Friday, June 7, 2013

7 Things You Must Know About My Day

Sometimes I have to much to tell you, but they are all little things, and not one of them could make up an entire post. Well, knowing me I could come up with some fart-related anecdote to create a long post around something minuscule…but I decided to lump little crap all together for your entertainment. You are welcome.

My Odds & Ends:

1. This creature. It was almost exactly two years ago that Ken and I were on our anniversary dinner, sitting outside in a romantic setting, when a bat jumped into my lap (crotch, actually). Read the full story HERE.

Bats freak me the eff out. And, now, just to taunt me, there is a bat hanging out on the side my my house (probably waiting to jump in my crotch). Can someone please come get it? Good Lord look at those claws. I am sure they could maul me to death.

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2. This lunch. I have started a love affair with this sandwich.

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It is 2 slices of toasted Ezekiel Flax bread with one fried egg, one slice provolone (melted on the egg) and three generous slices of avocado. Top it off with a bit of sea salt and it is perfection, I have eaten this every day for a week now it’s hard for me to describe how satisfying it is.

3. This song. Although my iPod is full of AC/DC, Green Day and Pitbull, I do love and can appreciate a more mellow and instrumental song. Yes, it’s true, I do have Chariots of Fire on my iPod.

When Jerald Simon, a runner and professional musician, sent me his newest piece “Triumphant,” I knew I wanted to share it with you. He said, “I composed the music thinking about runners and created the melody and the harmony specifically with runners and athletes in mind to help them as they train and run.” See what you think. It has the flavor of Chariots of Fire and transports me to a peaceful place.

Confession: I am so anal it is making crazy to not be able to center this video on my page.

This song is available on iTunes and online music stores.

4. These eyes. Good grief, I am having the worst season of allergies ever. After my bike ride this morning my eyes looked like I had been smoking pot for 12 days straight. It is legal in Colorado, you know. They still look that way. Any advice? I just want to take my eyeball out of the socket and scratch the hell out of it.

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5. This opportunity. I hesitated to tell you all about this because I was being selfish and didn’t want any more competition than necessary. But, this is a VERY amazing thing – and if you have it in your heart and long term goals to do an Ironman, you might want to look at this one. You could be a member of the X2Performance Triathlon Team.  Who knows? Maybe we will be on the team together (okay, just let me dream for a minute). Click HERE for info and application.

6. This food. When I go on vacation and stay at a rented house or condo I see it as a free- for-all as far as food goes. I mean, I’m pretty healthy/careful about what I eat, but during vacation, I whoop it up like no one’s business. When we rent places at the beach my favorite thing to do is layer bologna, cheese and Fritos on bread.

Here’s a sampling of what I’m taking up the mountains this weekend (that cereal reminds me of my childhood. We never got sugary cereals, let alone the cute individual boxes. Maybe once or twice my mom bought these for us and seeing them still gets my heart rate up):

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I think those Pop Tarts are healthy because of the oatmeal.

7. This picture. I will leave you with this. There is nothing better than your smiling child with your smiling dog.

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What’s your favorite junk food from childhood? I still miss Hostess Susie Qs.

What creature gives you the creeps? Bats? Mice? Snakes? Golden Retrievers? I hate bats, but I’m not big on snakes either.

What is your go-to daily lunch? Before I discovered the above-perfect sandwich combo, I usually have potstickers, an Amy’s bean/cheese burrito or a huge salad for lunch.

SUAR

46 comments:

  1. Grasshoppers give me the creeps. When I am out running, I am paranoid they will jump on my legs....

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    1. Oh, I bet you'll love the section of my bike commute I call "grasshopper hill". It's a 1-2 hundred yard long section of asphalt trail, right at the edge of a grassy park. In the mid/late summer, grasshoppers LOVE to sun themselves there in the afternoon. The best part is it's an uphill climb for me in the afternoon, prolonging my joy. Let's just say, I try to pick up enough speed to cruise through quickly, and keep my mouth shut for the entire distance. Bad things have happened to me there.

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    2. I did a race in Wisconsin called the Muggy Buggy last year and at the start of the race, MILLIONS of grasshoppers were like, "aaaahhh!" and jumped anywhere they could to avoid being trampled. I'm sure many got squished, while the others survived.

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    3. Eeeeew to you both.... I'm going to have nightmares after hearing those two stories.... :)

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  2. That dog looks SO perfect with your family! Just sayin'...

    We had bats IN OUR HOUSE for awhile. It was a total nightmare. Thank Jesus we slept upstairs until the exterminator could figure out why/how they got into our first floor. I was FREAKING.

    Allergies. Meh. Yuck. They so stink.

    Sarah
    www.thinfluenced.com

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  3. Junkfood: Ding Dongs. Wrapped in foil. A part of me died when they started wrapping them in plastic.

    Creeps: Roaches. I used to live in The South (yes, I capitalize The South). They're nasty (the roaches, that is) and I'm convinced will devour my soul if I get too close.

    Daily lunch: black bean taco: corn tortilla on a skillet with a touch of olive oil (seriously, not much) + black beans (seasoned with cumin) + a slice of provolone. Grill that sucker until the tortilla is slighly crisp and it's awesome. Raw carrots on the side. Or some other left over veggie.

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    1. Don't forget the giant spiders too! especially the ones that carry their offspring on their backs.....blegh.

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  4. He's kind of cute, isn't he? Have you ever been to Austin? They have the largest urban population of bats in the U.S. At dusk, they all come out from underneath a bridge en masse...20 minutes or so of nothing but bats. You should go.

    I am the same way about vacation...we go to the Jersey shore next weekend and my favorite treats there are licorice pastels from the local candy shop. I'm ready!

    Have fun this weekend.

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  5. I can't not look at that bat picture! I don't even understand what is going on with that guy. What is the brown patch? Isn't that his back? And if so, why does it look like he is glaring at you??!

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  6. That bat would freak me out too. I would make my other half spray it with a hose or something. I would be afraid of rabies or becoming a vampire or something. But I am not a fan of ticks and most bugs, snakes, and spiders. Just found a black widow in my garage today & I gotta make the BF kill it!

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  7. Have you tried allergy eye drops? Alaway work for me...I don't know whether you are a contact lens wearer, but I put them in about an hour before I put my contacts in and all is well. My 7 yr. old has severe seasonal allergies and Alaway didn't cut it for her, so she has an Rx for Pataday drops which work beautifully. Maybe something to ask your doc. about if the problem continues!

    I'm o.k. with bats but I will climb halfway up the wall if I see a centipede running across the floor. They just have so many legs...gah! I feel like I never know which way they are going to run.

    My go-to lunch during training also involves Ezekial bread, but the raisin kind topped with crunchy peanut butter and slices of apple. Perfection!

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    1. I have terrible eyes too, I may try that alaway!

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  8. A bat!? AHHH! No way, Jose.
    That dog is so dang cute.

    Mmm, my breakfast was 2 pieces of toast and an entire half of an avocado with salt. So simple yet so incredibly delicious!

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  9. Ha ha ... favorite junk food as a kid (or now?) ... if I had to really pick that one thing, probably a donut! It being National Donut Day and all ...

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  10. Spiders hands down freak me out!! But that bar is pretty serious too. Almost every day during the week I have the following: scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa with whole grain toast. Delicious and fills me up! Have fun at the cabin!!

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  11. Oh boy, I have to make the sandwich now. Wait...what else were you talking about??? I got stuck on the sandwich....

    Oh. Bats. We woke up one night to a bat in our BEDROOM! Our cat was trying to catch it, I was screaming and running for a broom...I'm sure it was video worthy. I got it clinging to the broom somehow and put it outside. Then realized it had probably come from upstairs in the attic. Yep. We have bats. I decided I was ok with this b/c we also have mosquitoes and wasps...and they will eat them. Right???? LOL

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  12. Fave junk from childhood: Hostess Ding Dongs. Remember how they came wrapped in foil?

    Also, I think those oatmeal pop tarts have crack in them. Seriously addicting. Just fyi.

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  13. Love yogurt and pretzels for lunch, and I can't stand snakes or spiders

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  14. Bat's like crotch? Scary!

    Lunch is usually a salad or leftovers. If I'm feeling really lazy its nuts and chocolate.
    I was raised by a farmers daughter. I miss homemade bread and big bowls of soup. Cheetos. They came a little later but my mom and I both LOVE cheetos and chocolate chips.

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  15. Have you tried Systane eye drops for your eyes? They are kind of thick but work well. I put them in morning and evening especially when my eyes are dry. If it keeps up, you may want to see your eye doctor for some steroid drops. (I have bouts of episcleritis, ICK!)

    That sandwich looks amazing! I need one right now.

    Favorite kid junk food? Probably nacho cheese doritos, but not the ones they have now that turn your fingers day-glo orange, the mellow ones from 30 years ago. :-)

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  16. I hate spiders. I hate them so much, I taught our bull terrier to hunt them and eat them for me. Works great, except when she eats too big of a wolf spider and then pukes it back up later. Oh well, at least it's dead then.
    Lunch is usually leftovers from the night before.
    Junk food- Aldi has these Ranch-flavored mini rice cakes that are SOO good. I could eat a whole bag in one sitting (and *may* have done that once). But they're a seasonal item, and the only have them 3 or 4 times a year for a few weeks, so I go all hoarder and buy 5 bags every time I go in there until I have a good stash. It's sad, but they are soooooo good.

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    1. First thing I thought of was Wolf Spiders, those damn things, jumping & swimming. You never know where they're going to show up & freak a Sistah out, grrrr, #thesouth.

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  17. I love fried egg and avocado sandwiches! What's also good is leftover burrito filling (rice, beans, salsa, cheese if you're not a lactard like me) with a fried egg and avocado on top. SO GOOD. Best part? You can eat it any time of the day!

    I hate rats, bats (i.e., flying rats), and possums (i.e., big rats).

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  18. Junk food from childhood? We didn’t have a lot junk food around the house (because my mom didn’t love us), but my grandparents always had Little Debbie snacks around, so probably Swiss Cake Rolls.

    I hate spiders and roaches. Snakes, mice, and golden retrievers don’t bother me, and the bats around here generally keep to themselves. I’m slowly getting over the spiders thing, but I cannot stand roaches. It’s ridiculous really.

    I eat a mixed green salad topped with sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, lima beans, and spicey quinoa every day much to the bewilderment of my fast food loving coworkers. I’m the weird one of course.

    And I love your sandwich. I started making a similar sandwich a few years ago. It began as a BLT that I added a fried egg and avocado to. I called it a BEATL (pronounced “beatle”). But I’ve since lost the bacon and added a slice of swiss to the egg. Love that sandwich.

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  19. That sandwich looks awesome! I have been eating fried eggs over sweet potato hash browns with avocado on top. It's a killer flavor combo and super healthy!

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  20. That sandwich sounds awesome! My allergies have been AWFUL this year too--I can only put in my contacts for the length of a workout, then immediately take them out and try to resist the urge to scratch out my eyes...glad I'm not the only one! Wish I had some suggestions to help!

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  21. Bats are cool. They eat all sorts of things humans don't want around, like insects. It's fun to watch them fly.

    No reason you couldn't do Ironman. You've proved you can do the hard part, the run. Unless your goal is to keep up with the pros, after a certain minimal aerobic base, what you really need is patience and determination.

    My go to meal is fresh whole grain bread from the bakery, organic peanut butter, unpasturized partially crystalized honey, and a big glass of milk.

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  22. We didn't have much junk food when I was a kid because my mother was The Food Nazi. But my dad used to sneak me Grandma's cookies and Bit-o-honeys from the vending machine at his work...which used to piss my mom off. :) Now my favorite junk food would have to be Cheez-its. They are my personal Kryptonite. Can't resist 'em.

    I came home from work one night at midnight and found a bat in my kitchen, on the floor, with my cats all sitting around it, watching it. I have NO idea how it got in the house. When I tried to wake my husband up to come get it, he grunted, rolled over and went back to sleep. So I got my spatula, an oven mitt and a paper bag and I scooped that sucker up and threw it in the garbage outside. Boo-yah. I don't mind bats really - except when they're in my house or swooping at my head - it's frogs I really don't like. {shudder....}

    And for lunch, especially after I work out, I love taking shredded seasoned beef and scrambling it with eggs, throwing the whole mess in a tortilla with Cholula sauce and avocado. Leftover taco meat works well too. Or shredded chicken.

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  23. Oh wow thats a big bat?! I dont know how big they get really anyway. I cannot say I've had a bat in my lap before. lol. Anywho, my favorite snack as a kid were goldfish. My parents got the giant boxes from Costco. Good times!

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  24. your daughter looks so much like you.
    I am so scared of snakes

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  25. Junkfood: I'm going with Doritos and Grape pop (soda for those other states). Brings back memories of sleepovers at my Grams'.

    Creeps: Snakes. ALL snakes. I used to have a thing about bats, too, but once I started caveing and seeing them in their natural habitat I realized they're kinda cute (I also managed to accidentally squish one with my hard hat and I feel really guilty about that - I was in HIS house!).

    Lunch: A wrap with turkey and spinach and sprinkle of cheese. Yum!

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  26. That sandwich sounds amazing. I've only jut really got into avocados so I must try that soon.
    I love,love Poptarts as well - my favourite being the original strawberry ones. But my favourite junk food is generally chocolate and cake, though I don't class cake as junk food. It's my soul food ;)

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  27. For itchy allergy eyes, try wetting a couple of run-of-the-mill Lipton tea bags with cool water, gently squeeze out excess water, and place a tea bag over each eye and rest for 5-10 minutes. The tannic acid supposedly relieves the itching. This was a remedy that the school nurse used to use when my son's eyes got unbearably itchy during allergy season. I had my husband do this recently when he had a bad allergic reaction to some friends' cats, and it worked for him as well.

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  28. For itchy eyes, here's what your eye doctor follower recommends: Zaditor twice daily. It was a prescription drop then was released over-the counter when it was going to go generic. Orange box, works great. If that isn't enough, prescription Alrex works even better. I agree with the post about Systane also. It works well to rinse out allergens and lubricate your eyes. So, Zaditor morning and night with Systane in between. Good luck.

    P.S. The sandwich looks amazing but if I ate that much fat at once, I would definitely crap my pants lol

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  29. Thanks for the song suggestion...I added it to my playlist as the first song and ran an 8K race today....won the 4th place award for my age group! That song was great because it helped keep me from going out too fast from the start.
    Oh, and I had an egg white, spinach, tomato, and avocado sandwich after the race. So good....avocado is the best on the sandwiches!

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  30. Free for all food/sandwiches...Lays potato chips with mustard on white bread...YUM!!!!!!!

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  31. Love the last picture - you are right, great way to end your post!

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  33. Man, that dog kills me, she is just so freaking cute! :)

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  34. As always Beth, your postings create a big ole smile in my heart and on my face.
    Carol

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  35. Another fear we have in common........BATS! We usually end up with one flying around our living room ever summer around 2:30 am. THEY.TERRIFY.ME!

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  36. My iPod is full of Green Day too. I also consider vacation a food free-for-all.

    I hate snakes. I have seen 2 this week. One was underneath a landscape brick that I picked up. I dropped the brick and ran in the house. The other I saw on my run around a reservoir this morning. It was dead and covered with flies.

    My go-to lunch from the cafeteria at work is grilled chicken with the veggie of the day or whole wheat pizza.

    It's hard to pick a favorite junk food from childhood as I ate LOTS of candy.

    Love smiling kids but I really love smiling dogs

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  37. Junk food from bygone days: bun-maska
    Go to lunch: daal baath wih any sabzi
    Critters that give me the creeps: spiders, and centipedes.
    Anon from CT (9 feet elevation gain from a 0 mile run)

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  38. Beth,
    not to be one of THOSE commenters, but there may be a connection between your newfound favorite sandwich habit (probably the bread). I gave up grains (and some other things) this Spring and unlike years past, had NO ALLERGIES WHATSOEVER. Maybe it's worth seeing if you feel less itchy after a week of lunch salads instead...

    My go-to lunch: big salad with meat and avocado, many greens and veggies
    My favorite junk food from childhood: homemade choc chip cookies.
    Now: Food Should Taste Good sweet potato chips (only 3 ingredients!)

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  39. I couldn't stop thinking about that sandwich so I finally made one today (I'm sure this obsession has nothing to do with being 7 months pregnant). SO. GOOD. Where has this sandwich been all my life??? Thanks!

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  40. My favorite junk food as a kid was always nutter butters and snack pack puddings! Of course now that I run I only indulge in those snacks when my family and I go on long road trips. RATS give me the creeps!! They just freak me out so much with their beedy little eyes and long, pink, furless tails.

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