a la francaise

I bought French Women Don't Get Fat last week, and have slowly been reading it and digesting the advice. I like the idea of it. It's much more a common sense approach to staying slim and healthy than even Weight Watchers. I really love the idea of being encouraged to eat my favorite foods rather than trying to find substitutions for them. I have always vaguely thought that it can't really be any healthier to eat "diet" foods that are packed with chemicals to make them lower in fat and calories -- even as I was scarfing down diet cookies and chips. A reduced fat tortilla chip that is healthier because it is fried in healthier oil is one thing, but a cookie with nothing in it that even resembles the Toll House recipe you're trying to replace can't be good for you.

Anyway, I really like the idea of identifying my biggest offenders and slowly reducing them. Nothing dramatic that I can't stick to. Nothing horrendous.

I have a plan for this weekend. Or, I am forming said plan as we speak. Tonight, I want to create a really great dinner for me and the husband. A true menu in the French sense. Then, I'm going to make the magic leek soup for this weekend and just lay low a bit. Maybe, if I feel up to it, I will go to the OC swap meet and look for some pretty accessories for my table. I really want to embrace the idea of eating with purpose.

Because, it ocurred to me today: the "secret" to being happy is just doing what you love. What do I love? I love food. There has to be a way to love it and still stay slim and healthy.

In any case, I will do the magic leek soup weekend and then begin fresh on Monday. I also want to try to clean and organize the kitchen a bit. Nothing makes me want to cook LESS than a messy dirty kitchen.

on this day in history

An interesting day for history. Casts of a fossil (above) discovered in Canada are set to be put on display in London this week depicting an animal which appears to be part fish, part land animal.

Two points to Darwin on this one.

And, in another interesting story, the National Geographic Society is putting pages on display today of what they believe may be the lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot. From an interview on the NPR website describing the content of the document:

Judas is a different kind of character. He's the person who is asked to make the ultimate sacrifice. And that sacrifice is to sacrifice the life of Jesus in order that Jesus may attain eternity and immortality. And Judas is the one who enables all of us to help find that inner spark within ourselves. I think that the gospel of Judas Iscariot is actually a very reverent document coming from approximately the 2nd century -- well after the four gospels accepted as the canonical gospels were actually written. We don't really know 100 percent that it's Judas' account. We know that a writer in the 2nd century told this story, which is the story of the encounter between Judas Iscariot and Jesus some time after the Resurrection. Judas is actually Jesus' best friend. Judas is the one who enables Jesus to fulfill his mission -- to die and to release that inner spark within himself and within all of us that is the divine.

Up with grups

An awesome article from New York Magazine about my generation and who we're turning out to be.

mmm... forbidden croissant...

This whole life thing? Isn't going so well for me.

Yesterday was hard. I had to go to the DMV, AND to work, AND sell my car. It was an emotionally tumultuous day. Plus it rained all day long and Californians just really can't handle that.

Fortunately, the DMV wasn't terrible. I got there before it opened, and so I was only there for about an hour total, including the time I waited in line before it opened, so that wasn't bad. I had packed books and peanutbutter sandwiches in case I was stuck there all day, but I wasn't.

Then, I had planned on being stuck there all day, so I had told the work folks that I wouldn't be in until around noon, so I went to a coffee shop and hung out and tried to write. It was OK. I felt guilty pretty much the whole time though. Forbidden croissants are never as tasty as you think they'll be.

Then I came home, and the whole reason I went to the DMV was to re-up the registration so we could sell my Camry, so Brandon wanted to go right then and sell it. So we had some dinner and then went to the place and sold it.

And I was sad. Very sad.

And wet. Because of the hurricane, which was really only rain, but.

Then, when we came home, our entire block was blacked out, and we couldn't get into the parking lot because the gate is electric. So we parked across the street and got REALLY wet walking back to the apartment, and then we had to scramble around and try to find candles and things, and it was just very exhausting.

It was a very long day. I feel like I need to sleep for about another twelve hours or so, but I'm here, at work, in my office, in the non-rain, and my intern girl is supposed to come today, so I have to act normal and do stuff.

But I don't wanna.

p.s.

(I really don't want to do any work today, but my intern here and she is working hard, bless her heart, so I feel like I have to do stuff. CURSES!)

reading material

I go through a lot of women's magazines at work (for the jewelry ads -- I swear!) including bridal magazines, and I have a few thoughts.

1. They should not all arrive on the same day. When they arrive all on the same day and I forget to bring my handy-dandy canvas Trader Joe's shopping bag, it makes for complicated parking and walking into the office procedures.

2. JANE is very hard to read. From a design standpoint, it's probably the coolest, but only if you just want to look at the pictures. If you actually want any information, fuggetaboutit.

3. Marie Claire is definitely the stinkiest, and also one of the trashiest of the expensive magazines. (Last month's issue informed me that 70% of Costa Rican men have problems with premature ejaculation. WHY DO I CARE???? Are there so many Costa Ricans in my life that I should be concerned about this, even tangentially?)

4. Britany Spears keeps Us Weekly in print. (Yes, the boss lady gets Us Weekly. I don't read that one, but I can tell what side their bread is buttered on just from the covers.)

5. Vogue is too damned pretentious. It has articles that say things like, "Fabulous Spring Fashions for Every Budget!" and then, the cheapest thing they mention is an $85 pair of sunglasses. No thanks. Good photography, though.

6. I gravitate much more towards the self improvement type magazines like Shape and SELF. I like the health info mixed in with the fashion tips, and I appreciate that they espouse a healthy lifestyle as opposed to anorexia. I tend to steal those from the office for my personal use -- and then I bring them back! I swear!!!

7. I take Brandon the Automobile magazine and Robb Report any time they have a car issue.

8. I love bridal magazines. They were my secret little indulgence when I was engaged, (and maybe a bit before) and now I get to look at them all for FREE! Also? We were way ahead of our time. Callas are STILL in, purple is the hottest look of the season, it is totally chic to have your bridesmaids wear different dresses, and I still haven't seen a wedding dress I like more than mine. So there.