I'm trying to eat better and I'm trying to spend less money. Hn. Neither, oddly enough, are very easy. I'm slightly picky, and I tend to get bored with the same damn thing over and over again. (ie: I'm not a fan of pork, and really not a fan of re-heated pork, nor do I like yogurts with fruit chunks, oatmeal unless it's in cookies, Top Ramen makes me sick, may be the only person in North America that has never liked PB 'n J sandwiches, etc.) When I was living alone, I somehow found it easier to figure out the lunch thing, but it got sorta boring: rice cakes with cream cheese, cucumber/carrot/pepper/celery slices with low-fat ranch, vegetarian "buffalo wings" or "chik'n nuggets" (sooooo good, btw, even for those of us who dig meat.) I'm trying to do water all the time (yay for having a Sigg bottle!) instead of juices or sodas, but man...I attempt to shop for lunch stuff and I just get the same old same old. Today it was bagels, lunch meat, trisket crackers, and yogurt. And to top it off, I normally need a little something in the mornings (right now, it's blueberry frosted Shredded Wheat cereal with soy milk) and for my mid-morning break, before the big deal lunch around 12:30/1pm. Why, WHY, is lunch so hard?

I attempted some Google-fu today and looked for ideas, and actually found a few, but I ask of you, beloved f-list, what are your tried 'n trues, your favorites, or even blogs dedicated to this very subject, etc. I am so desperate here, going out almost every day is killing the budget!

~ Chicken Pesto sandwich (they suggested a crossiant. I'd probably use a crusty sandwich roll and add mozarella cheese.)
~ Mini Layered Salad (with peas, cheese, carrots, lettuce, etc.)
~ Mini Taco Salads (I might be sorta obsessed with taco salad...)
~ Antipasto/Cold Pasta salads (but because of the aforementioned slight pickyness, I'm still looking for recipes)

Any help? <3

Stolen from mcgarrygirl78 and aoibhe :

One little compliment can make you feel amazing. So give me a compliment, anything in the entire world, even that my shoelaces are pretty. Put this in your journal. And once you get some comments, put that entry in a memory or tag and when you are feeling down, just go to that entry and this will remind you of how great you are.

Comments screened, because that's how everyone else is doin' 'em, and I'm all sheepy today! <3

*headdesk*

Yanno what? It's isolabela's birthday today! What can I say about my twin? She is love and support and extreme silliness personified. We can be perfectly happy together, lolling about on the couch, knitting and watching Saiyuki and eating teriyaki, and we can roam about the campus of her old school at 11pm, shouting and giggling into the phone and racing to find a good place to sit. She is amazing, and I can't imagine NOT having her in my life - she's mine, and I'm not letting gooooo. I LOVE YOU TWIN! I hope that your birthday is amazing and wonderful and you have way too much cake and way too little sadness in the day and the coming year. Enjoy, sweetness! ♥♥♥

I remember today, 8 years ago, so vividly. Cannot believe that it's been 8 years already.

Talked with coworkers how the lab tends towards butthurt of the epic variety. Trufax. Also, that Big Bosses are complete tossers for cancelling/ignoring three birthdays/parties, and instead bringing in a fuckton of food to woo a new dentist and demand that we admire it. Pasted. On. Smiles. Guh. Can I just...move to Arizona? Now? How about now? *flop*


Snagged meme from my aoibhe
day 01 | a song
day 02 | a picture
day 03 | a book/ebook/fanfic
day 04 | a site
day 05 | a youtube clip
day 06 | a quote
day 07 | whatever tickles your fancy

“Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because Those Who Mind Don't Matter and Those Who Matter Don't Mind.”
~ Dr. Suess (I suspect that this is kinda sorta totally inspired and dedicated to xtinethepirate ♥ )

Have a couple of more things to make before I can cross them off my list!

Today went by bloody fast, even with my cell dying before noon. Got in a little knitting at my break, even. Also, I have to say that Kythryne over at Wyrding Studios is SUCH A FRIGGING YARN PIMP, that she's got me considering a $65 skein of laceweight silk. The colors, people, THE COLORS! And the SOFT. Argh. Argh argh argh. She spent many convincing messages on flickr about this particular brand (Sundara Yarn) and lord help me...I'm considering putting aside money in order to pay for the exorbinately, freakishly, selfishly lavish yarn. *sigh*


Snagged meme from my aoibhe
day 01 | a song
day 02 | a picture
day 03 | a book/ebook/fanfic
day 04 | a site>
day 05 | a youtube clip
day 06 | a quote
day 07 | whatever tickles your fancy

17 Things I Made and the follow-up The Beckoning Of Lovely - be warned, I cry like a baby during the second one (I dunno either, dude, I just do. It's one of those things.) AMAZING IDEA. <333

1) Vaccuming - Yes. Floor no longer is scary to sit on. \o/

2) Hematite mini pendants - Mercury Retrograde, eat mah hematite! Made for me, and the Ohana Collective (aoibhe, secretchristine, isolabela) edited to add one for xtinethepirate who might need a little extra TLC this retrograde as well ♥
( Hematite mini-pendants )

3) Small Evil's faerie princess birthday set - for my favorite birthday girl! ♥ And yes, I am that obnoxious with my spelling of "faerie" =P
( Faerie Princess Set )

4) Worked on seeeekrit knitting project

5) Made my first knitting row counter bracelet Aka: Behold! Wren's chubby hands and pasty whiteness! =P
( Knitting Row Counter Bracelet )

Hey gang! For me, Christmas/Yule/Winter is constantly on my mind of late. Last year? After two-and-a-half feet of snow, for MONTHS, work, having no power for 12 hours on Christmas day itself, no Christmas Eve family party, no gifts, no real birthday...well, let me tell you. I was bummed, and more than a little "off" on the whole holiday season. But this year? This year, I Have Plans. Plans of amazing, ohana-drenched family togetherness. A real birthday, a real Christmas, maybe even a bit of real Solistice fun. Plus, the Wee Evils always make holidays that much more fun! So, unlike the past couple of years where I've been down and depressed and not really in the Holiday Spirit, I am changing that this year!

I would love to send out some cards this Christmas! You guys have stuck around me and my Crazy all year long, and I want to put a little love in each of your mailboxes! I'm starting early this year (with EVERYTHING, really) so please, send me your addresses if you'd like a card! I have a bunch saved, but if you've recently moved (xtinethepirate?? Same address for you, or has it changed?), or know me and realize that I have a tendency to put things down and lost them (heh), gimme 'em in my comments? They will be screened for privacy.

Thank you, bestest f-list! <333 Happy 3 day weekend to those of you who aren't working today (like meeee!) I'm off to craft - for myself, for the ravelry.com RAK group, and for my ohana! xoxoxo

I cannot get rid of this headache, and I don't know what to do anymore. Since yesterday morning, around 3am, in between waking moments (there's been a lot of those the past few days. Gah!) Soooo happy it's a three day weekend, because I have no desire to go to work tomorrow, especially with this stupid headache lingering the way it is. Meds aren't even touching it, I'm drinking water (and peeing constantly because of it - also interrupting my sleep with numerous trips to the bathroom, TMI! =P) and frankly, I'm about ready to pop a klonopin to a) see if it's stress related, which it might be, and b) knock me on my ass completely. One of the only times I've slept a solid night in the past three or so months was due to a major panic attack and needing chill-the-fuck-out meds. *grin*

Anyway, knitting knitting knitting this week, instead of playing around online too much. I miss mah peeps, but no one seems to be around either - ded intrawebz iz ded. ;_; Attempting to write, but the muse is sulking and won't play fair (to anyone who has been subjected to my muse, this really shouldn't surprise me in any way. Apparently, Hope Springs Eternal here as well. =P) But there's good things along with the bad, and I'm choosing to focus on those. *nodnod* Got the most adorable shoes - sorta Mary Janes meet Sneakers. My basis for them, as with all things right now, were, "Easy to take off at the airport, and good for an Arizona "winter" *giggle*" =P Also, along those same lines, the LeSportSac messenger bag, my end-all be-all of messenger bags was 50% off PLUS 15% off, and I finally bought one!! It carries all my important stuff (iPod? Check. Kindle? Check check. Wallet, notebook, glasses case, small knitting project? CHECK!) It even was one of my favorite prints, the trees with the birds and fruit. SCORE! Yesterday = gud shopping day. Also, since it was brunch with my mom's side of the family today, and Nate, true to form, didn't show up, we have leftover breakfast casserole that I am soooo nomming on tomorrow while I sit around in pjs and watch bad tv and dvds. Yanno, INSTEAD OF BEING AT WORK. HA! Take that, Monday.


Snagged meme from my, aoibhe
day 01 | a song
day 02 | a picture
day 03 | a book/ebook/fanfic
day 04 | a site
day 05 | a youtube clip
day 06 | a quote
day 07 | whatever tickles your fancy

I am a HUGE FAN of Smitten Kitchen. Deb takes some SERIOUS food pr0n pics, and has some amazing recipes. Plus, she's silly and witty and adorkable (and expecting her first baby! 'Grats, Deb!) Also, I cannot go without mentioning the Mommy Blog To End All Mommy Blogs, Dooce.com. Seriously, Heather's writing makes me cry with laughter. This woman, is so freakin' talented, so hilarious, so blunt and offensive, yet caring and loving, all at the same time. And if you're like me, with a serious fiber-related itch to scratch, Ravelry.com is the best thing out there for knitters and crocheters since the invention of...well...YARN. Patterns galore, groups, friends, inspiration, and lots and lots of yarn pics. I've been RAKing a lot there (Randon Acts of Kindness), helping out my fellow brethren of the needles and wool. Makes me a happy panda.