Finally Friday

I really need to get back in the habit of updating my blog more often. Especially now when I promised myself I'd have more time for me after I left I previous job and started my own company.

So 6 weeks into my new company and new product venture things are going pretty well. I have one full time client, i've written a freelance article, I've pitched two new clients and I'm doing project work for a few others. Even more exciting, my new product is moving forward! Yeah, blood, sweat and tears haven't happened yet, but I'm sure in the next year there will be some. The culinary consultant has come up with some cool flavor concepts, i've learned about flavor 101 (I'll never taste the food the same again), and I've started dialogue on with the R&D company. Probably time to play with the brand...my favorite part. At least for now until it's a real product on shelf.

I'm also finally turning the corner with my workouts at the gym. I have been very tired and finding it difficult to keep my energy up. I still need to get my full stamina back, but I think IRS coming. Hopefully I'll reactive my same swagger so I can run a half marathon in the spring.

New adventures

There are currently big changes in my future and the most important change of all will be reclaiming control of my life. I've resigned from my job, started a new business made plans to pursue a new business venture and planned an awesome adventure to Alaska for my husbands 40th birthday.

The next few months will be crazy, but they will be my crazy on my terms. I'm ready to start living again, reclaim my health, independence, creativity and more. I will stop eating my feelings and I'll be happier.

First step - vacation with no cellphone or email. First in 8 years. My husband so deserves my undivided attention.
Step 2 - lose those next 50 pounds - no more massive eating binges to stuff down my stress
Step 3 - indulge more hobbies in the middle of the day
Step 4 - set a new challenge goal and let my trainers help me achieve it.

New day - new life is just days around the corner. I can't wait to have time to share it.

Day 2 of Meatless & Still Married

Now when I proposed that I would be going meat free for a week and trying a vegetarian diet yesterday I hadn't yet sprung the news on my husband. I spent my lunch hour busy planning my menu and shopping list so when he got home from work I could say surprise!!! Guess what, not exactly the kind of surprise your husband expects or enjoys.

The good news is, he's a supportive and loving guy, so he traipsed to the grocery store with me to buy a cart full of fresh fruits and veggies and other necessities for the week. I don't worry too much about my grocery bill, I buy what I like. I'm pleased to report that all the fresh vegetables, and few new items like veggie burgers, some new spices and some veggie boullion only added another $20 to my normal grocery bill.

So home I went with all my purchases and whipped up my first dish. Lemon Pepper Pasta and Asparagus. It was easy to prepare and it tasted delicious. My husband was impressed and called the recipe a keeper. Try it yourself and check back tomorrow to hear about my Veggie Chili.

LEMON PEPPER PASTA & ASPARAGUS
2 cups uncooked botwie pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
grated lemon peel from one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
juice from one lemon
1 can cannellini beans

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. While pasta cooks, heat oil in saute pan on medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, asparagus, salt, pepper and lemon peel to oil and cook until vegetables are crisp tender. When vegetables are ready add lemon juide and beans to veggie mixture and cook until hot. Add drained pasta and toss.

Gonna Try Being A Vegetarian - One Week Limited Engagement

OK - Didn't know its was National Vegetarian Week until I saw a post on twitter today. As a born and raised daughter of a cattle rancher, you can imagine that my carnivore instinct is high and my passion for red meat is off the charts. But I, like many others, understand that all things in moderation is a good thing (except of course the ocassional chocolate binge). I also know about limiting my carbon footprint, etc. So in the spirit of healthy living and trying something new, I'm going to go vegetarian for the week. (My husband doesn't know this yet - won't dinner be a surprise). I'll spend my lunch break planning the menu, shop after work and jump into the big world of all things vegetarian. I'll share my menu, maybe a good recipe or two, some photos and even some success if I feel, better, worse, lose weight, or experience all the joys of a high fiber diet - if you get my drift. I'm excited and slightly apprehensive. Must mean its a good idea and just the thing I need to kick off my "New Day - New Me" personal wellness campaign. Watch for updates.

Re-inspired

It's been what feels like a long winter/spring. Dog bites, squirrel burglars, pesky buffet seeking raccon, more travel than I have time for, not enough time to ride Blue Bonnett my glorious Trek Madone, not enough time to work out, etc. etc. excuses, excuses. It should all stop now. This is about undoing the ordinary and its time to reclaim my life.

It started with an archery class a few weeks ago. Alot of fun. But I need a challenge, one that pushes my mental and physical limits and gives me a passion and reason to get out of bed other than my job and my paycheck.

What will it be. Tough Mudder maybe? Any other ideas.

Story of the Storage Unit

So post flood I decide I need some more space and decide to rent a storage unit. I've hired my share of movers in the past so I don't feel totally unqualified or in-the-dark about the process. I'm an intelligent person and I'm confident I'm capable of asking all the right questions, which I think I do.

The day of the move arrives and the movers show up with truck and dollies in hand - along with and outstretched hand not saying pleased to meet you - but hand over the cash lady. I say - huh??? You haven't even done any work yet, how many hours do you know its going to take so you know what it will cost and what to charge me? Not to mentionyou haven't done anything yet, so why should I pay you? You might damage my things and then I've paid you.

Well, they give me the story that its a tough economy and they've had a lot of customers move everything and then say - sorry we can't afford to pay you so this is their new policy. They are standing in my house and I really need my stuff moved so I get out my checkbook and begin to write a check - and they inform me they don't take checks - cash only. Well, that's news to me - and do they expect I just have a whole bunch of cash laying around?

So now I'm not just mildly annoyed - I'm getting angry. FYI - let me update you on the situation that they are also over 4 hours late for arrival of the scheduled appointment and I had made arrangements at the storage unit to be let in as well.

The nice young men holding the "invoice" in question and making demands are just the hired help and are surprised that their boss hasn't shared any of these delightful customer service policies with me up front - but they say its the norm so please don't shoot the messenger. (hmmm - maybe I should get a gun).

So now I'm full on mad and call the boss man and voice my concerns. In the end its agreed that I'll stop and get cash on the way to the storage unit to pay them. Ironically, they offered to stay at my house and load things when I went to get cash. I looked at them and said "SERIOUSLY"?
You need me to pay up front and I can't write a check because you don't "trust" me. But I should let two total strangers hang out at my house with my stuff and a moving truck ALONE!!!!! You've got to be kidding - I can't believe you just said that.

So on with the story - let the loading commence. All furniture is loaded and I give them the storage unit address and write directions and we head out. I need to stop and get cash and they roll on forward to the storage unit. Well it turns out I had to go to a second cash machine so it took longer than expected. I arrived at the storage unit and they weren't there. My first thought is HOLY SHIT - they stole my stuff - thank god I didn't pay them too. In the end they arrived about 10 minutes later - apologizing for getting lost - that GPS gave them bad directions. I said, I know - that's why I wrote you directions.

So they backup to the storage unit - jump out of the truck and ask for the money. By this time I'm totally frustrated. What was supposed to be a $160 job ended up costing $317 by the time all of the "unspoken" surcharges, etc. were added and I was sweaty (it was hot out) and mad.

In the end, I asked the kids why they worked for such an unethical guy since it made them look bad and they got the brunt of people's frustration. I said, why don't you just rent a truck and do this yourself. The kid honestly replied. Here's my business card. I have my own moving company, I work for him on the side and use this as an opportunity to market my company for free while getting paid.

Moral of the Story - Too many to list - but that kid might just be a genius.

Recovery - It's Just Things

If an ordinary life is about shit happens - it really does. So clearly the way to undo it is to get rid of everything. The last three weeks have really been about undoing. After 11" of rain in just a few hours, it meant over 3 ft of water in our finished basement. Ruining general things like furniture, necessities like the furnace and water heater, and of course momentos like Christmas decorations and childhood memories.

Depending on how you look at it, the emotion can have lots of meaning. It can be cathartic - like the cleaning you know you needed and getting rid of things cluttering your life allowing you to live more freely. But it also is emotional as you recall the history that will now only be a memory with no physical history.

The first couple of weeks the adrenaline carried me forward and allowed me to clean and remediate and replace all that was necessary. It's been the last few days that the emotion has started to set in and the difficult emotion of starting over has been difficult.

I'm reminded that life is filled with things that we give weight and value to, when truely its only people we should put our emotion in. We come into this world with nothing and need only the people who care for us. I believe we would all be happier with less attachment to things.