Feel the Magic, Hear the Roar

Improving my diet has come with issues that I had never thought to consider. For instance, if I want to eat better while I'm at work, I need to have food there to eat. I've recently been bringing my lunch and snacks with me every day, which saves me money as well. I'll bring a protein bar to have as breakfast with my coffee in the morning; some cheese for a snack; Grape Nuts, yogurt, and a banana for lunch; and a cucumber or pepper to slice up and dip in ranch dressing for an afternoon snack. Since I require some way to carry my food with me, I felt that a vintage lunch box was in order. Specifically, a Thundercats lunchbox. Thank you, ebay!

Jeepers, Creepers...

With regard to the post I made the other day about the peanut butter situation not being as scary as the melamine situation, I stand corrected!

The Georgia food plant that federal investigators say knowingly shipped contaminated peanut butter also had mold growing on its ceiling and walls, and it has foot-long gaps in its roof, according to results of a federal inspection.

...To Stick With You...

I've found recently that I eat less, and eat better, when I have appropriate snacks around. I can easily avoid eating the Pop Tarts, chips, ice cream, and cookies that Dave always has in the house, as long as I have red and green bell peppers, cucumbers, Hidden Valley Ranch Non-fat Dressing, low calorie protein bars, Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt, and/or bananas to eat instead. The 100 calorie packs that are out there sound great for snacks, but it's very little food for what turns out to be quite a few calories. I can have a big bowl of raw sliced peppers or cucumbers with two tablespoons of ranch dressing in a cup to dip in for about 50 calories. Dannon Light and Fit yogurt is made with Splenda, and each container is 80 calories. A banana is 100 calories, and definitely better for you than three mini twinkies. I've found that eating unprocessed, healthy food (not that Splenda is in that category, but still...) makes me pay closer attention to how things taste, and I no longer enjoy overly-sweet chemical concoctions.

I also happen to love cheese, though it is high in calories, and it's so easy to eat more than I should. I don't eat a whole lot of meat either, so I have to be mindful of getting enough protein from other sources. I recently found Sorrento Sticksters, which are single servings of Mozzarella, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or (my favorite) Colby Jack cheese. They range in calories per stick from 70 to 110, which isn't bad at all. I eat one for a snack between breakfast and lunch, or have one later in the evening with a big glass of water.

...Kept My Secrets...

Since I work in the food industry, I've been following this very closely, but it doesn't seem like most people I know are even aware of what's going on:

Two Sentenced to Death over Chinese Melamine Milk Scandal

While the current issue of salmonella contamination in peanut butter is terrible, I find blatant negligence and cover-up on the part of the Chinese government far more disturbing.

The Devil Went Down...

What is your personal Hell? Dave has decided that mine is saving seats for people for eternity. I can't stand sitting there in an empty row, having to argue with people that my friends are on their way; it will easily put me on the verge of having an anxiety attack. If I made the effort to be there early, and so did the people that want to sit in those seats, why should whoever I'm waiting for not be expected to do the same? To me, disrespecting someone you don't know is just about the same as disrespecting a friend.

Anyway, my personal Hell has been revised to include the cover band Pump City playing incessantly in the background. Dave's consists of swimming in a vat of Bud Light Lime with an annoying acquaintance of ours, while the band Burn Halo plays. Rick would be floating in a lake of differential fluid while snakes and ex-girlfriends attack him. Jenna's personal Hell is driving in a snowstorm while the band Alkaline Trio plays in the back seat.

That's Just the Way...

And although it seems heaven sent,
We ain't ready to see a black president.

I wonder what Tupac would be saying now...

...All the Things I've Got...

Reel Big Fish at Roseland Ballroom, NYC, with Dave, Matt, Jenna, Tommy & Judy. Matt drove his listed Suburban, and the look on the parking attendant's face when we pulled up was priceless. We met up with Rob & Holly there, too.

...and Dozy Dotes...

Plot synopsis by mystic80 of The Hills Have Eyes (http://www.imdb.com/) -

Wes Craven produces this remake of his 1977 classic of the same name, about the Carters, an idyllic American family travelling through the great American southwest. But their trip takes a detour into an area closed off from the public, but more importantly from society. An area originally used by the U.S. Government for nuclear testing that was intended to be empty...or so they thought? When the Carter's car breaks down at the old site, they're stranded...or are they? As the Carters may soon realize that what seemed like a car casually breaking down, might actually be a trap. This trap might be perpetrated by the inhabitants of the site who aren't pulling a prank, but are out to set up a gruesome massacre.

Though not a fan of the movie itself, this summary is one of the best I've seen. The usage of incomplete sentences sprinkled with commas and innappropriate question marks has always been a favorite of mine...or has it?

...To Catch Up With the Sun...

Check out all of the new blogs I've put up in November 2008! They talk about the wedding, our honeymoon, and some other exciting events! Still more to come, too.