Day 3: Complete success! WOOOO!!!! And I got in a workout.
...that is all...what...were you expecting a soliloquy? Go away. Come back tomorrow.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
7 -- Food Month -- Day 2
The remainder of last night's supper became breakfast. Unseasoned, over grilled, previously frozen burger patty between 2 pieces of toasted wheat bread with steamed spinach to add a little flavor. And don't forget, butter isn't on the list so that toast was DRY! Normally I might have turned my nose to this monstrosity. This morning, something in me found the change of pace refreshing. Another piece of me was thankful to have food to eat. Maybe those 2 separate parts of me fueled each other. Maybe it's the burger briquette. I don't know.
The meal that was supposed to be yesterday's lunch was just as good today. Rather than eating alone in my office as I normally would, a friend and I ate together in the office conference room. I had never really noticed the types of foods I normally eat from this perspective. While my friend ate his prepackaged Zataran's alfredo fettuccine thing, I silently compared my foods of fast to that...that creamy mess. Again, I found myself thankful to have what I had.
3 meals straight. I am a rock star!! After work, Erin drove me to the auto shop to pick up my car. Had to replace the wheel bearings again. On the way, she proclaims "I need a chocolate martini." ...damn. She's got that look in her eye too. No matter what I say, or how sweetly I say it, we're going out for a martini. I'll spare you the details of the discussion. Point is, 30 minutes later, we're sitting at the bar of West End Grill watching the Presidential Election play out. No, I didn't "resist the devil". Don't get me wrong, I tried. It wasn't long after my arrival that I had whiskey in my hand and a bacon cheeseburger on the way. Needless to say, it was shamefully delicious.
Oh, well. Try again tomorrow.
The meal that was supposed to be yesterday's lunch was just as good today. Rather than eating alone in my office as I normally would, a friend and I ate together in the office conference room. I had never really noticed the types of foods I normally eat from this perspective. While my friend ate his prepackaged Zataran's alfredo fettuccine thing, I silently compared my foods of fast to that...that creamy mess. Again, I found myself thankful to have what I had.
3 meals straight. I am a rock star!! After work, Erin drove me to the auto shop to pick up my car. Had to replace the wheel bearings again. On the way, she proclaims "I need a chocolate martini." ...damn. She's got that look in her eye too. No matter what I say, or how sweetly I say it, we're going out for a martini. I'll spare you the details of the discussion. Point is, 30 minutes later, we're sitting at the bar of West End Grill watching the Presidential Election play out. No, I didn't "resist the devil". Don't get me wrong, I tried. It wasn't long after my arrival that I had whiskey in my hand and a bacon cheeseburger on the way. Needless to say, it was shamefully delicious.
Oh, well. Try again tomorrow.
7 -- Food Month -- Day 1:
I have completed Day 1 of my new found culinary imprisonment. I can't completely chalk it up as a success, but at least I finished on a strong note.
For the benefit of any another reader that just doesn't have a damn clue what I'm talking about or my future self. Erin and I have begun the spiritual adventure of 7. 7 is the brainchild of one Jen Hatmaker, a lovely wife and mother in Texas who decided that her life was filled with an excess of excess. The short version is she devised this diabolical scheme to focus on 7 areas of her life over 7 months, each area getting it's own month. In each of those months, she would fast in that area. Month 1 is food. For the next 4 weeks, Erin and I will be living off a diet 7 foods and only 7 foods. Why? Because (as I'm told) in the discomfort of fasting, one finds room for prayer and meditation that would not normally be achieved.
But YB, why would you knowingly and willfully put yourself through this? Truth be told, I fought it like a screaming 5 year old. But, I love my wife. So here I find myself playing the role of supportive husband. Starting is the hardest part...so far. I remember my wife telling me, "It's like a band-aid, you just gotta rip it off." This is gonna 30 long days for 1 band-aid.
What foods will I be eating? We adopted the list originally devised by the Mother of 7. Seeing as she already did the legwork, I see no reason to reinvent the wheel. I did have to expand my list to include a couple more items.
1. Chicken
2. Sweet Potatoes
3. Wheat
4. Eggs
5. Avocados
6. Spinach
7. Oranges
8. Bananas
9. Beef
I'm allowing myself water and 1 cup of black coffee a day.
The day started out happily enough with a breakfast of very lightly seasoned chicken tenders sauteed in olive oil with a fried egg (also olive oil) on a small bed of spinach. Looking back, that was pure genius and will be used again. I've completely stripped myself of all sauces and here I am using the delicious egg yolk as "salad dressing". I could get used to this. While cooking that morning, I began to question the foods we eat for breakfast and why that is the norm. Why are bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes in various forms, buttered breads, fruits, cereals, juices, and milk the morning staple? Why can't I steak and broccoli? Or how about spaghetti and meatballs? Is it because of what we see on TV and other forms of advertisement? Is it because that's what our mommas always made for us? Is it because the impending world domination by pigs and chickens is only held at bay by our love for bacon? I'll get back to you on that one.
Lunch packed and walking out the door, my phone rings. My boss wants to have a business lunch with another colleague...at a BBQ joint. My mouth says "Sure" while the voice in head my screams "NOOOOOO!!!!!". I haven't had the chance to succeed yet and I feel like I'm already looking at my first failure! God is laughing right now, I know it! Drama aside, I thoroughly enjoyed my beef brisket, baked beans, and buttered texas toast. It didn't exactly fall within the confines of 7, but I tried to get as close as I could. And that counts for something in my book. The meal that I had originally been my lunch (chicken breast tenders, sweet potato, and spinach) would have to wait until tomorrow.
That evening, I found 3 Bubba Burgers in the freezer. There's probably some byproducts that go into their production, but if I don't season them or use Ketchup that counts, right? Note to future self, frozen burger patties do not cook well on a panini press. Bring on the spinach. Bring on the sweet potato. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wonder how much longer I'll be looking forward to eating these foods.
So, Day 1 wasn't a complete failure or a complete success. Chalk it up to experience and try again tomorrow.
For more information on Jen Hatmaker and 7, visit her website: jenhatmaker.com
For the benefit of any another reader that just doesn't have a damn clue what I'm talking about or my future self. Erin and I have begun the spiritual adventure of 7. 7 is the brainchild of one Jen Hatmaker, a lovely wife and mother in Texas who decided that her life was filled with an excess of excess. The short version is she devised this diabolical scheme to focus on 7 areas of her life over 7 months, each area getting it's own month. In each of those months, she would fast in that area. Month 1 is food. For the next 4 weeks, Erin and I will be living off a diet 7 foods and only 7 foods. Why? Because (as I'm told) in the discomfort of fasting, one finds room for prayer and meditation that would not normally be achieved.
But YB, why would you knowingly and willfully put yourself through this? Truth be told, I fought it like a screaming 5 year old. But, I love my wife. So here I find myself playing the role of supportive husband. Starting is the hardest part...so far. I remember my wife telling me, "It's like a band-aid, you just gotta rip it off." This is gonna 30 long days for 1 band-aid.
What foods will I be eating? We adopted the list originally devised by the Mother of 7. Seeing as she already did the legwork, I see no reason to reinvent the wheel. I did have to expand my list to include a couple more items.
1. Chicken
2. Sweet Potatoes
3. Wheat
4. Eggs
5. Avocados
6. Spinach
7. Oranges
8. Bananas
9. Beef
I'm allowing myself water and 1 cup of black coffee a day.
The day started out happily enough with a breakfast of very lightly seasoned chicken tenders sauteed in olive oil with a fried egg (also olive oil) on a small bed of spinach. Looking back, that was pure genius and will be used again. I've completely stripped myself of all sauces and here I am using the delicious egg yolk as "salad dressing". I could get used to this. While cooking that morning, I began to question the foods we eat for breakfast and why that is the norm. Why are bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes in various forms, buttered breads, fruits, cereals, juices, and milk the morning staple? Why can't I steak and broccoli? Or how about spaghetti and meatballs? Is it because of what we see on TV and other forms of advertisement? Is it because that's what our mommas always made for us? Is it because the impending world domination by pigs and chickens is only held at bay by our love for bacon? I'll get back to you on that one.
Lunch packed and walking out the door, my phone rings. My boss wants to have a business lunch with another colleague...at a BBQ joint. My mouth says "Sure" while the voice in head my screams "NOOOOOO!!!!!". I haven't had the chance to succeed yet and I feel like I'm already looking at my first failure! God is laughing right now, I know it! Drama aside, I thoroughly enjoyed my beef brisket, baked beans, and buttered texas toast. It didn't exactly fall within the confines of 7, but I tried to get as close as I could. And that counts for something in my book. The meal that I had originally been my lunch (chicken breast tenders, sweet potato, and spinach) would have to wait until tomorrow.
That evening, I found 3 Bubba Burgers in the freezer. There's probably some byproducts that go into their production, but if I don't season them or use Ketchup that counts, right? Note to future self, frozen burger patties do not cook well on a panini press. Bring on the spinach. Bring on the sweet potato. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wonder how much longer I'll be looking forward to eating these foods.
So, Day 1 wasn't a complete failure or a complete success. Chalk it up to experience and try again tomorrow.
For more information on Jen Hatmaker and 7, visit her website: jenhatmaker.com
Monday, January 24, 2011
Me vs. The Dimmer Switch
Another epic tale.
Erin and I have been in our new house for almost a year. A couple weeks before Christmas, she asks me to install a dimmer in the dining room. Up until know, we had been enjoying our 7 bulb, chandelier like fixture with only 3 bulbs screwed in. Why? It's just irritating to sit at the table, enjoy a home cooked meal, and deal with 7 small suns burning the back of your retinas. I'm still not sure why the idea didn't come to me sooner. I suppose I was just being cheap...again. Off to Lowes. Hooray!
I was so proud of myself when I returned with the least expensive product that will get the job done. According to Erin, I have this "I'm gonna fix stuff" way to my walk when I'm on a project. She might be right; I just said that. It couldn't have anything to do with a story my dad told me years ago about his own experience. Surely, a young man wouldn't be attempting to outperform another man, especially his father. Me, stubborn and competitive? Inconceivable!
When my dad was in his early 20s, he and my mother (newlyweds at the time) lived in a modest apartment. In this apartment arose a need for a dimmer switch over the breakfast table. I suspect he acted in much the same way as I while dashing off the to the nearest home improvement store. The details between purchasing and installing this dimmer switch are a bit fuzzy. However, the outcome always stuck with me. The newly installed switch did not work. Any attempt whatsoever to adjust the breakfast room light produced no results. From the next room my mom was witnessing something completely unexpected. The picture on the TV was shrinking and growing with every turn of the dimmer switch's dial. So with the lessons of the father permanently lodged in the forefront of my mind, I continue my efforts.
Since moving into our new house, this is the first time I've really had to turn off the power for anything. It seemed easy enough. Locate the fuse labeled "Dining Room Lights" and turn it off. Grab a flashlight and get to work. Remove the faceplate. Remove the switch's mounting screws. So far, so good. I reached in to remove the switch...ZAP! SON OF A B****!! The light switch for the kitchen shared a wall box with the dining room, but not a fuse. Realizing that I was still alive and healthy, I saw no reason to discontinue. I wired my cheap dimmer with the utmost care attempting to follow the included wiring diagram to the best of my abilities. This was, surprisingly, the quickest step of all. Erin was positioned at a safe distance in the kitchen and ready to yell at the sign of any sparks when power was restored.
Considering my recent reminder of the electricity's lively nature, I slowly reached for the fuse with a wooden ruler. Looking back it was silly, but I had already filled my shock quota for the day. CLICK. "It's on!", I heard from the kitchen. My self confidence has been restored and I marched back to Erin, ego fully intact. This was it...the moment of truth. Could I succeed where my father failed? I looked to Erin. Her face conveyed simple and direct message. "Quit looking at me and test the damn thing." So I did.
Nothing! Nothing happened! The TV still worked, but the lights now had 3 settings: on, barely on, and off. It must be genetic. Hanging my head in shame, I resigned myself to calling in backup. "Dad? Yeah...I couldn't install it either. See you next weekend."
Erin and I have been in our new house for almost a year. A couple weeks before Christmas, she asks me to install a dimmer in the dining room. Up until know, we had been enjoying our 7 bulb, chandelier like fixture with only 3 bulbs screwed in. Why? It's just irritating to sit at the table, enjoy a home cooked meal, and deal with 7 small suns burning the back of your retinas. I'm still not sure why the idea didn't come to me sooner. I suppose I was just being cheap...again. Off to Lowes. Hooray!
I was so proud of myself when I returned with the least expensive product that will get the job done. According to Erin, I have this "I'm gonna fix stuff" way to my walk when I'm on a project. She might be right; I just said that. It couldn't have anything to do with a story my dad told me years ago about his own experience. Surely, a young man wouldn't be attempting to outperform another man, especially his father. Me, stubborn and competitive? Inconceivable!
When my dad was in his early 20s, he and my mother (newlyweds at the time) lived in a modest apartment. In this apartment arose a need for a dimmer switch over the breakfast table. I suspect he acted in much the same way as I while dashing off the to the nearest home improvement store. The details between purchasing and installing this dimmer switch are a bit fuzzy. However, the outcome always stuck with me. The newly installed switch did not work. Any attempt whatsoever to adjust the breakfast room light produced no results. From the next room my mom was witnessing something completely unexpected. The picture on the TV was shrinking and growing with every turn of the dimmer switch's dial. So with the lessons of the father permanently lodged in the forefront of my mind, I continue my efforts.
Since moving into our new house, this is the first time I've really had to turn off the power for anything. It seemed easy enough. Locate the fuse labeled "Dining Room Lights" and turn it off. Grab a flashlight and get to work. Remove the faceplate. Remove the switch's mounting screws. So far, so good. I reached in to remove the switch...ZAP! SON OF A B****!! The light switch for the kitchen shared a wall box with the dining room, but not a fuse. Realizing that I was still alive and healthy, I saw no reason to discontinue. I wired my cheap dimmer with the utmost care attempting to follow the included wiring diagram to the best of my abilities. This was, surprisingly, the quickest step of all. Erin was positioned at a safe distance in the kitchen and ready to yell at the sign of any sparks when power was restored.
Considering my recent reminder of the electricity's lively nature, I slowly reached for the fuse with a wooden ruler. Looking back it was silly, but I had already filled my shock quota for the day. CLICK. "It's on!", I heard from the kitchen. My self confidence has been restored and I marched back to Erin, ego fully intact. This was it...the moment of truth. Could I succeed where my father failed? I looked to Erin. Her face conveyed simple and direct message. "Quit looking at me and test the damn thing." So I did.
Nothing! Nothing happened! The TV still worked, but the lights now had 3 settings: on, barely on, and off. It must be genetic. Hanging my head in shame, I resigned myself to calling in backup. "Dad? Yeah...I couldn't install it either. See you next weekend."
Friday, January 14, 2011
Keeping a Warm House on a Cold Day
The HVAC stopped working! You read correctly. Our house does not have heat during the coldest, snow-filled winter experienced by North Alabama in 20 years. OK I'm exaggerating a bit, but I'd bet the delicious coffee I'm currently sipping that I've got your attention. Here's what happened.
Late Thursday night, we noticed a burning smell in the house. No, there wasn't a fire in the house. It smelled like something other than food had burned and left its odor behind as evidence. We searched for its origin and discovered that the odor was strongest in the warm air blowing from a floor vent. This particular vent also happened to be closest vent to the outdoor HVAC unit. So, naturally, I assumed that a mouse had crawled into the unit in search of heat, fallen on the heat coils, and toasted.
NOTE -- I am not out of my mind and that's not a completely obscure conclusion to arrive at. Last winter, I opened the unit for service and discovered just that. A cooked mouse was wedged under the heat coils, which explained the burning smell in the house just prior to finding that. However, the stench from that incident had a subtle undertone of death. I suppose it was wishful thinking to assume roasted critter rather than broken heater.
Late Thursday night, we noticed a burning smell in the house. No, there wasn't a fire in the house. It smelled like something other than food had burned and left its odor behind as evidence. We searched for its origin and discovered that the odor was strongest in the warm air blowing from a floor vent. This particular vent also happened to be closest vent to the outdoor HVAC unit. So, naturally, I assumed that a mouse had crawled into the unit in search of heat, fallen on the heat coils, and toasted.
NOTE -- I am not out of my mind and that's not a completely obscure conclusion to arrive at. Last winter, I opened the unit for service and discovered just that. A cooked mouse was wedged under the heat coils, which explained the burning smell in the house just prior to finding that. However, the stench from that incident had a subtle undertone of death. I suppose it was wishful thinking to assume roasted critter rather than broken heater.
Monday, January 10, 2011
The No. 1 Post
Hey y'all. With the number of home improvement projects that have recently reared their ugly head, a refreshing realization has washed over me. I thoroughly enjoy working on my house. It don't just enjoy it. I look forward to these projects. They have become such an anticipation recently, the misguided thought of breaking something just so I can fix it has occasionally flown through my mind. My fiance well surely worry and have words with me upon reading this...I love you, sweetheart! However, she can rest comfortably in the fact the my Tim-the-Tool-Man-Taylor inspired mania will not come to fruition. It's just not in the budget. The fixins happen when they happen.
My most recent project was repairing the HVAC on a cold winter day. Expect that story in the next post. I'll work to blog about all my projects and other various fixins from the past, going all the way back to the purchase of our first house. Readers might also be exposed to some rantings of wedding planning lessons learned from the groom's point of view. It's not nails and power tools, but there is some valuable information to be shared with other men who will most certainly find themselves in situations similar to mine.
Until next time...
My most recent project was repairing the HVAC on a cold winter day. Expect that story in the next post. I'll work to blog about all my projects and other various fixins from the past, going all the way back to the purchase of our first house. Readers might also be exposed to some rantings of wedding planning lessons learned from the groom's point of view. It's not nails and power tools, but there is some valuable information to be shared with other men who will most certainly find themselves in situations similar to mine.
Until next time...
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