Okay, I said that I was going to give tips on weight loss, but that doesn't sound interesting, so...later.
In the meantime, I love Jonathan Coulton. I love this amateur music video. I love the guys who made it, in a platonic, they're-much-too-young-for-me kinda way.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Hair Cut
For almost as long as I could talk, I’ve aspired to a waterfall of shining hair waving down my back. Long hair was beautiful, glamorous, sexy, and magical. Barbies had long hair. So did Lady Lovely Locks (of course), Polly Pocket, and the Fashion Star Fillies (showing my age here). A little later, Jo March, Anne Shirley, and Rapunzel all regarded the shearing of their luscious locks as a small (at least) tragedy. I am now an avid student of belly dance, a subculture where long hair is very common. In fact, long, thick hair is such an important prop that in Cairo (the New York of belly dance) nearly all professionals have extensions or wear a wig when performing.
I realize, of course, that other people think differently. My own boyfriend prefers short hair on women (though he’s never pushed me one way or the other). A quick internet search reveals plenty of people (male and female) who agree with him.
But, to me, short hair seems practical and, at best, cute. Short hair is what happens when you’re a tomboy who just doesn’t care, or when you have a baby and want something they can’t pull, or when you start suffering from female-pattern baldness. The one exception is for women with divine bone structure like Natalie Portman or my cousin, M. When M cut her thick, wavy, shiny hair into a buzz, it only better revealed her large eyes and high cheekbones. Grumble, grumble, grumble.
However, genetics are not on my side. Long hair stretches my already-long face. Also, my hair is naturally thin and wavy, and tended toward frizzy or see-through when long. I tried all one length. I tried layers. I tried curling with pin curls, foam curls, and hot curls. I tried a variety of products and washing methods. Heck, I even tried not washing my hair with any form of cleanser (that lasted three days, until my hair took on the solid sheen of a piece of varnished wood). No dice. It just never looked right. The only time I was really comfortable with my hair was when I had it up in a bun. My hair sticks looked interesting from the back, but made my hair almost a visual non-player from the front.
So, I took the plunge and asked my sister to bob it—my first major cut since 2003. And it looks…cute. I got one “aw, I liked it better long” and a whole bunch of “oh, it looks great!” at work. Fortunately, my natural waviness works well with short hair, so it’s wash-and-go. And, I’ve thought of a variety of ways to fix it when “wash and go” isn’t good enough.
I’ll never have long, shining waves down my back, I’ll never be a ballerina when I grow up, and I’ll never again subject my feet to the agony of strappy slingbacks. Instead, I’ll take my cute butt (fed by engineering, shaped by belly dance) on the town in my cute-but-sensible ballet flats and my cute bob. I won’t be a fairy princess. I’ll just be cute and young and having fun. Oh, well.
I realize, of course, that other people think differently. My own boyfriend prefers short hair on women (though he’s never pushed me one way or the other). A quick internet search reveals plenty of people (male and female) who agree with him.
But, to me, short hair seems practical and, at best, cute. Short hair is what happens when you’re a tomboy who just doesn’t care, or when you have a baby and want something they can’t pull, or when you start suffering from female-pattern baldness. The one exception is for women with divine bone structure like Natalie Portman or my cousin, M. When M cut her thick, wavy, shiny hair into a buzz, it only better revealed her large eyes and high cheekbones. Grumble, grumble, grumble.
However, genetics are not on my side. Long hair stretches my already-long face. Also, my hair is naturally thin and wavy, and tended toward frizzy or see-through when long. I tried all one length. I tried layers. I tried curling with pin curls, foam curls, and hot curls. I tried a variety of products and washing methods. Heck, I even tried not washing my hair with any form of cleanser (that lasted three days, until my hair took on the solid sheen of a piece of varnished wood). No dice. It just never looked right. The only time I was really comfortable with my hair was when I had it up in a bun. My hair sticks looked interesting from the back, but made my hair almost a visual non-player from the front.
So, I took the plunge and asked my sister to bob it—my first major cut since 2003. And it looks…cute. I got one “aw, I liked it better long” and a whole bunch of “oh, it looks great!” at work. Fortunately, my natural waviness works well with short hair, so it’s wash-and-go. And, I’ve thought of a variety of ways to fix it when “wash and go” isn’t good enough.
I’ll never have long, shining waves down my back, I’ll never be a ballerina when I grow up, and I’ll never again subject my feet to the agony of strappy slingbacks. Instead, I’ll take my cute butt (fed by engineering, shaped by belly dance) on the town in my cute-but-sensible ballet flats and my cute bob. I won’t be a fairy princess. I’ll just be cute and young and having fun. Oh, well.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
How I Lose Weight—Part I: General Principles
I tend to gain weight when I’m stressed, so I’ve had to develop a strategy for losing the weight again when the stress goes back down. There are too many diet plans out there anyway, but here’s what works for me.
General Principles
1. Don’t make yourself unhealthy to make yourself look good! Therefore, no pills, no powders, no crazy, nutritionally unsound diets. The Harvard food pyramid seems sound and unaffected by special interest groups (e.g., cattle ranchers) or a desire to sell a quick, easy diet as the “next big thing.”
Definitely check out their website for more information.
Harvard Food Pyramid
2. Also, don’t try to lose weight too fast. It’s stressful on you and it’s stressful on your body. In fact, if you lose weight very, very fast, you may develop gallstones and have to have your gallbladder surgically removed! Furthermore, crash diets, don’t really teach you how to eat. A sound diet for slow weight loss can easily be tweaked into a maintenance diet. If your diet basically consists of “swear off food”, then after the diet you will probably go back to the old ways of eating that made you gain excess weight in the first place.
Personally, crash diets are not an option to me because my body is sensitive to low blood sugar. I can handle a little hunger but nausea, weakness, and stupidity don’t work for me.
3. Accept and manage your hunger. You’re going to be hungry. Not very hungry, but a little hungry. Because healthy weight loss is a long process, you’re going to be hungry for a long time. Even after you switch to maintenance, you may not be hungry, but you will have to deny yourself some. Your body has already proven that it likes more cookies or cakes or cheese or crackers or whatever your weakness is than is really good for you, so you are going to have to get used to saying “No,” or “Okay, but just a little bit”.
A book I read on natural childbirth pointed out what seems to me to be a very useful concept, namely, that there is a difference between pain and suffering. If you are in control of your pain, you do not suffer from it—it’s just an annoyance or a reminder that you are doing the difficult work necessary to achieve your goals. When you feel that pain is out of your control, you suffer. Remember that, while hunger is painful, it is also a sign that you are in control.
[Note: this is a dangerous concept, as many eating disorders arise from an effort to control one’s life and an addiction to the “pain = control” concept. Before you start on the dieting path, be on the lookout for this particular addiction. If you find that being in control of everything you put in your mouth is becoming more important to you than your health, please discuss it with someone who has your best interests at heart.]
4. Try to diet out of self-love, not self-hatred. Dieting is hard work, and it’s very hard to summon the mental energy if you’re berating yourself over the size of your tummy. Instead, remind yourself of your positive qualities—including the physical ones. Also, try to pick a time when you have the mental energy to do this hard work--no time is perfect, but the day your dog died is probably not the best day to start a diet. Sometimes, it's just better to be kind to yourself and wait for the storm to pass or the wounds to heal.
5. The first week is the hardest.
Next post: more specific tips.
General Principles
1. Don’t make yourself unhealthy to make yourself look good! Therefore, no pills, no powders, no crazy, nutritionally unsound diets. The Harvard food pyramid seems sound and unaffected by special interest groups (e.g., cattle ranchers) or a desire to sell a quick, easy diet as the “next big thing.”
Definitely check out their website for more information.
Harvard Food Pyramid
2. Also, don’t try to lose weight too fast. It’s stressful on you and it’s stressful on your body. In fact, if you lose weight very, very fast, you may develop gallstones and have to have your gallbladder surgically removed! Furthermore, crash diets, don’t really teach you how to eat. A sound diet for slow weight loss can easily be tweaked into a maintenance diet. If your diet basically consists of “swear off food”, then after the diet you will probably go back to the old ways of eating that made you gain excess weight in the first place.
Personally, crash diets are not an option to me because my body is sensitive to low blood sugar. I can handle a little hunger but nausea, weakness, and stupidity don’t work for me.
3. Accept and manage your hunger. You’re going to be hungry. Not very hungry, but a little hungry. Because healthy weight loss is a long process, you’re going to be hungry for a long time. Even after you switch to maintenance, you may not be hungry, but you will have to deny yourself some. Your body has already proven that it likes more cookies or cakes or cheese or crackers or whatever your weakness is than is really good for you, so you are going to have to get used to saying “No,” or “Okay, but just a little bit”.
A book I read on natural childbirth pointed out what seems to me to be a very useful concept, namely, that there is a difference between pain and suffering. If you are in control of your pain, you do not suffer from it—it’s just an annoyance or a reminder that you are doing the difficult work necessary to achieve your goals. When you feel that pain is out of your control, you suffer. Remember that, while hunger is painful, it is also a sign that you are in control.
[Note: this is a dangerous concept, as many eating disorders arise from an effort to control one’s life and an addiction to the “pain = control” concept. Before you start on the dieting path, be on the lookout for this particular addiction. If you find that being in control of everything you put in your mouth is becoming more important to you than your health, please discuss it with someone who has your best interests at heart.]
4. Try to diet out of self-love, not self-hatred. Dieting is hard work, and it’s very hard to summon the mental energy if you’re berating yourself over the size of your tummy. Instead, remind yourself of your positive qualities—including the physical ones. Also, try to pick a time when you have the mental energy to do this hard work--no time is perfect, but the day your dog died is probably not the best day to start a diet. Sometimes, it's just better to be kind to yourself and wait for the storm to pass or the wounds to heal.
5. The first week is the hardest.
Next post: more specific tips.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Yay! Whole Grains! No, really, yay!
For my birthday, I got Whole Grain Baking by the King Arthur Flour company, which is exactly what I wanted. I've tried replacing regular flour with whole wheat flour and been rewarded with dense, gummy breads and a strange, slightly bitter taste, so getting tested whole wheat recipes is wonderful. I had leafed through the book at the library, and been intrigued by the novel idea that the bitter flavor of whole wheat flour can be negated by a little orange juice, without making the bread taste of orange juice at all. After that little idea turned out a batch of very tasty 50% whole wheat kolaches, I knew I had to have the book.
What I'd like to do is go through and try all of the recipes that don't contain butter (as in, none of the biscuit or pastry recipes) and don't sound repulsive. It would be fun to try to commit to one/week, but I’m way too busy to definitely commit.
What I'd like to do is go through and try all of the recipes that don't contain butter (as in, none of the biscuit or pastry recipes) and don't sound repulsive. It would be fun to try to commit to one/week, but I’m way too busy to definitely commit.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Karo Syrup is My Drug of Choice
It is true, as the commercial says, that corn syrup really isn't any worse for you than sugar, because it IS sugar--heavily subsidized sugar that's used to plump up many foods where it has no business (I'm talking to you, jarred marinara) because it's so danged cheap.
But it is DELICIOUS. Especially on pancakes with yummy, creamy, hydrogenated-oil peanut butter. Drool. Also, if there's anything in this world that is yummier and easier than a Karo syrup sandwich on whole wheat bread with a light sprinkle of salt, I don't want to know about it, because it's probably illegal, and will most likely turn my innocent little ova into VAMPIRE BABY seeds.
I apologize for all the run-on sentences. I think in run-on sentences.
But it is DELICIOUS. Especially on pancakes with yummy, creamy, hydrogenated-oil peanut butter. Drool. Also, if there's anything in this world that is yummier and easier than a Karo syrup sandwich on whole wheat bread with a light sprinkle of salt, I don't want to know about it, because it's probably illegal, and will most likely turn my innocent little ova into VAMPIRE BABY seeds.
I apologize for all the run-on sentences. I think in run-on sentences.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
I Love My Love
"'I love my love with an H ... because he is Happy. I hate him with an H, because he is Hideous. I fed him with -- with -- with Ham-sandwiches and Hay. His name is Haigha, and he lives--'
'He lives on the Hill,' the King remarked simply..."
Through the Looking Glass
The version of this game that I first heard was a parlor game portrayed in a stage version of A Christmas Carol, which went something like this:
I love my love with an A because he's adorable. I hate my love with an A because he's awful. I took him to the sign of the Ambling Anteaters, and there I served him Apples."
Of course, the point is to try to think of appropriate words while under time pressure, but that hasn't stopped me from "playing" by telling my love 26 ways I love him over 26 days, via text message:
I love my love with an A because he’s artistic
I love my love with a B because he’s breath-taking.
I love my love with a C because he challenges me.
I love my love with a D because he’s dependable.
I love my love with an E because he’s entertaining.
I love my love with an F because he’s a fanboy.
I love my love with a G because he’s good to me.
I love my love with an H because of his hands.
I love my love with an I because he’s intelligent.
I love my love with a J because he’s a jewel.
I love my love with a K because he’s kind.
I love my love with an L because he’s laid-back.
I love my love with an M because he’s [name that starts with an M]!
I love my love with an N because he’s naughty.
I love my love with an O because he’s organized.
I love my love with a P because he’s passionate.
I love my love with a Q because he quells my fears.
I love my love with an R because he’s responsible
I love my love with an S because he satisfies me *sigh*
I love my love with a T because he’s trustworthy.
I love my love with a U because he’s uplifting.
I love my love with a V because he’s venturesome.
I love my love with a W because he’s wise.
I love my love with an X because he’s exciting.
I love my love with a Y because you’re you!
I love my love with a Z because he’s zabaglione-sweet.
I love my love more than letters can express. C’mere, baby, let me show you how I love you! *Kiss*
Great poetry it is not, but it was fun. Since I'm in a semi-long distance relationship, I miss the little sweet things one can do for one's love.
'He lives on the Hill,' the King remarked simply..."
Through the Looking Glass
The version of this game that I first heard was a parlor game portrayed in a stage version of A Christmas Carol, which went something like this:
I love my love with an A because he's adorable. I hate my love with an A because he's awful. I took him to the sign of the Ambling Anteaters, and there I served him Apples."
Of course, the point is to try to think of appropriate words while under time pressure, but that hasn't stopped me from "playing" by telling my love 26 ways I love him over 26 days, via text message:
I love my love with an A because he’s artistic
I love my love with a B because he’s breath-taking.
I love my love with a C because he challenges me.
I love my love with a D because he’s dependable.
I love my love with an E because he’s entertaining.
I love my love with an F because he’s a fanboy.
I love my love with a G because he’s good to me.
I love my love with an H because of his hands.
I love my love with an I because he’s intelligent.
I love my love with a J because he’s a jewel.
I love my love with a K because he’s kind.
I love my love with an L because he’s laid-back.
I love my love with an M because he’s [name that starts with an M]!
I love my love with an N because he’s naughty.
I love my love with an O because he’s organized.
I love my love with a P because he’s passionate.
I love my love with a Q because he quells my fears.
I love my love with an R because he’s responsible
I love my love with an S because he satisfies me *sigh*
I love my love with a T because he’s trustworthy.
I love my love with a U because he’s uplifting.
I love my love with a V because he’s venturesome.
I love my love with a W because he’s wise.
I love my love with an X because he’s exciting.
I love my love with a Y because you’re you!
I love my love with a Z because he’s zabaglione-sweet.
I love my love more than letters can express. C’mere, baby, let me show you how I love you! *Kiss*
Great poetry it is not, but it was fun. Since I'm in a semi-long distance relationship, I miss the little sweet things one can do for one's love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)