September Goals

A photo posted by Nazila (@nazilam) on Aug 28, 2015 at 6:28pm PDT

My goal for August was to post every day to this blog and also to log my food everyday. I am doing pretty well on both fronts. Nothing has changed on the food front - I eat a lot, exercise some and would make my naturopath very cranky if she was to peruse my food logs.

So, what should I do for the month of September? I have travel, schedule changes, more stress and unlike some people hate chunky sweaters and boots.

Food challenge? Actually eat seven to ten servings of fruits and veg a day? Possibly.
Writing challenge? Perhaps post usable content?
Brand challenge? Stop being so schizophrenic and drill down to what I want to achieve with my writing?
Mood challenge? Try to not be so cranky?
Health challenge? Attempt to get over six hours of sleep?

SO.MANY.THINGS.

Do you think I'm up for it?

Now off to confess my eating indiscretions - thanks Alaska Airlines fruit and cheese plate.

Forgive my radio silence.

I am still sick. Sick enough that I have not been at work for the last three days. That is sick for me. I come in with the dengue fever.

TH is better and thankfully took Ernest with her today.

Nothing much to report. We have crocii and snowdrops blooming. The hellebores are starting as well. I think I'm going to force some forsythia this week.

Has anyone been to Greece? I'm going in September for my cousin's big fat Iranian/Greek wedding. I'm hoping to spend 10 days there - mostly with my parents and then a few in London. I'm excited to go, not excited to plan.

How is that for a change?

nm

comfort and joy

I am sick. I am not blaming anyone in particular, okay, maybe seat 5G who was sneezing and snorting the whole way back from BRU and talked to us at Baggage claim about his cold.

Ack.

Its not bad, but given my track record for getting over illness rapidly recently, I decided to just stay home.

Yes, stay home. I am missing latkes and my dinner with our godchildren, my manicure, work and many small purchases. However, I am not going to AMS and the half marathon hacking and losing sleep and work because I couldn't be bothered to stay home one day.

later taters.

nm

helllllllllllooo out there?

Where are you people?

Shopping?

Baking?

Meeting your deliverables?

Getting better?

I miss you.

Not much going on here. I have had many conversations with health care professionals on the state of my slowly filling with plaque arteries.

No sampling at Neal's Yard anymore, no white flour, no sugar, no nothing.

No biggie.

I managed to do something today that I never thought I would ever... I added a segment to my upcoming flight so that I would qualify without flying another round trip. Cost me 200 bucks, but no change in fare. Now, I get home 30 minutes after TH, but get to visit DFW as well.

So, dish, what is up with you?

nm

CMR and other things

Yesterday I went on a Comfort Mileage Run (CMR). This term is coined by a Flyertalker, RTWStarAlliance. It basically means that you go on a mileage attaining trip with confirmed upgrades.

In my case, only my loong return cleared. My outbound was marvelous with an exit row with no one between myself and my seat opponent, a mocha extra dark from Dilettante, satsumas and roasted veggie enchiladas precooked from TJs.

I managed to snag gratis a new snack box served in coach.

• Bumblebee Sensations Lemon & Pepper Tuna
• Late July Organic Classic Rich Crackers
• Stacy's All Natural Pita Chips
• Tree Top Natural Apple Sauce
• Bear Naked All Natural Granola Peak Protein
• Brown & Haley Almond Roca
• Emergen—C Super Orange Nutritional Supplement

Just needed to snag a yoghurt from the Board Room and bring my own lemon and I would set be the flight. Can I also applaud Alaska Airlines for actually providing milk for a flight? No creamer, dairy or non dairy, but real milk. I enjoyed it in my coffee.

Way better than most snack box options as analyzed by the Diet Detective.

Back home in just under 14 hours (time in transit was shorter, it is the drive to and from and waiting that sucks) and I'm done (sort of for the year).

Today, I went on my first true training walk for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon that I'm doing next month (yikes). We survived. Next week, one more mile gets tacked on.

nm

nothing to report

of note. I feel crappy and this is a Week with a capital W. My hips are killing me and I'm behind today on my training. Yoikes.

Didn't go in for the blood draw today. Am working on liquids, thanks Z! and hopefully tomorrow am they can suck it out of me.

Other than that, E.dd's grandmere and grandpere are on their way up to Rainy Seattle to see their tiny puppy and admire all 44 lbs of him.

He's a bruiser.

Tonight, we're going out to dinner. None of us can stand to cook and whatever we eat, it is not going to be fowl.

later taters,

nm

denial part 3

Posh bangers, Borough Market, November 2006.

I failed my blood test today. The phlebotomist couldn't find a vein. She even tried for my hand. I blacked out and said I'd come back on Monday.

Eck.

We went shopping for Saturday before Thanksgiving Thanksgiving and discussed what to do about our suicidal homeless friend and whether or not he would be committing himself tonight.

This is not what Thanksgiving is about, unless, of course, you are thankful for your sanity and that you have a roof over your head.

It just puts a damper on the whole thing, doesn't it?

nm

denial part 2

Oxo Tower, London- Remembrance Day 2006.

I am going in tomorrow for a fasting cholesterol test. My doctor tested my non-fasting and it was high. I am 41 years old and starting to fall apart. Something tells me next year will be about oatbran, saving more for retirement and pilates.

Maybe I shouldn't have had brussel sprouts with bacon and hazelnuts for dinner.

Sigh.

nm

nothing to declare

I have stopped buying things in London unless I really think it is necessary. Everything is so expensive and nowadays, so available anywhere. Most of the time, my bag has the Sunday Times, some cheese, Hello! and OK! and maybe a few things from Muji. I don't even declare 75 bucks and luckily, they never really ask.

The only sure thing is that each trip requires a visit to a chemist to buy feminine protection. I have no idea why, but I am doomed to visit anywhere with the joy of bleeding to death.

It is a given that I will have approximately 2 tampons in my bag at the beginning of my trip and64 minus what I used by the end.

So, next time they hassle me at customs, I'll proudly display my lil-lets and see if they ever bug me again.

smooches,

nm

its easier the 19th time around

Sunset, Pecos, New Mexico. September 2006.

I'm still cranking on my model outputs. I have discovered a little operator error in the naming of the files and now realize that I could rerun the model without displaying the results faster than I could rename 700 files.

So, I'm praying there are no windows updates tonight and that I can run this overnight and call it art.

I stayed home today and worked. I wish I could do it daily, but it ain't going to happen. I worked from 8 to 3, took a nap and have been working from 8 until god knows when.

I'm still coughing. I seem to be feeling no adverse effects of the codeine. I just wish I could stop the cough.

Tomorrow we'll put the rest of the garden to bed and begin my two weeks of travel hell.

At least my upgrades are clearing.

nm

Apples, September 2006.

I have a prescription for codeine cough syrup and antibiotics to take me through the next anthrax scare. I just need to fill them. I still feel like crap and hopefully, these will make me feel better. With my next few weeks of back to back flights I can't go on sounding like this unless I want a row to myself.

I have so much to do, I need to get well.

I am trying, just failing.

nm

Am I the only one who lost money today on the stock market?

Geez.

Again, repeat after me "I'm in it for the long term- find your happy place".

On a happier note(?), I am going to see the doctor about my tubercular cough. Even my boss, who I believe was the initial disease vector remarked that I shouldn't be here sounding like I do.
Maybe it would be better if our group stayed put in Seattle instead of going to Bali, Australia, Guam, Hawaii and Boulder every freaking week and bring back foreign germs.