Quickly, it's Late

Just a few things to share before I finish typing my homework and get to bed.

First: Date today with the Husband because tomorrow we both have class and it's our anniversary. This is the when we first started dating anniversary, so that makes tomorrow...five years. Yes. We've been together for five years tomorrow as well as married for 18 months. So, we went to one of our favorites, the Cheesecake Factory. SUPER YUM. I had the Hibachi steak and we shared the Tuxedo Cheesecake. Sorry they are so dark, it was very dim in there. BUT DELICIOUS.


You can see the Husband's hands over there. He is patiently waiting to pounce on this cake. It was so good. Tominda pointed out to me that the Husband has been looking very nice in recent pictures (you can thank me, I convinced him to let his hair grow) and she called him the Hot Husband. I like this. I shall refer to that guy I am married to as Hot Husband (or HH as is strikes me) from now on.





The only other thing that is mildly interesting is that I got a heart rate monitor and used it for the first time today while I did the last day of my second week training for a 5K. The monitor itself goes around your chest. I had a moment where I wasn't sure where to put it, because of the breasts, you see. I have them, they were in the way. Eventually, I figured out that just under the bottom part of the sports bar is an excellent place for the monitor, you can't even feel it. The watch is where your reading comes out, as well as where it calculates how many calories you burned, based on your weight and your heart rate. I was pleased to see that when I run for 40 minutes, I am not only burning 278 calories, it is much closer to 560 calories. BAM.

LAZERS.

So yesterday, being Friday, I went out with some friends of mine from the DSS program. For laser-tagging. It was pretty epic. I won't lie, however, at the age of 25, when I walked into this place, I felt like a complete creeper. I was surrounded by 12 year olds. These kids wiped the floor with us "adults" in two out of three games that I participated in. They have had some time to practice, I think. Anyway, it was pretty funny and I'd be willing to do it again, hopefully next time without all the little kids. They were pretty rude, they kept asking us if we were ready to loose again and saying curse words. I wonder about the youth of America. (Oh, I'm so old, look at my wisdom.) I know this picture looks pretty blurry, but the wind was blowing so hard when I took it that I'm surprised it turned out at all.

Today, I have done nothing but read books and realize that my washer is not going through the spin cycle. I also made potato soup in the Crock Pot and it was pretty good. I was pleased with it.

I skipped my running today, but I'll make up for it tomorrow. I just felt drained today. Hopefully, I'll have more interesting things for tomorrow. But for now, peace out.

I forgot:

I've had this song in my head for two days.

My favorite parts are around the 2:12 minute mark.
But yeah, I love this song. Enjoy.

Not Interesting

My classes got moved around this week to accomodate the long weekend (President's Day). So, I can't say that much has really happened in that time. Yesterday was so boring for me I actually took a picture of my backpack. It's the same backpack I've had since the beginning of high school. It has lasted through five years of college and my first year of grad school. Which reminds me, I should really wash that thing. I sewed the flag and the gold thingy there at the bottom (musical staff) on there by myself. I can remember when I talked my mom into getting this backpack. I found it through the internet because I really liked the straps (they have yet to deflate). We had to go to a sports store to find it. I was sorta expensive, I remember and Mom gave me this look, the one that says, "Why do you think you need this expensive back pack?" I remember telling her, "Mom, this backpack will last me through college. I promise." And it did. I can't believe I just wrote that much about a backpack. Gawd, I'm boring.


I made a cool dinner tonight, want to see? Here. It might look weird, but it is a stuffed pepper and it is a most definite four out of five noms. I'm not going to post the recipe right now because I'm too lazy to type it out. But it was super good. Be jealous.

I'm going to go read a Mercy Thompson novel by Patricia Briggs and eat peach yogurt. On a side note, while trolling Facebook today, I noticed someone from my high school that already looks like a little old man with no teeth.
I hope I hold up better.

Curses

A pox upon the weather, ice, and my apartment complex's inability to ice this particular curve this morning. More news to follow once we get insurance to inspect the car and then get it fixed. Until then, it's good we have my good old Honda, the Rice Rocket.

Appears to be mostly cosmetic so far, totally not a big deal. I'm just mad about it anyway. (We're fine, by the way, this is a super tiny thing in the grand scheme of things.)

President's Day Rocks

Today was a day free from work and school! Glorious. I started my second week of the Couch to 5K program. I was going to start it on Wednesday, but classes got switched around and I would not have been able to do that, so I did it today. It was ok. I really like the intervals and I'm hoping they will be effective in building my stamina. I'm sorta psyched about actually being able to run with the ability to breath. I'm not looking for it to be easy, but I like this build up.

I didn't take any good pictures today because I have mostly been hanging out in the apartment. I read the rest of a fun book and ran, but other than that I slept in and did homework. Here is a photo for the homework portion, haha!

Great Negotiations. I love history.

I'm actually taking a break from the homeworking at this moment to write this. I'm also chowing down on peach frozen yogurt, and felt the need to take a picture of that too. Nerd.

I expect the rest of the week to be more eventful than today, although I love not having much to do. It's relaxing. I should probably get back to my homeworking, I won't have much time to finish it up tomorrow and it's due on Wednesday! Ah, grad school, you are so fulfilling.

Oh yes, before I go, I would like to pass on the news that my ear is not turning into some strange bubble monster (I have seen this happen to others' cartilage piercings and decided to show you how well mine is doing). I am pleased with my decision to pierce it again. As long as it does not become a bubble monster.

Yes, that little shiny thing in the middle of my ear.

Jungle in There

You know how sometimes you walk into a place with something in mind and the moment you look up from your shoes, something entirely different smacks you in the face? Yeah, HomeGoods did that to me today. I was going to look for a cheese grater that stands on its own and something different to put my scarves in (oh lawd, the scarves), which I did, however, HomeGoods also gave me this:

As soon as you hit the store; BAM, macrame lion.

The elusive beaded zebra.

Wild flora and fauna were abundant.

Animals, in order to save space, will sometimes stack one another.

Elephant demands your attention.

The animal graveyard was a gruesome place.

More animal stacking! What space savers they are.

I'm not sure why HomeGoods had such an abundance of African wild life in their store, but you can bet your bottom dollar I did not purchase any to take home. Although I think the Husband was tempted by the stacked animals. He kept pointing them out to me. His taste is questionable.

SS and an Ear

Heyo! Guess what I did today? Check it out:
Indeed, I had my cartilage pierced again. It hardly hurt at all, which was surprising. I had it done in the same spot I had it last, before it sneak attack dropped out on me and healed over in about two seconds. Stupid thing. Anyway, the woman who did it for me was very nice and did a good job. Thank you, Piercing Pagoda employee, thank you.

Now the only other things I want is for my hair to grow out really fast and possibly a small tattoo to appear in an unobtrusive place for me to look at it. Miracles, go.

Today, being a Saturday, is a Savory Saturday! An SS, if you will. (No relation to the Nazis.) Once again, I cook from the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook and I made an "All-Time Favorite" called Cilantro Rice with Chicken. It was really good (I was relieved, after my last cooking fiasco. I'm always afraid I'll suddenly become a bad cook, and I'm not sure why...). Doesn't take too long to make and has a really nice and simple flavor. And I love cilantro, so that makes it better. I have to give shout-outs to Tominda's Mom for getting me that blender once upon a time, it was instrumental in making the cilantro sauce. Here is the recipe and the pictures to accompany it!

Cilantro Rice with Chicken pg. 321 in "Cooking Light Complete Cookbook"
Rice:
1 tablespoon olive oil

Boil, ya bastad.

2 cups quartered shiitake mushroom caps (I did not use this b/c the Husband and I hate mushrooms)
1/4 cup chopped green onion bottoms
1 (1/2 inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces (I used thin chicken breasts, not sure it matters)
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Sauce:
2 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped green onion tops
1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove, peeled (I minced mine, not sure the blender could take it.)
Topping:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped green onion tops
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

I'm plucking cilantro.

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. To prepare rice, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in rice, cumin, and chicken; cook 1 minute. Stir in 3 cups broth; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
3. To prepare sauce, place cilantro leaves and next 5 ingredients in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Stir into rice mixture. Discard ginger piece.
4. To prepare topping, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons green onion tops. Place rice mixture in a large bowl; spoon tomato topping over rice. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Calories: 339
Nom Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5

I would recommend this, it was pretty nommy!

The finished product. Tastes better than it looks. :)

Me has knife. Urgh.

I gave the Husband one job: take care of the bread. This is a picture of him attempting to mutilate the bread, which apparently translates into "take care of" in the man language. God help me should I ever get sick. (Oh that's funny, you might as well laugh.)

What I Did Today

I went to AC Moore and bought a shadow box. I brought the box home, unwrapped it from the plastic, removed the paper and opened it up. I placed something inside that box. I put the box aside and fetched hammer. I got a picture hanging nail and placed it against the wall. I drove the nail into the wall with my hammer. Then, I put the shadow box on the nail. And this is what is in the box:

I win at life.

TOM TOM.

Why, Lindsey, you may ask, is that a Vessel: The Advent by Tominda Adkins in that shadow box that now adorns your wall? Why, yes, kind stranger who is creeping around asking dumb questions, that is what that is. A Vessel: The Advent by Tominda Adkins, signed, on my wall there. FOREVER. Why yes, it is the most awesome work of art I have ever seen. I am ever so pleased that you asked, creeping stranger, now, get out of my apartment. Lawd.

In other news: I went on a date with that dude I am married to, we went to a neat Mediterranean/Italian placed called Delia's. I would like to share the appetizer with you, because it was FANTASTIC. It was potato and goat cheese balls and they were great. Here is a picture:

NOM Rating: 5 out of 5

Then we went to see a movie; I am Number Four. It is based on a young adult book and I quite like it. I'm going to go stalk around the internets and get some more information on it, then possibly download it to my Kindle. The Husband made a grave mistake when he got me that thing. He should have known better, really. I have a fever, and the only cure is more BOOKS. I bought the book for my youngest cousin for Christmas, I figured then I would wind up reading it. It is now confirmed. I will have to read it. There will be sequels.

I'm going to bed. I love you all. Stay classy.

Dinner Disaster

That picture is of fish. Tilapia. With orzo and spinach. I have been cooking for a while now and I have made a few funky things. I declare the dinner I made tonight a complete and total failure. FAIL.

It was upsetting. And tasted like poo. And that is all I have to say about it.

Couch to 5K

If I haven't said it before, let me just take a moment to tell those newcomers what I'm talking about, the rest of you can skip down a paragraph or two. I have felt, since about the time that I married Matt, that I wanted to lose some weight. It wasn't bad, but I just wanted get rid of a few pounds. Then I noticed some of my clothes didn't fit so great anymore. I didn't really have a good job, for a while I didn't have a job at all and I guess I was a little stressed out and a little depressed. I'm not making excuses or crying for help or anything, it just was. Sometimes, I have a hard time getting motivated to do things as well, which makes life a bit harder than it should be. I finally realized I needed to get moving when I weighed myself and found I was close to 160 lbs. I'm about 5 feet, 6 inches and I was working on getting to the unhealthy weight, according to BMI charts. So I joined a site called MyFitnessPal.com. It helped me track calories and set goals for myself. When I first joined, I was so embarrassed by my weight, I LIED to a website and put in 157 lbs. for my starting weight. Thankfully, the next time I weighed myself, I did weight 157, so it's a hope that I either lost it really quickly or was already on my way to not weighing 160. Since then, I have become an avid collector of workout videos. I eat much healthier (most of the time), and I've lost 6 lbs. If you start from the 160 weight, I've lost 9. My goal weight, at this moment, is 145. It puts me squarely in the healthy BMI and body weight, and its not some strange weight I have concocted for myself based on what I weighed in high school. (Holy crap, I was really tiny and I thought I was fat, I am so dumb.)

So. That was longer than I expected. But, the point here is that I've plateaued a bit with my weight loss. I bounce back and forth between 150 - 152 lbs. (oh boy does that piss me off) and I've gained back some muscle I lost in my legs. I've also put some muscle on my arms, which is really exciting! I've never had arm muscles before! So, I noticed that a friend of mine from the Fitness Pal website/Facebook had started a program called Couch to 5K. This program helps you get prepared to run a 5K in about two months. Maybe a bit more. It starts you out slow and then you work into doing the full 3 miles. Today was my first day. It was much easier than I expected, for myself. I would like to remind you, dear readers, I started being serious in August of 2010 and I've been doing cardio workouts about 3-4 times a week. So, starting the running wasn't as bad as I originally anticipated. I expect it be hard about week 3. But I think I would like to try to get in shape for a 5K (that's three miles, right?!) and do one of those. And, it can only help my weight loss goals and overall fitness goals. (I'm totally going to get ripped abs. Someday.) I already feel so much better about my body and I think that's what important.

I'm also blogging about this as a reminder to myself. I've been slipping a little these past two weeks because I LOVE LOVE LOVE junk food. It's a problem. So, this is a reminder to myself that I'm proud of the work I've done and I can find low cal/healthy sweet things to eat. Yeah.

So the pictures for today are pictures of myself and I hope you don't think me narcissistic. I just want to post my progress and I just got done running so that's all I'm thinking about. I was going to take a picture of the treadmill I used in the apartment's facilities, but I forgot my camera.

My front. I has the curves, and I kinda like 'em. My legs look so much better than what they were and my dance muscles are back. It's nice. Also, skirts that once were too tight fit wonderfully and my pants are too big. 

I think this face I'm making here is super cute. Haha, I was concentrating. Imagine what I look like in class. This is more for myself, so don't think I'm showing off or anything (there is nothing to show!). I just want to take pictures every now and then to show myself (fine, and everyone else) the progress. I feel pretty ok about this picture, actually. My pants ride up pretty high though so try not to be alarmed. 

Thanks for reading, I know that's not my normal but it's been on my mind a lot lately. 

If you want a quick funny story, get this.  Earlier at work, I ate an orange that was apparently going bad and I didn't realize because the taste was pretty ok when I was eating it. So, I then go home and start to have gas issues, you know how it is. And if you have any delusions that I'm some sort of health nut now, let me just shoot that in the foot; I was starving and ate an entire small pizza from Papa Johns. I do not regret it half as much as I should. So, here I am, bad orange and entire pizza in my stomach. I will skip the details, but I spent some time visiting John, then went to run. Other people were there. It was a fight to keep my gas issues, which did not go away with the visits to John, to myself. Yeah, super classy. Let's just make sure no one comes here ever again, huh, Strain? Geez. 

Happy Wednesday, friends. Be proud of yourself for something.

OH THINGS.

It is late! But I wished to share my pictures from Monday and today. Here they are:

 This is a shot of the sushi bar I frequent with JR and/or WFJ. I went there on Monday for a "Valentine" sushi date with JR. She rocks.

 

 This was my shot for today. You can see, sort of, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. This is what I see every morning on my way to work. You can see how gross the windows are on the metro.

 BUT OH WAIT. MY BOOKS WRITTEN BY MY BEST FRIEND ARRIVED AT MY HOUSE. MAKING THIS THE MOST EPIC DAY IN HISTORY AND I MAY HAVE POOPED MY PANTS. Seriously, this is the most awesome thing ever. She worked so hard and she's been so driven and she's learned so much. I'm so proud of her and I'm so happy to have been there the entire time. It's so awesome to hold this in my hand and just go, "Wow. This is real. This is her book. She did this." You are my hero, Tominda! ROCK.

 My thumbs up of approval. They are amazing. Go buy one, right now. Here is where you go. DO IT.

This is my excited face. I'm holding my phone to my ear because I called Tominda as soon as I saw the package.


You know what the best part of this is?

There is going to be another. Hot dang kids. Hot dang.

Fish & Flowers

Monday is dumb day to have Valentine's Day. Therefore, the Husband and I have spent the weekend doing v-day things and homework.

Yesterday was the play at the Kennedy Center. I didn't know how giant it was. Or how busy it is. I think when I went, there were three different shows going on in the place, each in a different giant auditorium. It's so busy; the Kennedy Center hosts about 2,000 performances a year with approximately 2 million guests. There are two large entrance ways, one called the Hall of Nations, the other the Hall of States. Both of these hallways are 250 feet long and 63 feet high. They attach to the Grand Foyer. The Grand Foyer is 630 feet long. This is large enough for the Washington Monument to fit, with 75 feet to spare. There are three main theaters, the Concert Hall, the Opera House, and Eisenhower Theater (which is where I saw the play - it is about the size of the Keith Albee in Huntington, WV). All together, these theaters can house about 5,863 people. But that's not all! There are several other spaces: The Family Theater, the Terrace Theater, the Theater Lab, the Millineum Stage (where they do lots of free or low cost performances), and the KC Jazz Club. Anyway, the have lots of stuff going on. And it's very pretty and has excellent views of the surrounding landscape.

Flowers in a GURGLE Pot.

Today was homework day. In fact, I'm going to go finish my homework as soon as I post this. I'd like to share the flowers I got, a pretty necklace the Husband got me and our Savory Sunday. Onward!

So pretty!

My Flowers!

Haha, the Husband picked these out for me while were doing the weekly grocery shopping. We both have class on Monday nights and don't get home until late so I'm glad for the substitute. And they're very nice!

Three!

The Husband also gave me a necklace that I have not-so-secretly been coveting. I'm in love with it already. And him, I guess. (Oh haha, I am only kidding.)

It has designs on it that I am entranced with! Oh, I just realized, more flowers! WIN!







And now, on to our Savory Sunday! This is more of the Husband's savory. Still from Cooking Light, however.
Cashew Chicken Salad Sandwiches from Cooking Light - Everyday Favorites pg. 288
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/3 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted cashews
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
2 whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Add chicken, cletery, cashews, and green onions, stir well. Serve on buns.
Calories: 353
The Husband's Nom Rating: 3
Lindsey's Nom Rating: 2 1/2

He likes it much more than I do. This was bound to happen eventually. DIVORCE. (Oh, haha, I am kidding again.)

I have been enjoying this song while I worked on this, so I will share with you! It's from Glee and good ole Paul McCartney. Fits in from my theme from Friday.

Rock out kids!

Flower in my hair and chocolate milk. I am pleased.

A Dark Comedy

I went to see a play today at the Kennedy Center! This one: The Cripple of Inishmann.  It was the first time I've been. I don't feel much like typing up anything right now, but I'll post some pictures and write about tomorrow.

The man himself.

The tickets, they are blurry.

That's Georgetown over there. You can see the university all the way over on the left.

Back of the Kennedy Center.

Arlington and the bridge from DC.

I have no idea what this is.

Another strange sculpture.

The Kennedy Center!