run of the show. So I guess that's how I lost last week. This week I just tried to watch what I consumed. And I caught up on things like laundry, groceries, and my own personal music learning. You know, the insignificant details of life.
I don't have food news other than my love of kabocha squash. It is just as difficult to deal with as butternut but there's something fun about it. Maybe it's that the outside is green? When I was googling how to best prepare this squash someone said that the skin was edible once cooked. I ate some of it and lived, so I suppose that's true. It got soft and edible once cooked. It was generally very similar to butternut squash. I wish squash was not so labor intensive, then I'd eat it every single day, but I usually just don't have that much patience.
Tonight I will hypothetically finish the 3rd book in the Outlander series, which strangely took me forever to read. The first 2 I zipped through in no time but the third one is taking me so long that I'm forgetting details from the beginning of the book. There was a big reveal at the end of the book regarding who was doing what somewhere in the beginning, and I had no reaction, as I forgot that said event had even happened. Wow, my attempts to be spoiler free are just...nonsensical. BUT after this I have book reading decisions to make, because I think I'll take an Outlander break. Do I go on to the wackiness that is the second Sookie Stackhouse novel, or do I catch up with the rest of the world and go to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Or say screw it all and go Margaret Atwood? OR read the other 2 Scott Pilgrim comics I have. ...I feel my taste is ecclectic.
There was very little posting this week because there was very little activity on my part. At all. I took the week off from just about everything but watching my food. I didn't go to the gym, I let myself recover from the craziness of the opera in which I had little to do but had to constantly be away from my house. Which, as a result, meant that I actually did exercise during the run of the show. So I guess that's how I lost last week. This week I just tried to watch what I consumed. And I caught up on things like laundry, groceries, and my own personal music learning. You know, the insignificant details of life.
I don't have food news other than my love of kabocha squash. It is just as difficult to deal with as butternut but there's something fun about it. Maybe it's that the outside is green? When I was googling how to best prepare this squash someone said that the skin was edible once cooked. I ate some of it and lived, so I suppose that's true. It got soft and edible once cooked. It was generally very similar to butternut squash. I wish squash was not so labor intensive, then I'd eat it every single day, but I usually just don't have that much patience.
Tonight I will hypothetically finish the 3rd book in the Outlander series, which strangely took me forever to read. The first 2 I zipped through in no time but the third one is taking me so long that I'm forgetting details from the beginning of the book. There was a big reveal at the end of the book regarding who was doing what somewhere in the beginning, and I had no reaction, as I forgot that said event had even happened. Wow, my attempts to be spoiler free are just...nonsensical. BUT after this I have book reading decisions to make, because I think I'll take an Outlander break. Do I go on to the wackiness that is the second Sookie Stackhouse novel, or do I catch up with the rest of the world and go to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Or say screw it all and go Margaret Atwood? OR read the other 2 Scott Pilgrim comics I have. ...I feel my taste is ecclectic.
Happy but, again, confused
Body, HOW do you think I've lost weight during run week? How? Did you not notice me going over my points like whoa on snacky tasty carb food in the green room? Did you not notice the MOUNTAIN of french fries, beer, hard cider, and Irish coffee that was enjoyed on Sunday night? And the mac and cheese? And the nachos? Did you miss that? Did you miss the fact that the last 2 days I didn't bother really counting my points, I just hoped for the best and waited to reset because, really, why bother counting when you're already over? DID YOU MISS THAT? Because how the hell do you think I lost 2 pounds this week? I mean really.
But that's what the scale says. :/ ? huh? I mean...thank you? But how? I'm also (apparently) down 10% of my weight from when I started this thing, so that's exciting.
I did try to do my best this week, and I guess I did well. I tried to leave a little wiggle room in my points because I knew that there would be sugary deliciousness waiting backstage at the opera and I knew that I was just sunk if I tried to avoid that completely. Mmmm cookies. And one day: MINT BROWNIES. Om nom nom. ...What was I saying?
But the upswing, I suppose, is that I felt kind of crappy after my Sunday of overindulgence, and I take that as a good sign. It lessens my desire to binge on fries and junk food, because I know I'll feel lousy the next day. I just need to remember that in the moment. When all I ate was junk food, I didn't notice a difference. The fact that I'm not eating a little bit more healthfully (wait, spell check, that's a word? ok then) means that my body is a-changing and sorting itself out a little.
ALSO! Mini tip of the week: When you want to indulge in a burger with the fixin's and fries and beer ect, but you realize you actually are just craving cheese and deep fried potatos, not beef, go ahead and get the veggie burger! Once it's covered in gouda and mushrooms and a really good bun, you won't notice much of a difference unless you've been hankering for some MEAT. Which, that particular day, I was not. Beer and fries were my main focus.
This Sunday of good food and alcohol was brought do you by Nickies in the Lower Haight. Nickies: where the macaroni and cheese has smoked gouda, the nachos are the thickest, crispiest chips ever, the burgers are fantastic, they have Smithwick's on tap, and Magner's cider is their drink of the month so they let you keep the glass. Highly recommended.
In other news, I just killed a spider that was up high. You must fully understand how arachnophobia I am and how much my hands are shaking as I type this, but I was mid blog entry when I spotted it so I felt the need to share. Okay, that's all :)
But that's what the scale says. :/ ? huh? I mean...thank you? But how? I'm also (apparently) down 10% of my weight from when I started this thing, so that's exciting.
I did try to do my best this week, and I guess I did well. I tried to leave a little wiggle room in my points because I knew that there would be sugary deliciousness waiting backstage at the opera and I knew that I was just sunk if I tried to avoid that completely. Mmmm cookies. And one day: MINT BROWNIES. Om nom nom. ...What was I saying?
But the upswing, I suppose, is that I felt kind of crappy after my Sunday of overindulgence, and I take that as a good sign. It lessens my desire to binge on fries and junk food, because I know I'll feel lousy the next day. I just need to remember that in the moment. When all I ate was junk food, I didn't notice a difference. The fact that I'm not eating a little bit more healthfully (wait, spell check, that's a word? ok then) means that my body is a-changing and sorting itself out a little.
ALSO! Mini tip of the week: When you want to indulge in a burger with the fixin's and fries and beer ect, but you realize you actually are just craving cheese and deep fried potatos, not beef, go ahead and get the veggie burger! Once it's covered in gouda and mushrooms and a really good bun, you won't notice much of a difference unless you've been hankering for some MEAT. Which, that particular day, I was not. Beer and fries were my main focus.
This Sunday of good food and alcohol was brought do you by Nickies in the Lower Haight. Nickies: where the macaroni and cheese has smoked gouda, the nachos are the thickest, crispiest chips ever, the burgers are fantastic, they have Smithwick's on tap, and Magner's cider is their drink of the month so they let you keep the glass. Highly recommended.
In other news, I just killed a spider that was up high. You must fully understand how arachnophobia I am and how much my hands are shaking as I type this, but I was mid blog entry when I spotted it so I felt the need to share. Okay, that's all :)
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