Take My Advice

Occasionally, I like to point out what facebook was created for. The commencement of facebook and what it has become are very different.

And I am sure I am being completely insensitive when I say that the child updates/profile pictures are - well..... not what Zuckerberg had intended facebook to entail when it was created. I know, I know, I have photos of my dog on there.

Here's the thing. I am a child of the 1980s. If I knew that my parents had blasted photos of me and funny quotes that are currently sitting out there in cyber world, I think I would be weirded out by it.

So this is why I have decided to stop putting up photos on facebook of the children. Not mine. I have none. But of other people's children. Because I feel like I am exploiting them.

And on a totally separate note, I want to say that last year for work, we were asked to give our new year's resolutions I succeeded in mine. Yes - I vowed to stop carrying three bags and a coffee cup to work and it worked all year! Yes!!

Also - since I like to give unsolicited advice out here and never get much feedback, have any of you stopped using so much water? Started exercising? Ended a relationship? or simply started some therapy?

It completely baffles me why more people don't take better care of themselves. How can people continue to do nothing for exercise and eat garbage while watching reality television all day long? The perks of exercise are so AMAZINGLY incredible which INCLUDE:

1) Better mood
2) More energy

Hello?!

Oh! Did I mention looking good? Skinny waist!And you will skip an avocado because it is fattening and eat fried cheese curds?? What is that all about?

And what's the deal with marrying your first true love? Do you really think thirty years down the road, you aren't going to have changed and wondered what it would be like to live alone? Or date someone else? What is that all about?

Oh - and see that photo I have here with the non-exploited child? Yeah, with the Christmassy background? Yeah, that's right. Because I am agnostic, I guess.

I would also like to admit that I complain a lot that Madison is not diverse but don't do anything about it [Like a typical American]. I was thrilled to have attended a dinner party the other night that included four foreigners. And they were not all caucasian. I am making progress.

Lastly, I will share with you that my greatest fears are losing my dog and falling on the ice and not being able to run. Any suggestions?

Have a great day!

Fit & Fabulous

Call me crazy, but I want to know what it feels like to get into the shower without being sore. Or sweaty. Or physically challenged for that matter. Actually, I wouldn't want to know. I would be slightly disgusted with myself. I am not Joan Benoit. But I like to workout. I am a runner. And I can't imagine getting into the shower, day after day, without a workout. How do you do it? Doesn't it feel gross? Imagine how much more you could do. The energy you would have. The food you could energize with.

Now that I have lived in Madison for over three years, I am no longer impressed with the amount of outdoor activity. I want to know why more people aren't involved. I can't relate to just waking up and getting in the shower and getting dressed. That sounds gross to me. How do you do it?

I recently read an article in the "Times" about begginer runners. They wanted to know what podcast was motivating people to run. And I realize that it's not normal - this need to run every morning [well, six days a week, anyway]. Most people need an accountability partner. Or they sleep in their running clothes. Or they attend a "weigh in." There is something that makes them get up and go running. For me, it's just part of who I am. One day at work, someone asked me, "Did you go running this morning?" And I was appalled. "Did you brush your teeth this morning?" I wanted to ask them. If you see me at work, I have gone running. If I have the stomach flu, I have not gone running. Otherwise, I run. I have become even more strict as I have gotten older. And I have become faster. "I don't have enough time." is a completely unexucusable truth - you are telling me "It's not a priority." And you know what? It's not for a lot of people.

So besides doing it for yourself, be healthy for your kids. I notice a ton of people who are obese. NPR just published an article stating that the american population is becoming more and more obese. And I have a real problem with people who aren't eating real food. I am currently finishing my dinner of all natural-local-tortellini, organic kale and organic mushroom sauteed in garlic. Does your meal have color? I am not better than you. I may be healthier, that's all. You're probably cooler than me.

I am not saying I am superior. But the next person who tells me while they are eating their "Wonder bread" [which isn't even real bread, mind you] that my sauteed, locally grown onions "look gross" can suck it.

Eating Right

After my experimenting, I know that I can (thank God) eat my much loved dairy. However dull veganism sounds to people who are carnivores, to vegetarians, it sounds manageable. And truthfully, it was. Especially in a town like Madison where I was able to find vegan food at the grocery stores I frequent and the restaurant selections, too.

I was hoping to check out The Green Owl Cafe, and I was happy to go there while eliminating dairy. The vegan chocolate cake was the highlight of my dining experience there. Although, the entree was tasty, as well. My vegan dish resembled an eggplant cutlet (yum) and I don't like eating lots of fake meat. The sides (green beans and potatoes) were fresh and real.

Speaking of fake meat, I HATE fake food and learned that any fake food I eat irritates my stomach. Fake food is any product you see at the grocery store that has a million ingredients including (but not limited to): artificial flavors, dextrin, bleached noodles (ie "enriched macaroni), partially hydrogenated soybean oil (ie - you are eating food that has hydrogen added to it so it can sit on the shelf for a long ass time), ammonium sulfate, and any word that you are unable to pronounce. The general rule is if you cannot pronounce it, do not eat it.

A lot of these chemicals have been found to cause heart disease and cancer, among many other health conditions.

The best thing to remember to feel good and stay healthy is to eat how they did in the olden days. Basic fruits, grains and vegetables. For those who claim that "it's cheaper to buy those hamburger helper type of items," I would say, if you eat a lot of that garbage, it's going to cost you your health. I would rather stick around for awhile.

While working on my Madison list of "to dos" I have gone to Plan B and went to the farm in Spring Green, but we have not had the appropriate powdery snow for cross country skiing or snow shoeing. Walking and hiking has been all I have been able to do this winter. I am disappointed in our lack of heavy snowfall. We are historically behind. I am hoping for some tomorrow to help this situation, enabling me to get some cross country skiing in. And next week is the start of restaurant week.

Do I see some snow and Lombardino's in my future?