Year 2, Day 300: Another Landmark

Well Day 300 in year one was the day before Christmas and Emily and I were heading down to New York. The second Day 300 (is that day 665?) finds me in somewhat better shape, though worse humor. This has been a snow-deficited season and it's a bit taxing. It's one of those 'be careful of what you wish for' things. There is a lot of work to do in the new year, specifically two VERY BIG projects at work that I am in charge of and I'm concerned that I will be consumed by, but worse that I won't do it as well as I want to. Then I have several personal projects in the works at the same time, one being my nephew's bar mitzvah that's coming up in a week. There is also a lot of political stuff at work that's making me dread going back to it a bit, so I'm hoping that I can get rid of whatever sinus infection I have, play poker tomorrow, enjoy my last bit of vacation, celebrate the new year and get on with 2007.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
Blueberries
Ikea Muesli
A Small Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
.5 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
Ham Pieces

Lunch: BIll's
Greek Salad with Chicken and Feta and Balsamic
Cheese off a Ruby's Pizza

Dinner:
Steak
Broccoli

Having a cold is likely to strip you of your appetite, but I find that this has not necessarily been the case. I still respond to food and still want to eat lots of it all the time. This can be contrary to my goals and when even a sickness that robs you of your ability to taste things doesn't stop you, there isn't much hope. After my salad I still found it easy to finish the cheese topping off of Ruby's cheese. And in a 'acorn-doesn't-fall-far-from-the-tree' moment, Ruby abandoned her pizza so as to finish off her friend's pasta with butter that SHE couldn't finish.

Year 2, Day 299: Wednesday The Rabbi Caught a Cold

I realized today that the difference between a good day off and a bad day off is how you spend your time. When you get a lot of stuff done, even if it's little stuff, you can feel great. But if you squander a day, just let it get away from you, it's bad. If you plan to do nothing, it can still be good, but today sort of got away from me plus which I am coming down with a honest-to-goodness cold. I cannot remember the last time I came down with something like this. At my most dramatic, I will say that there is little in this world that is as unfair as getting a cold while on vacation.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Ikea Muesli
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
1.5 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
1 heel of Balthazar Bread with 1.5 oz Jalapeno Cheddar
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch: Fuji Steak House
Sashimi Platter
Miso Soup
Salad
Edamame

Dinner
Turkey, Carrots, Celery, Onions
Cauliflower
Bubbie's Pickles
A few bites of hamburger

Today Emily and I had a lunch date in town at Fuji Steak House. It is a very nice room and it's so rare that Emily and I can really get away on a lunch date. I think that after years and years I have broken myself of my old habit—and that was to try and find the most delicious thing on the menu, and then order it. Now I feel like I just know what is the best and most appropriate thing to order by cuisine and I order it. Very often the excitement of a new cuisine and a new menu could make my head swim. Emily can attest to the fact that left to do the ordering for a crowd, I will always over-order. It's just my nature. For dinner, I continue to eat the turkey leftovers and I have to admit that they're not bad. I'm really enjoying them and I think I can make making a turkey a regular part of my routine.

Year 2, Day 298: Tuesday After Christmas

The first day after Christmas is clearly not a day to go to the mall, and especially not a good day to go to the Natick Mall of all things. I thought it would be very easy to just zip in and zip out and get a tool box that I sorely needed, but the paralyzing gridlock even a mile away from the mall was a sign that I should skip it all together. Foolishly, I ignored this sign and got trapped driving around the mall in frustration. Of course one of the great things about it being after Christmas is that Ruby did not insist on watching "Spongebob's Christmas" for the 25th time this morning. Though I was just starting to get used to it for my morning routine.

Breakfast
kashi go lean
heritage flakes
banana
blueberries
ikea muesli
unsweetened soy milk
coffee

Lunch
Turkey
String Beans
Bubbie's Pickles

Snack
1 Stick Beef Jerky
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn

Dinner:
Blue Ribbon BBQ Burnt Ends
Bubbie's Pickles
Grilled Asparagus

As it was, I did do several things I needed to do today, though working out wasn't one of them. I thought this would be a vacation of a lot of work outs, but so far it hasn't really come to pass. I did make my annual pilgrimage to Borders for discount Christmas Music, but their selection was poor and they weren't having a sale (It started a week later-Ed.). So I ended up dropping off Ruby on a play date and then taking a nice hour for myself at Newbury Comics, where I filled up my after-Christmas music stocking with lots of goodies. Amazingly, this has been a totally snow-less holiday so far.

Year 2, Day 297: Christmas

December 23, 2006
Op-Ed Contributor
Do You Believe in Surnits?

By JACQUELINE WOOLLEY
Austin, Tex.

WE delight in our children’s belief in reindeer that can fly and a fat man who fits through chimneys and travels the whole world in a single night. Many children believe fiercely not only in Santa Claus but also in other fantastical beings like the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy from the time they are about 3 until they are 7 or 8.

Their eager belief contributes to the common view, shared by psychologists and other scientists, that young children are credulous (and conversely, that adults are not). Children believe everything they are told, we assume, with little regard for logic, a sense of the real world or any of the other criteria adults use to debunk such fictions as the Loch Ness monster or Sasquatch.

But are children really that different from us? A study that my colleagues and I conducted at the Children’s Research Laboratory at the University of Texas suggests not. We found that, in fact, children use many of the same cues adults use to distinguish fantasy from reality.

Our experiment was designed to investigate how a young child, upon encountering a fantastical being like a unicorn in a storybook, decides whether it is real or imaginary. Adults often make the call based on context. If, for example, we encounter a weird and unfamiliar insect at a science museum, we are more likely to think it is something real than if we find it in a joke store.

To see if children could also use context in this way, we described “surnits” and other made-up things to our study group. To some of the children, we put surnits in a fantastical context: “Ghosts try to catch surnits when they fly around at night.” To others, we characterized them in scientific terms: “Doctors use surnits to help them in the hospital.”

The 4- to 6-year-olds who heard the medical description were much more likely to think surnits were real than children who were told they had something to do with ghosts. The children demonstrated that they do not indiscriminately believe everything they’re told, but use some pretty high-level tools to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

If children are so smart, why do they believe in Santa Claus? My view is that they are exhibiting their very rational and scientific cognitive abilities. The adults they count on to provide reliable information about the world introduce them to Santa. Then his existence is affirmed by friends, books, TV and movies. It is also validated by hard evidence: the half-eaten cookies and empty milk glasses by the tree on Christmas morning.

In other words, children do a great job of scientifically evaluating Santa. And adults do a great job of duping them. As we gradually withdraw our support for the myth, and children piece together the truth, their view of Santa aligns with ours. Perhaps it is this kinship with the adult world that prevents children from feeling anger over having been misled.

So maybe this holiday season, when the children come rushing in to see what Santa brought, we should revel not in their wide-eyed wonder, but in how sophisticated and clever their young minds really are.

Jacqueline Woolley is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.


Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company


Breakfast
2 Soft-Boiled Eggs
2 Slices Balthazar Multi-Grain Bread
(1 with Super Chunky Peanut Butter)
3 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

Lunch
Blue Ribbon Burnt Ends & Pulled Chicken
Bubbie's Pickles
Romaine/Cabbage/Feta salad with balsamic vinegar

Movie Snack
Popcorn

Dinner
Turkey
Onions/Celery/Carrots
Broccoli
Green Beans

Again, it was an adventuresome day, as Ruby and I went to see Charlotte's Web and I ventured to cook my own turkey for the VERY FIRST TIME. In all fairness, it was only the double-breast, no drumsticks or anything, it's a pretty scaled down thing. I got it at whole foods and it was about 5 pounds. I got a roasting pan and I sort of winged it. I was a little worried about the whole meat-thermometer, but it came with one (which popped up an hour before the recipe said it would be done) but it all worked out. I had seen on the Food TV Channel show "Unwrapped" where a turkey restaurant said the two key things to cooking your turkey was: cook it upside down for the majority of the time—only turn it over (breast side up) at the end to brown the skin; and two, cook it in less time than is listed. Though I didn't follow these rules closely, I can see where they might make a big difference. Surprisingly, everyone had turkey and liked it. I fortunately did not eat any of the Reese's Bites I got for Ruby at the movies, and when I got home, I wrapped up the chocolate chip cookie dough I had left over, rolled it, and put it in the freezer. Merry Christmas, everybody!

Year 2, Day 296: The Night Before

Today's Sunday Times had at least three articles about Jews who celebrated Christmas. Futher, they had a lot of articles about whether it's OK to lie to your kids about Santa. I find it amazing that we are such deep, nazel-gazing times. Life isn't more complicated then it used to be, it's just there's so much more detail available and so quickly. It seems to me that we continue to deal with the same problems when you can get enough distance to examine it properly.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Ikea Muesli
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
2 Sticks Beef Jerky
Almonds & Cashews

Lunch:
Romaine/Cabbage/Red Onion/Chicken/Feta Balsamic Vinegar

Postworkout Snack
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
4 Tablespoons Super Chunky Peanut Butter

Dinner
Steak Tips
Broccoli

Dessert
Two Chocolate Chip Cookies

Had a good workout today, though it was after lunch and that's always more difficult for me. It was a return to the JCC but I didn't notice that the new lighting (they were closed on Friday to install) was any big deal. It was the all-Christmas workout. I listened to mostly collections of Christmas songs that I have collected throughout the years and it was quite nice. Nothing bad on the news and the place was pretty empty. When I returned home I thought Ruby and I would make chocolate chip cookies for Christmas Eve. After fruitlessly searching all morning on the Ineternet, I used the recipe on the Ghiradelli Chocolate Chip bag. Though I didn't find any good recipes, I did learn a few things from the Internet about making chocolate chip cookies. 1) Double the Vanilla. This was an incredible tip, and really made a difference. 2) Subtract a teaspoon of sugar from whatever the recipe calls for. Again, this turned out to be right on the money. 3) Add salt—chocolate loves salt. Again, true true true. One thing I did follow but I'm not sure if it made a difference was " Make sure the pan is room temperature and the cookies are cold." Can't tell if this helped, and not sure how I could have done it any differently. The cookie dough (my personal favorite thing) was absolutely delicious. We all ate chocolate chip cookies and listened to the all-Christmas radio station. Though I felt guilty for a cookie I figured what the hell, it's Christmas Eve and I worked out. So I ate another one.

Year 2, Day 295: Christmakah

Today is the last night of Chanukah and the night before the night before Christmas. It's kind of a weird time because there's a lot going on but simultaneously no one's anywhere and everything is cancelled, suspended or closed. I count among my blessings the fact that my kids were fighting over a bowl of Kashi Go Lean! last night. I harken back to a time when I worried that they would eat a lot of junk and I would be helpless to stop it. Now I realize that if Emily and I model good eating behavior and don't bring a lot a garbage in the house, they'll have to do like other kids—eat their junk at school and at their friend's houses. That's what I did, anyway.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Ikea Muesli
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar (in new package)
Almonds & Cashews
1 oz. Boston Lite Popcorn
Coke Zero

Lunch
Brisket from Blue Ribbon
Romaine & Cabbage, Feta, Balsamic Vinegar
2 Shrimp

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Cauliflower
Avocado Salad

It's funny that I have had Blue Ribbon in nearly every post this week because recently Jill had told me that she though I must eat there once a week and I told her that it was more like once a month or even less. But it also goes in cycles. Sometimes the kids love it; sometimes they turn their noses up at it. You never know until you bring home the extra-large bucket of ribs which way it's going to go. That's why we got a chest freezer.

Year 2, Day 294: 2nd to Last Friday Off of the Year

Today Emily and I went on a date, as nothing is happening at work (we all had the day off) and nothing is happening anywhere—except for "doorbusters" which is the offensive name for sales that start early with and are 'too good to miss.' Of all the days to have off, today was the day the JCC decided to redo their gym LIGHTING and so I was forced to go somewhere else for a workout. They had set up two alternatives—the YMCAs in Newton and Needham. I wasn't really that keen on going to either one of them but I had settled on the one in Needham because I knew how to get there and it was closer. Emily suggested I go to Wellbridge Athletic, which she joined to play tennis in April but the membership has been collecting dust (though still being paid). I took her guest pass and headed over there but they waved me in with a nod. They have all the most modern equipment in a sun-flooded room that was perfectly temperate. All the units have TV and there is an endless supply of free towels in two sizes (the JCC makes you pay $1). There were three different ellipse machines and just like Goldilocks I had to figure out which one was best for me. When I did, I realized it was going to be a much harder workout than I'm used to. It had a lower-arms setting and when I did I was VERY out of breath. I did do 60 minutes, but because I dropped my ipod, had to get rid of my gum, and accidentally hit 'end' instead of 'pause' I had to do it in three increments of 15, 38 and 7 minutes, respectively. I was huffing and puffing, and watching the clock intently, which is never a good sign. I have no idea how many miles I went because I didn't know how to work the contraption. After the workout I did three sets of 5 15-lb ab crunches on the ab-cruncher. I had to stop because I thought if I did any more the blue and pink stars around my head wouldn't go away. I met Emily and we went for a nice lunch and a movie.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Banana
Blueberries
Ikea Muesli
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Postworkout Snack
3 Tablespoons SC Peanut Butter
6 oz. Plain Yogurt

Lunch: The Met Bar
Greek Salad with Chicken

Movie Snack: Boston Lite Popcorn

Dinner:
Eva Chan's Spareribs
Eva Chan's String Beans and Cauliflower
Bok Choy

I don't know why, but the holidays have put me in a bad mood for some reason, even though I am enjoying them, have a lot of time off, haven't gained any weight that I know of and have gotten great gifts for my kids. Really, I have no reason to be bitter and mean and yet I am. Though it is rare that I would say anything bad about Russo's, I must say that the salad I had today at the Met Bar may have been the best salad I ever had. It was literally perfect. The lettuce, the amount of feta, the done-ness of the chicken, the red onion, it put all my best efforts to shame. I realized I was hack-of-a-salad-maker and these people were geniuses. We then went to the movies (we saw Borat) and I insisted on doing my thing, which is bringing the Boston Lite Popcorn in instead of buying it. Though most people do this for the savings, I do this to avoid the calories. Popcorn popped in coconut oil (like they do at movies) is as bad for you as you can make popcorn. It is delicious, though.

Then we had a surprise "almost last night of Chanukah" at our neighbor's house where I ate the world's best Chinese food. Crazy.

Year 2, Day 293: Demon Nuts Strike Back

I did go for a walk today, thankfully. It helps because the snacking was out of control. However, as you may have read, my usual routine has been interrupted by the loss of my beloved Peter's Kitchen and replaced by the still-mysterious Crown's Kitchen. When I first walked into "Crown's", I noted several things that were different—the printed menu, the new cash register (electronic) and the absence of the main woman/hostess, whose name was Denise. She was pleasant and always remembered my name. I knew her mom and dad (Peter), too. When I first spoke to someone on the phone they told me "Denise is coming in a few days a week" but immediately upon arriving INSIDE "Crown's" I knew this was a lie designed to give Denise fans a feeling of comfort but false security. Readers, I will try to get the scoop on this overnight takeover. I don't know who's behind it or who benefitted, but rest assured, I'm on the case.

Breakfast
5 Slices of Ham
1 SLice Multigrain Balthazar Bread
Bite of Banana
Coffee

Snack
1 Extra Smokey
5 Sticks Beef Jerky
30 Pistachios
30 Almonds
.5 oz Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch: Crown's Kitchen
Chicken Kebab Salad
Still with No Pepperconi

Dinner
Chicken Paprikash
Romaine, Cabbage & Feta Salad

Dessert
1/2 Pear (Split with Ruby & Magnolia)

Really, it's the holidays and if there are to be nuts on my desk THEY ARE GOING TO GET EATEN. It's really that simple. I don't mean to bore you with my nut obsession any more than I wish to bore you with my boring repeats of the same breakfast OVER AND OVER AGAIN, but some things are like tape loops, you just keep repeating them. For anyone reading this under 30—tape refers to magnetic strips that could be used to record things from other sources, like a phonograph hi-fi.

Year 2, Day 292: Missed Walk

For one of the first times in recent memory, I had to miss a Domania walk today because I had a preexisting engagement. I have certainly missed walks before, but today was a nice day and I was especially eager to put some miles on. Instead, I went to lunch with a corporate employee (not a Domania employee) based in Boston that's leaving the fold. We went to V Majestic, which is an incredible Vietnamese Restaurant in Allston. And just as Emily and I did so many times during our 20s, we went to Herrell's ice cream after. Despite my advice to get the chocolate pudding, my coworker got the butter pecan, even though it was a 38 degree day.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Ikea Muesli
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
1 Extra Smokey
4 sticks beef Jerky

Lunch: V Majestic
Broccoli & Shrimp (5 Shrimp Total)
1 Fresh Roll

Dinner
1.5 Hamburgers
Pickles
Salad
A little bit of Blue Ribbon BBQ

Made the woman at Blue Ribbon angry at me when I forgot her name. It happens to be Laura, but when I called I thought it was Lisa. When I asked if it was Lisa I got a curt "no". Then I tried again and she said "are you calling Blue Ribbon?" Caller ID has made the entire process painfully transparent, and even though Emily would say I am imagining things, I am certain Laura saw me come in and hid behind the barbecue door until I paid for my meal. Though I must say they heavily stuffed the containers of food beyond all normalcy, so that it was hard to open and close them. Well it was a lot easier to close after I opened it in the car and ate some of it. I drove home thinking "My name aphasia is getting bad in my old age."

Year 2, Day 291: All is Nothing

Today I had an old favorite for breakfast. Ham on multi-grain bread. While this is a very easy breakfast, I also find it rather unsatisfying. Today, I was driven to despair (and also, nuts) by a collision of things at work, and at home. I ate nuts like I was at a poker game. It was not pretty. The spiral of despair-to-nuts-to despair-back to nuts is infuriating. Am I to be captured in the web so easily? Answer: Yes.

Breakfast
5 slices Ham
1 SLice MultiGrain (Balthazar)

Snack
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
40 Pistachios
40 Almonds
3 Pieces Beef Jerky
1/2 Boston Lite Popcorn

Lunch: Russo's ($5.17)
Red leaf, red onion, red pepper, broccoli, feta,
mushrooms, chicken breast, balsamic vinegar

Dinner: Turkey Crumble
Lettuce Leaves

Chocolate Turtle

Don't ask about the chocolate turtle. It came as part of a gift basket from a vendor we do business with. Fortunately, there were not many of them.

Crumble is back. After an awful episode where I nearly spilled the contents of a soy-sauce bottle into the turkey crumble while I was making it, then thought I could save it AND serve it, I returned to glory today with a humble, but excellent version of this timeless classic. Since I only have a few dishes that I can turn out reasonably well, I was worried that I might have lost my touch. No need to worry, I'm back.

Year 2, Day 290: Beef Jerky's Back

First time for Beef Jerky in about a week. Right back up to four pieces. I guess old habits die hard. People often ask me about the beef jerky. It's from Buffalo BIlls (suspiciously also called ChooChooRoo Snacks). From their web site: "Introduced in 1990, our Original Hickory Beef Jerky is the product our company was founded upon. Premium, hickory smoked top round marinated in soy sauce, garlic, & black pepper." They're not long on marketing. When people learn that I eat a lot of beef jerky, they assume that I am some kind of trucker, southerner, or weirdo. I attribute this in large part to the ubiquitous presence of sub-standard jerky in just about all of the most unpleasant places in America. In fact, when it's done right, it's quite delicious, nutritious, and satisfying. There are very few people that were interested in trying it that haven't become fans. I'm warning you! It's like Green Eggs and Ham. Try it, you'll like it!
.
Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Ikea Muesli
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee


Lunch Crown's Kitchen
Chicken Kebab Salad with Feta


Snack
4 beef jerky
old smokey
1 oz boston lite popcorn
30 pistachios

Dinner
Chicken Breast
Salad

"The only thing inevitable in life is change," the saying goes, and that's never truer than when one is faced with your typical urban square. I work in Watertown Square, and though it may connote visions of an exciting, urban center laced with great shops and places to eat, it is in fact, a lonely, poorly designed, traffic nightmare littered with sketchy, oft-closed stores and mysteriously empty eateries. Between those places there are a few places to eat, some of which we happy few at Domania have come to love, or at least regard as suitable. Certainly Peter's Kitchen fell into that category for me, because the previous owners of the place ran a not very impressive coffee shop with an even less impressive name: "Why Not?"

On the other hand, Peter's Kitchen was very nice. Though I have written about their 'poor man's salad', it was an embarrassment of salad—easily two pounds of salad. They really laid it on, and it had gotten to the point where I could just call and they would say "The usual?" and I would say "Yep," and that was it. It's a good feeling to be known, but that feeling disappeared when one day, almost without anyone noticing—they came under new ownership. No information is available about why they changed or who on God's Green Earth thought "Crown's Kitchen" was a better name than "Peter's Kitchen." It boggles the mind, really. With great suspicion I ordered the salad and naturally they got it wrong—no pepperocini. In addition, the salad was noticeably smaller and had no carrots, fewer olives and no cucumbers. I'm not sure I missed those things, but I did notice they were gone. I suppose the 'crown' needed them for something else.

Year 2, Day 289: Back to the Gym

It was another unbelievable December day where we were all able to go out with a just a sweatshirt on. It's great for us. It's always good when you can spend time outside because that time is usually spent moving around and burning calories. It's also so much better for the kids, who get really cranky by the second month of being house-bound.

Breakfast
Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
Blueberries
A Small Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
6 oz. Plain Yogurt
4 Tablespoons Chunky Peanut Butter
a few hot dog bites

Postworkout Lunch
2 Eggs (over easy)
2 Slices Balthazar Bread
4 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
1 Coke Zero

Dinner
93% SIrloin Burger
Greek Salad (Romaine, Cabbage, Feta, Red & Yellow Peppers, Balsamic Vinegar)

Dessert
A few squares of chocolate

Still not feeling 100% made the gym workout hard but when I went (1:00pm) meant no one was there and I had the place to myself. I was watching a show called Extreme Quest about people who walk, bike, swim and boat across Utah and the Moab dessert. It was inspirational, but not pretty. These people are falling down from dehydration, walking on bloody stumps of feet, becoming delirious and just simply, collapsing. Though I was in air-conditioned gym, I certainly felt my share of my aches and pains; it took me 70 minutes to do my six miles and the last .5 miles was pretty tough going. It's been a while since I felt I was going to have a heart attack, but today was a return to form.

Year 2, Day 288: Chanukah, Day Two

After a big night of eating and festivity the only sensible thing to do is to try and eat responsibly. However, that plan is out because we plan to celebrate Chanukah with my brother and his family and my mom by going out to a lavish dinner at Legal Seafoods in Peabody. I try to get to the gym but this is unrealistic given the laundry list of things we have to accomplish in the day. Instead, I ply myself with the usual Saturday routine of taking Ruby to gymnastics, then trying to get her to eat, then on to the next thing, and then trying to get ready for our evening out. Of course, we have to wrap and remember the gifts before we go.

Breakfast
Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
Blueberries
A Small Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
1 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
4 oz. Cashews/Almonds
Coffee

Lunch
Chicken Thighs
Cauliflower
Hot Dog BItes

Dinner: Legal Seafoods
Shrimp Cocktail
Rainbow Trout
Broccoli
Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinegar
a bite of: fried calamari
one mussel au gratin (no au gratin)
one fried shrimp (fried bits removed)

It has been written here before, and by many other better writers in this field. Holidays are tough, and they're tough for three reasons. One, there is pressure to eat. ("Come on, enjoy yourself! It's Christmas, Chanukah, New Year's! Live a little! We're all here together.") Two, there is opportunity to eat. (Holiday gatherings revolve around food and liquor, and yes, sometimes presents and dessert). And three, there is REASON to eat. (My relatives/friends/coworkers are driving me to this Double-Chocolate Mousse Cake!). These things get played out over and over again for about four weeks. The best thing you can do is try not take one deep dive as an excuse to spend the rest of December in the pool of bad eating decisions. Once you're in, you can get out just as easily and get back on the right track. Going to the gym makes up for a lot, but not all.

Year 2, Day 287: The Morning After

I'm not sure why, but I could not sleep for the life of me. I woke up at 2:30 and I was itchy. Couldn't sleep, kept scratching. Eventually I went downstairs and watched television ("Unwrapped.") It's been months and months since I had to come downstairs to watch TV to get back to sleep. I'm sure it had a lot to do with the outcome of the ZBA meeting—we lost—and probably just decompressing. On top of that, I am still not quite right in the stomach. Every time I passed the coffee maker I was thinking "I wish I could just start my day now instead of going back to sleep." Eventually I got back to sleep but it was a hard, hard night.

Breakfast
Heritage Flakes
Ikea Muesli
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Lunch: MidWest Grill
Beans
Mesclun Greens
Olives
Sausage
Chicken Breast
Roast Beef
Kielbasa
1 Bite of Cheesecake with Strawberries

Dinner
Sashimi
Pickled Ginger
Edamame
2 Glasses Red Wine

Dessert
2 Triangles of Chocolate

Today was a BIG BIG eating day. The biggest in a long while. I ate a lot of meat, the most dessert ever, and wine. In a way it was a kind of a celebration, as the ZBA and that whole deal is behind me (unless I decide to appeal); I finished my Holiday shopping list; there was just a lot to do and most of it is done and I was glad to unwind. I think I was probably VERY cranky at the table, but everyone has their days like that, don't they?

Year 2, Day 286: The ZBA Meeting

This morning was sort of a make-or-break day. I had to get up, finish my presentation, send it off to a whole bunch of folks, get final feedback, get it to the printer before 8:30AM. Then I had to get both kids off to school and be at a meeting of my company's ad agency by 9:30AM. Then it was work all day. Then come home, eat (if in the mood) and immediately get over to the Needham Public Library for a meeting to discuss a large scale luxury project scheduled to be built 50 feet from my backyard's property line. To say that I was STRESSED out would be an understatement. I was a stress ball. I was actually glad that I didn't feel like eating that much because I tend to get nauseous when under intense pressure. Because the folks at my local print shop agreed to do this rush big-color presentation for Beer, I had to stop on my way back from the ad agency meeting at a liquor store to get their beer for them. I realize it's an unorthodox trade, but it is nearly Christmas. The liquor store has a deli and they make their own their turkey, so I ordered a turkey sandwich on wheat with nothing but pickles. They had to ask me a few times if that's what I wanted because I suppose no one has ever ordered a plain turkey sandwich before. The traditional offering there is mayonnaise, stuffing and cranberry sauce. I guess they don't count a lot of old Jewish folk as their customers. I asked for 'salt.'

Breakfast
2 Eggs, 1 Yolk
Balthazar Bread
Coffee

Snack
Medium Dunkin Donuts Decaf
6 oz vanilla yogurt

Lunch
Open faced turkey sandwich

Dinner
Breast of chicken

Amazingly, after nearly sixteen months of discussion, back and forth and deliberation, it all came down to this one meeting, and as I was to learn WAY too late, it didn't even come down to this meeting because it was patently obvious that every important decision had already been made prior to us showing up. I'm not sure that we couldn't have changed minds if we had delivered a "And Justice for All" kind of closing speech, but going up against a well-funded and well-run Developer, in a council room full of lawyers (the ZBA) us regular neighborhood folk didn't have a chance. It seems so obvious now, but at the time it seemed like going in full of sound and fury would be a good idea. Luckily, I didn't say anything that wasn't true or that I was ashamed of, and I guess I did well because the head of the development asked me to autograph one of my presentation cards. It was a hollow piece of flattery of course, because they got everything they wanted and we went home with our tail between our legs. I wonder if it would have been different if I had been present at the last, most important ZBA meeting, not in North Carolina at a company meeting. That will have to a speculation for the ages, though because the construction will be starting in March. Sigh.

Year 2, Day 285: Sickness Continues

By the time this particular round of illness made it to me it was bad but not quite as bad as it had been for any of the other members of my family. While I was "sickened" I mostly felt tragically unwell but there was no culmination of any kind. It continues to be a challenge to imagine, then create food that I think I can eat. Whether or not it is appealing is a whole other issue.

Breakfast
2 Eggs
1 Slice Balthazar Multi-grain bread
Coffee

Lunch:
6 oz. Vanilla Yogurt
1 Slice "Health" Bread
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Bites Cantaloupe

Dinner:
1 Breast of Chicken

The great thing about not having processed food in your house is that when you want to eat something you have to make it. So I decided to get a chicken breast and broil it. I have to say it was pretty good, and that's a sign that I'm coming out of this thing. The other thing that has not been helping is that I have been prepping for my "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" moment in local politics and it's not going that well. It's not exactly a great time to be sick. But when is a great time to be sick?

Year 2, Day 284: Robert Gets Sick

I suppose it was inevitable that I get this stomach virus that's going around. And here I thought I wasn't going to get it because Magnolia, Emily and Ruby had gotten it and I was taking care of all of them and not having a problem. Not so fast, Smith. I had a bad night last night and this morning went to work but after a few hours realized I couldn't hack it and went home.

Breakfast
1 Slice Balthazar Multigrain bread
Coffee

Lunch
6 oz Vanilla Yogurt

Other:
7 Kedem Tea Cookies
Tea with honey

Dinner
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 Slice Multigrain bread

Is it sick to wonder if you will lose weight when having a stomach illness? I really was just thinking that it's hard to nurse yourself back to health on starchy foods and stay on your diet. The truth is that some of the Whole Foods offerings are not all that appetizing to an unsettled stomach. I made an exception today and had Vanilla yogurt, with its high sugar and carbohydrate count. It was about the most SoBe friendly thing I could stomach that wasn't made of flour.

Year 2, Day 283: Monday with Sick Kids

So there is a long story with the allergist, but what's important to know is that it got to like a Seinfeld-level of comedy that we couldn't cancel the appointment even though we didn't think it was necessary to go. Emily had previously gotten into hot water with that office for scheduling, then canceling, then crying desperation, then making, and canceling a few successive appointments. We were basically on their shit list. Additionally, we had a problem with them because there was a short-tempered nurse who dismissed Ruby (as a 3-year old) when she couldn't use the inhaler. If you know any three year olds or how to use an inhaler, you'll know why the nurse should have had more patience. After all was said and done, I think we were glad we did go. He disagreed with our pediatrician's assessment of Ruby's condition and told us what to do. That gave me hope because nothing up till that point was helping. Even if the treatment doesn't help, I had to acknowledge that the way they test kids is novel, and very appropriate. They have you blow into a tube attached to a computer that has pictures of birthday candles. What kid doesn't want to blow out birthday candles? Ruby was talking about it all the way home and asked if we could 'get that game on our computer.' It's one of those moments as a parent that you laugh and mumble something under your breath, try to change the subject and hope your kid sees a bright shiny object.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean
Heritage Flakes
Blueberries
A Small Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack:
1 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
3 Sticks Beef Jerky

Lunch:
Hamburger
Cabbage Salad

Dinner
Mini-Brussel Sprouts
Steak Tips with Onions

By the time I got home I had to face the fact that I was sick. When you live in a multi-person household you always think you can avoid it. I did for quite a while, but then it looks like the virus was hitting people in a linear style, not all at once. Whatever it is, I have it now and I have had to take to bed. More later.

Year 2, Day 282: Ruby Throws Up

Having kids definitely has its downsides and whenever your kid is hurt, sad or kneeling over a toilet it's a good time to reflect on the genuine pleasures of being a parent. As usual, we have no idea what caused this spout of nausea but it follows quite a few days of other-bodily sickness and we all struggled to get through the day as a very sick, very televison-watching, and very bed-ridden family. Needless to say there was no gym time for me which was disappointing but I sure know where my priorities are.

Breakfast (when I thought I was going to the gym)
Heritage Flakes
Ikea Meusilix
Blueberries
Banana
Coffee
Unsweetened Soy Milk

Lunch
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 Small Slice Balthazar Bread
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
More coffee

Snack
1.5 oz Boston Lite Popcorn
A few handfuls of Almonds & Cashews

Dinner
Chicken-Thigh Soup with Carrots, Onions
17 Whole Foods Wheat Thins
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar

I went to my local supermarket today to get a few supplies for all the sick people at my house (Emily also with the stomach bug). So I went to better my supply of 'sick food'—saltines, graham crackers, applesauce, you know. I was shocked and dismayed to find that Sudbury Farms, unlike the surprisingly better stocked Star/Shaw's, does not carry many foods that are FREE from partially hydrogenated oils. Since I was with Magnolia and only had so much leeway, I could not go to another market (plus the drive would have ruled it out alone—I would have had to go to Chestnut Hill for the nearest, and not very good Star Market). I would have gone to whole foods but I wanted to get ginger ale—Canada Dry—and while I was buying stuff that I will certainly throw out once everyone is better, I was wondering about the sense of that trip. Sure, the Whole Foods ginger ale is three times as expensive and tastes bad—but is that what's important? I mean, here I am trying to get something that my recently-toilet-bound daughter's stomach can tolerate and I'm telling her that she should put this crap (partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup, enriched flour and more) in her body? I swear to you all that I am writing a letter to the management of the Sudbury Farms. I don't mind that they sell junk—that's the American Way. But they should offer an alternative. The brand that I bought—"Premium" (by Nabisco) is loaded with junk but I thought the other brand "Krispy" (by Sunshine, now by Keebler, which was purchased by Kellog's) was free of that junk, but I was wrong. I thought there was a third brand, but unless I go to a well-stocked market, I won't be able to tell you. In any case, the crackers without that junk are just as good and if you're old enough to read this, you know that those crackers didn't have that stuff in it twenty years ago.

From Wikipedia: In the United States, the word "Saltine" was originally registered as a trademark by Nabisco, but it lost trademark protection after the term began to be used generically to refer to similar crackers. In Australia, Arnott's Biscuits Holdings still holds a trademark on the name "Saltine".

Year 2, Day 281: The Night Before Sickness

Saturday after poker, a tradition, like the day after New Year's Eve for some people. I don't drink, I don't eat too badly and I don't even inhale anything. So why am I so tired and worn out? Well, usually it's from a marathon day, up at 6:45ish and to bed at about 2:30am. It's hard to go to bed when I get home from the game, I'm usually pretty wound up, which is surprising because we're really just sitting around, playing cards, and eating nuts. What's so exciting about that? Yet every time after a game it's like after a long car trip—you're excited to be home, and attacked by competing desires to lay down and rest and to get busy doing whatever it is you think you need to be doing now that you're back at home. We've tried to leave earlier but that takes a discipline that's hard to find, and very hard to practice. So Emily lets me sleep mostly, which is a very, very nice thing to do.

Breakfast
Ikea Muesli
Heritage Flakes
Banana
Blueberries
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Lunch:
Salad
Chicken Thighs
Feta, Cabbage, Balsamic

Snack
1 Pink Lady Apple

Dinner
Tequila Shrimp
Guacamole
2 oz. 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
A few bites of hamburger
a few bites of dirty brown rice

I bought Muesli at Ikea and started using it on my cereal in the morning. It's quite good, though slightly higher in calories, carbs and sugars than Kashi Go Lean! but it contains fruits and it's pretty good tasting, I would highly recommend it to people who are looking for alternative things to eat in the morning. For dinner we got a 'surprise' delivery from our next door neighbor of dinner from "Let's Dish." If you're not familiar with that it's a store that claims you can make dinner without going to the grocery store (but neglecting to say that you have to go to "let's dish.") To quote their Web site:

"Imagine making nutritious, restaurant-caliber meals your family loves – with no trips to the grocery store, no time-consuming preparations, and no messy clean-up – all for LESS per serving than it costs to buy take-out or fast food. Oh, did we mention you can do it in less than two hours?
Let's Dish! is an innovative store where you can make (or pick up) family-friendly dishes designed to be frozen and cooked when you need them. Unlike frozen food from the grocery aisle, these dishes taste fresh and homemade – because they are."

Anyway, the problem for me with Let's Dish is that everything is made with either sugar, carbs, or both. So "Tequila Shrimp with Dirty Rice" has everything so naturally I was less than enthused about eating it. Does anyone like Tequila so much that they want to eat it without its pleasant mind-numbing effects? And no worm? Anyway, I skipped the 'dirty rice' and I was fine, but Emily felt bad and never recovered. Of course, seen now over a few days we know that she probably got whatever Magnolia had, but it was looking pretty bad for the dirty rice for a while....